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Full Test: 2007 Honda CR-V EX-L AWD With Navigation (edmunds.com)
Full Test: 2007 Honda CR-V EX-L AWD With Navigation (edmunds.com)
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...hotopanel..2.*
Quote:
Not much flash. Not a lot of dash. But absolutely dripping with class.
The 2007 Honda CR-V will never inflame the sort of passion that sends you out to the driveway in your pajamas at 2 a.m. just for a gawk or a little g-sampling blast up and down a desolate two-laner. It just wasn't built for that. It's not part of the portfolio.
An indication of the small SUV's intended place in the universe can be decoded from the first paragraph of its press kit. It's full of the kind of language easily understood by safety moms and solid if somewhat uninspired middle managers — "highly-versatile," "roomy," "sedanlike" and "highest levels of standard safety features in its segment." These aren't fighting words. This is the lexicon of rock-ribbed domestic values and a sober character. These are the "I think we should pass on the giant screen TV and get Junior some math tutoring instead" values.
An ACE up its sleeve
To begin with, the unibody CR-V is equipped with Honda's ACE (Advanced Compatibility Engineering) body structure. The primary goal of ACE is to protect the occupants by channeling and dissipating front and rear impact energy to prevent cabin deformation in a collision. Compared to the previous CR-V, this one's bending rigidity is increased by 84 percent, and 58 percent of the black metal is high-grade, high-strength steel. Even pedestrians are factored into the safety equation. The hood is made to deform if contact is made with an adult or child pedestrian and the windshield wiper pivots are designed to deform to reduce injury.
There are a total of six airbags — two dual-stage, dual-threshold frontal airbags for the front occupants, two additional side airbags tucked into the seatbacks for the front occupants and two side curtain airbags with a rollover sensor for the front and rear occupants that deploy from modules in the roof for additional head protection.
In typical Honda thoroughness, the rollover and G sensor actually determine what kind of rollover the CR-V is experiencing. The deployment algorithms figure out if the vehicle is in a "curb trip rollover," a "soil trip rollover" or a "screw rollover," which is exactly what it sounds like and exactly what you are if you ever find yourself in that scenario. Additional passive safety features include seatbelt pre-tensioners with load limiters. To keep your head on your shoulders in a rear collision, the CR-V has active front-seat head restraints. In a rear collision, the head restraints move up and forward to equalize the g-loads acting on your head and back. Nice touch.
Just enough, but not too much power
Motivation is provided by Honda's 2.4-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder. It's the same engine Honda used in the CR-V last year, but its power ratings are 10 horsepower and 1 pound-foot of torque higher thanks to a slightly higher-compression ratio, higher-flow intake and exhaust systems, and revised variable valve timing. With 166 hp and 161 lb-ft of torque, its numbers are on par with the four-cylinder Toyota RAV4 (166 hp, 165 lb-ft) and Jeep Compass (172 hp, 165 lb-ft).
Our tester managed 9.8 seconds to 60 mph and a leisurely 17.5-second quarter-mile with a 78.6-mph velocity at the gate. So it's no speed machine, but in and around town it never feels sluggish. It's even quick enough to make highway merging stress-free; just don't pick any fights with a V6 RAV4.
The only available transmission is a five-speed automatic equipped with what Honda calls the Grade Logic Control system. A set of algorithms in the transmission control module prevent gear hunting while traveling on hilly terrain. The standard drive-by-wire system keeps jerky throttle responses and clunky gearshifts under control.
AWD for safety, not Baja
To handle conditions that might otherwise cause the driver to break a sweat or appear in less than total control, the CR-V offers an available Real Time 4WD system. Honda's intentions for this system are solidly pavement-oriented and not meant for heavy-duty off-road excursions.
Instead it's a safety system designed to maintain traction in wet, slippery or snowy conditions. Using a multiplate clutch and two hydraulic pumps, Real Time 4WD only kicks power to the rear wheels if the system senses a difference in rotational speed between the front and rear. Hydraulic fluid is pumped to the rear in proportion to the amount of slippage. Compared to the previous CR-V model, the new-for-2007 version boosts the amount of torque transfer to the rear wheels by 20 percent.
Stability to spare
A huge aid in helping to maintain that sense of stability and control is an all-independent suspension system with MacPherson struts up front and a multilink arrangement at the rear. The essentially precise nature of this system is augmented by standard ABS and Honda's Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) system.
In the slalom the CR-V exhibited brilliant steering response and surprising stability. Unlike some SUVs in its class, it feels confident during transitions and not the slightest bit tippy. Credit for the CR-V's stability and tossability has to go to the VSA system that applies brake pressure to the wheel that slips and redirects driving force to the wheel with more traction. Using seven sensors, VSA applies braking to the outside front and rear wheels during impending oversteer. On impending understeer, it applies braking force to the inside front and rear wheels.
If you don't want the assistance of several million dollars' worth of research and rely instead on your superior driving skills, you can push the VSA button to the left of the steering wheel and go solo. Top speed through the slalom was 63.4 mph, impressive for a small SUV.
Thanks to the brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution systems, the CR-V also comes to a stop from 60 mph in a very short 131 feet. Brake feel is also consistent, with no fade or pedal softness.
