very forgiving manual transmission -- this is my first full-time stick (i've driven friends' periodically) and it's a breeze. the rear seats are ample for tall passengers unless the driver is really big (i'm 5'10, and with the driver's seat adjusted for me, there was plenty of room for me to sit directly behind the driver without scrunching). remote entry and hatch, CD, ABS all standard on the EX makes it a great value. the steering is perfect -- not too stiff and not too easy. gives it a great feel on the road. adjustable fan speed was a nice touch. rather than the old L-M-HI positions, it's more variable. lots of interesting little storage nooks -- under passenger seat, in the back door, side panels, dash...

it tends to roar when you get over 65-70 mph. it's geared low for that "sport" feel but it catches up with you on the road. a taller gear set would be a nice option.

mine was 20,500 (pretty close to sticker) but in my opinion worth every bit. it's quiet until you get it above 70, it has a very decent sound system (with affordable upgrade components from the factory) and a variety of interesting add-ons like a roof rack with a bicycle carrier attachment, a trailer hitch, etc. it drives like a car but sits up on the road like a truck. recommended!!

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nothing similar will have the resale that this will, and we all know Honda's reputation for reliability. the dealers are also closely scrutinized by Corporate over their level of service.

I'm a teacher, so I have to haul a lot of stuff. The CR-V does it, no problem. A big strength for the vehicle is the remote access for the hatchback (a must!). I've easily placed a huge 4-drawer file cabinet in the back, and I enjoy playing around with the combination of cabin space that the incline seats affords. I love the roomy and smart interior.

Lack of horsepower. Going up hills with a four other people is quite demanding for the car. Even being in extrememly snowy conditions in Tahoe, I didn't know if the RealTime 4-wheel drive kicked in or not, but it didn't slip anway. The CR-V's car-like driveabilty, despite it's interior roominess and height, makes it a treat to take around corners.

I paid mid 19k for it. I certainly would reccomend it. I've driven 22,000 miles already and haven't had a single problem, however I did receive a recall letter from Honda about some kind of electrical glitch. It's just a life-saver with its mileage, and the sound system I can always look forward to with a new CD. My CR-V has managed to convince two close friends to go the same route.

Ride, cargo capacity, passenger room

Power

Paid around 19K(?) for LX automatic w/CD using AutoByTel. Was going to get the 5-speed but I do a lot of highway driving, and 5th gear is a bit low for a relaxed commute.

The two-piece tailgate has been a lifesaver when trying to bring home long items - you can leave the glass up and drive at highway speeds. Other cars in this class don't have this ability (Forrester, Cherokee, even XTerra).

Lots of headroom! When I tried to get into a Cherokee my head skidded across the headliner (I'm 6'-2"), and trying to get into its rear seat made me and my wife laugh until we cried, but the CR-V has car-like access to all seats.

Though I listed power as a weakness, it actually gets up and goes pretty well under full throttle. However, highway cruising in the very hilly parts of Northern MD requires a heavy foot, constant vigilence, and occasional downshifts to a very noisy (5000RPM) 3rd gear, so I think a little more power is in order. I also agree with an earlier post that sound insulation has room for improvement.

In 20,000 miles I have had absolutely no problems, though I got a recall notice about replacing a wiring harness.

I was impressed right away with the handling and ride of the CR-V when compared to other SUV's I drove, such as the Jeep Cherokee Sport, the Kia, and the Isuzu Rodeo. The car corners well with very little roll. I also found that it had more room than the RAV4, the Kia and (surprisingly) the Jeep Cherokee Sport. I put three children in the back of the CR-V and the Jeep Sport and found the Honda won hands down in terms of accessability and leg and hip room. This car also has great flexibility in seating arrangements. It lets you fold down either side of the back seat for more cargo and lets you recline both front and back seats to form two single beds by the way the front and back seats fit together in the recline position. The cargo space could be a little bigger for long trips, but it has plenty of tie downs and hooks that make it handy for bringing home shopping bags and groceries without having groceries rolling around in the cargo area.

The factory sound system which comes with the Honda CD-player is also quite good for a factory system.

I have also had a chance to try out the Real Time 4 wheel drive while driving in a couple of snowstorms in December in Ontario and found that it kicked in quickly and smoothly to help keep me moving on the straight and narrow.

The extra "hidden" storage space beneath the cargo area (covered by a removeable picnic table) has also come in quite handy on long trips, especially for storing breakables or frozen foods.

The car also gets terrific gas mileage for an SUV with averages of 23-25 mpg in the city and 30-32 mpg on the highway (Canadian gallons which are almost 20% larger than U.S.).

The 146 horsepower, 4 cylinder engine has been criticized as not enough power by some, but it is quite adequate for most on road uses and this vehicle is really not built for severe off road conditions. The car cruises very well at 60-70 mph.

There are no heated mirrors available, even on the EX model.

Honda should work at reducing the amount of road and engine noise that enters the cabin, particularly when accelerating.

This is a very good vehicle if you are interested in an SUV for less than $30,000 (Cdn) and do not need one that will stand up to severe off road conditions.

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I road tested the KIA, a Jeep Cherokee Sport, and Isuzu Rodeo and a Toyota RAV4.

Ride, room, styling

Power only

A little short on horsepower at elevation, but for the price, the CR-V has no equals. Unless you are rockcrawling, there is not another sport ute anywhere that will soak up a rough, rocky road or trail like this machine! And it rides like a car...25-26 mpg all under any conditions. I don't need a truck, so I'll take this "car" that will go farther than I need to. Get One!!

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Isuzu Rodeo, Ford Explorer

Can go just about anywhere, comfortable, plenty of room.

Not quite enough power, the power window switches are in the worst place, no sunroof.

I like it! You'll not find a better car-based SUV for under $30k.

-Roomy
-Flat floor
-Easy in and out
-Great comfort on long trips
-Good gas mileage

-Underpowered
-Noisy at highway speeds

Great car for a couple and their dog or single child. Larger families would not do well with a small SUV. Four adults are a bit cramped when compared to larger SUV's... but when compared to other cars, it is avergae.

acceleration is zizzing great for by yourself trips great for 2 people trips does not roll over.

makes noise steering wheel is too sideways

This miny SUV is based roughly on Honda's fine civic sedan platform.It's all wheel drive system is good for bad weatherbut is not meant for serious off-roading.The ride is compliant and carlike but handling is just ok. The engine is fairly noisy and acceleration is less than sizzling.What's more some controls are awkwardly placed.While the seats are resoably comfortable,a steering wheel that's too horizontal makes the driving position tiring.The rear seat is roomy the rear tailgate is hard to operate.

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This car is like the Toyota Rav-4 and Suburu Forester

acceleration is zizzing great for by yourself trips great for 2 people trips does not roll over.

makes noise steering wheel is too sideways

This miny SUV is based roughly on Honda's fine civic sedan platform.It's all wheel drive system is good for bad weatherbut is not meant for serious off-roading.The ride is compliant and carlike but handling is just ok. The engine is fairly noisy and acceleration is less than sizzling.What's more some controls are awkwardly placed.While the seats are resoably comfortable,a steering wheel that's too horizontal makes the driving position tiring.The rear seat is roomy the rear tailgate is hard to operate.

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This car is like the Toyota Rav-4 and Suburu Forester

Honda build quality
fun-to-drive quotient

highway noise

just completed a 2,800-mile trip thru the southwest. with each mile (it now has 11,000) we appreciate the capabilities of this rig more; it swallows tons of gear, cruises effortlessly at 80, and returned an amazing 29mpg overall.