2010 Honda CR-V

Refined Ride Quality
A compact car with a big-car ride, the CR-V has a composed feel, easily rolling over rough roads without ruffling the passengers.

Sensible Size, Flexible Floor Plan
Right-sized, real-world dimensions and a highly adaptable interior are two reasons why the CR-V is Honda's biggest seller worldwide.

The 2010 Honda CR-V's defining feature is a highly flexible floor plan. Split rear seats fold easily and tumble forward. Doing so increases cargo capacity from a generous minimum of 35.7 cubic feet to a maximum of 72.9 cubic feet. Lift-over height in back is low. Second-row seats also recline slightly and the headrests have been designed for a visibility-enhancing low profile when not in use. Rear-seat travel is adjustable fore and aft, but long-legged folk may find the front seats don't have enough travel to fully accommodate them. All trim levels benefit from wider fold-down, inside armrests. Rear-seat legroom is not as generous as in pervious generation CR-Vs, but those under six feet can still fit front and rear simultaneously. The CR-V's dual-dial dash is an easy read, controls and switchgear are all within arm's reach and simple to operate and inside storage areas abound.

The first two generations of the CR-V made their marks by combining exceptional utility with enviable reliability. They were high function, but low fashion. The current CR-V, however, has turned all that around. Honda aims to lay claim to that portion of the new buyers flocking to this segment who are style-conscious; to that end, the 2010 Honda CR-V's still-practical package is wrapped in a decidedly fashion-forward design. The side view is dramatically different than most boxy SUVs, with an elliptically-shaped greenhouse. Up front are slash-cut headlamps and a laid-back windshield, while around back is a large rear hatch with no hatch-mounted spare tire to complicate entrance. Ground clearance is a generous 6.7 inches.

The 2010 Honda CR-V has a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 180 horsepower and delivers its 161 pound-feet of torque across a wider power band than previously. The four-cylinder engine is linked exclusively to a five-speed automatic transmission. The loss of an available five-speed manual transmission – formerly standard equipment on previous generation CR-Vs – may be lamented by mileage maximizers, but Honda says that the demand for stick-shift CR-Vs among buyers was just too low.

2.4-liter in-line 4
180 horsepower @ 6800 rpm
161 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/28 (2WD), 21/27 (4WD)