All that suspension technology, however, couldn't put the CR-V higher on the lateral acceleration scale than 0.77g. However, there's good news there. The CR-V is fun to toss around, rotating with throttle lift. Its limits are low, but it has excellent balance for a small SUV. In other words, it's controllable and no surprises are lurking under the surface.
Same size as before
Interior volume is within fractions of a percent of the previous model, but it's completely redesigned to create a more refined environment. Our tester was a fully maxed out, top-of-the-heap EX-L with heated leather-trimmed seats, power moonroof, XM radio and the available navigation system. The nav system is actually a package that includes voice recognition, a rearview camera that activates when you shift to reverse, a center-console-mounted six-disc CD player (the standard audio system has the six-disc changer in the dash) and a digital audio card reader.
The cargo area behind the front seats is typically minimal for a small ute but if somebody wanted a big cargo area, they wouldn't be looking at this class. The rear seats easily flip over and down if you really need the extra space, but realistically the CR-V isn't intended to be the family hauler or furniture fetcher. We're looking at this mini as the perfect all-around vehicle for a downsized family — the empty nesters or a hip urban couple with no kids — or an affluent single who has moved beyond the outdoorsy, hose-out-the-interior functionality of the Element. Available 4WD notwithstanding, the CR-V is just a little too classy for Spandex shorts, elbow pads and branches in the grille.
Can't beat the price
Maybe the best news of all is the CR-V's asking price. An entry-level 2WD CR-V LX is offered at a mere $20,600, and our AWD tester, which had leather, moonroof and a navigation system, clocked in at just $28,595 with destination. It's a lot of vehicle for the price, any way you slice it.
If your priorities are a great ride, D-lux interior and a lot of amenities for little scratch, this is your crossover.
Specs:
Model Year: 2007
Make: Honda
Model: CR-V
Style: EX-L 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation (2.4L 4cyl 5A)
Base Price: $28,595
Price as Tested: $28,595
Drive Type: All wheel drive
Transmission Type: 5-speed Automatic
Displacement (liters): 2.4
Engine Type: Inline-4
Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 166 @ 5800
Torque (ft-lbs @ rpm): 161 @ 4200
Braking System: Front ventilated disc - Rear disc
Steering System: Speed-proportional power steering
Suspension Type (front): MacPherson strut
Suspension Type (rear): Multilink
Tire Size (front): 225/65R17 T
Tire Size (rear): 225/65R17 T
Tire Brand: Continental
Tire Model: All-season
Curb Weight (lbs): 3549
Recommended Fuel: Regular unleaded
Fuel Tank Capacity (gal): 15.3
EPA Fuel Economy (mpg): 22 City 28 Highway
Edmunds Observed (mpg): N/A
Conditions for Testing
Temperature (Fahrenheit): 71.4
Humidity: 42.2
Elevation (ft): 112
Wind: 1.0
Performance Top
0 - 30 (sec): 3.3
0 - 45 (sec): 6.1
0 - 60 (sec): 9.8
0 - 75 (sec): 15.3
1/4 Mile (sec @ mph): 17.5 @ 78.6
30 - 0 (ft): 32
60 - 0 (ft): 131
Braking Rating (Excellent, Good, Average, Poor or Very Poor): Very Good
Slalom (mph): 63.4
Skid Pad (g-force): .77
Handling Rating (Excellent, Good, Average, Poor or Very Poor): Excellent
Db @ Idle: 40.7
Db @ Full Throttle: 72.5
Db @ 70 mph Cruise: 67.1
Acceleration: Smooth engine. Transmission shifts at redline. Typical Honda power delivery. Not responsive to brake torque at launch.
Braking: Good, consistent brake feel. No fade. Effectiveness comes at an intuitive point in pedal travel with no squish.
Handling: Rotates with throttle lift. Low limits but excellent balance for a small SUV. In the slalom: brilliant steering response and stability. Feels confident during fast transitions. Not the slightest bit tippy.
Specifications Top
Length: 177.9 in
Width: 71.6 in
Height: 66.1 in
Wheelbase: 103.1 in
Legroom (front): 41.3 in
Legroom (rear): 38.5 in
Headroom (front): 38.9 in
Headroom (rear): 38.5 in
Maximum Seating Capacity: 5
Cargo Volume: 35.7 cubic feet
Maximum Cargo Volume (rear seats down): 72.9 cubic feet
Warranty Information Top
Bumper-to-Bumper: 3 years/36,000 miles
Power Train: 5 years/60,000 miles
Corrosion: 5 years/Unlimited miles
Roadside Assistance: Not Available
Scheduled Maintenance: Not Available
Safety Information Top
Front Airbags: Standard
Side Airbags: Standard dual front
Head Airbags: Standard front and rear
Antilock Brakes: 4-wheel ABS
Electronic Brake Enhancements: Brake assist, electronic brakeforce distribution
Traction Control: Standard
Stability Control: Standard
Rollover Protection: Standard
Emergency Assistance System: Not Available
NHTSA Crash Test Driver: Not Tested
NHTSA Crash Test Passenger: Not Tested
NHTSA Crash Test Side Front: Not Tested
NHTSA Crash Test Side Rear: Not Tested
NHTSA Rollover: Not Tested
IIHS Offset: Not Tested
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