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By
EWAN KENNEDY
21 April 2008
Those who continue to berate 4WD buyers as being environmental
vandals are getting further and further out of touch with reality.
Because many of today's 4WDs, more commonly called SUVs to
differentiate them from the old-style 4WDs, are more on-road
station wagons than off-road workers.
Car makers have adapted their vehicles to the demands of the
person who wants the extra interior room, higher driving position
and overall versatility of a 4WD. Indeed, the latest generation of
SUVs has gone past the adapting stage, and are now designing
new-generation SUVs from the ground up.
A perfect example is the latest Honda CR-V. This is a stylish,
low-riding wagon that really stands out from the squarer shapes of
the past.
The CR-V's rear end gives the appearance of being low set and
sleek, but that’s an optical illusion and the tail is quite tall
with a good luggage area inside. However, the boot floor is
relatively high as the spare wheel is now stored under the floor
rather than on the rear door as in all previous Honda CR-Vs.
The spare is a full-sized unit in deference to those who might
like to explore the great Australian outback. Suburban users
aren't offered a space-saver option to give them more boot depth.
Interior space is good as Honda has long been an advocate of
flat-floor bodies. The front seats are large and comfortable,
though a little more lateral support would have been appreciated.
The gear lever is on a slightly extended console in the lower area
of the dash to facilitate movement from the front seats to the
rear.
Because the CR-V's floor is level throughout the cabin there's
good foot space in all seats. Thus adults can be carried in the
centre-rear position without sitting splay-legged over a centre
tunnel. However, this is a mid-sized vehicle and not overly wide
so the back seat’s better left to the kids for longer trips.
There's good stowage space inside the cabin, with plenty of
places for wallets, sunglasses, mobile phones and all the other
bits and pieces that make life easier.
Placing the spare wheel under the floor lowers the centre of
gravity of the CR-V for improved balance and handling in a vehicle
that’s aimed primarily at on-road use. The ride height is 20 mm
lower than that of the previous model, yet clever design means the
centre of gravity has been pulled down by a significant 35 mm.
On sealed roads we found the third-generation Honda CR-V to
have handling characteristics roughly midway between those of a
car and a conventional 4WD. Handling is safe and predictable,
though bad bumps on the road can knock the Honda a bit off line at
times. Ride comfort is good and wind noise generally well
isolated. There's a fair bit of road/tyre noise when driving on
coarse-chip bitumen, but it’s no worse than on many imported
cars.
Gravel roads saw the CR-V retain good stability and easy
handling. The CR-V four-wheel drive system provides excellent
traction. But ground clearance will now be the limitation if you
want to go exploring; at 185 mm it’s about halfway between that
of a passenger car and an off-road 4WD. So be wary of tackling
anything but the most modest of fire trails and the like in your
off-road adventures.
Power for the latest Honda CR-V comes from a 2.4-litre
four-cylinder engine mated to either a six-speed manual or
five-speed automatic. Surprisingly, the automatic doesn’t have a
tiptronic-type facility, but it operates well enough in its
standard format.
The full Honda CR-V range, with prices (excluding on-road
costs) is:
CR-V: $31,990 (manual), $33,990 (automatic)
CR-V Sport: $37,490 (manual), $39,490 (automatic)
CR-V Luxury: $39,990 (manual), $41,990 (automatic)
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Marque Publishing Company
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