Honda CR-V i-DTEC Auto: month four

Total mileage: 4,001

Official combined mpg/CO2: 41.5/180g/km

Actual mpg: 35.4

Where have we been in the Honda CR-V?

I have been making the most of the load carrying capabilities of the CR-V over the past six weeks, to prove that this SUV, or Crossover depending on what you want to call it, has capabilities beyond a regular estate car.

What do we like about the Honda CR-V?

As I have hinted in earlier reports, the CR-V has a massive boot. That isn’t perhaps surprising – a car like this should have a huge luggage capacity. Yet most of the Honda’s rivals don’t, with various Kias, Hyundais and Fords offering hardly any more space than a regular hatchback.

The CR-V didn’t make mincemeat of its extraction onto tarmac

So when I flew off to Geneva for the motor show last month, CJ commandeered the CR-V to take himself and the film crew to Heathrow. As can be seen from the picture, many large cases were swallowed up, although the tripods still had to find their way over into the back seat.

A week later I had a call from a pal to say that trees were being felled on common land in Harpenden. As the law stands that wood belongs to the commoner, which we interpreted as being Barry and me. So we went foraging for fuel.

Absurdly, Barry turned up in his XJR and proceeded to load up the boot with ugly, viscous, paint-scarring logs. My CR-V made much more sense, and I didn’t get near its capacity before a groundsman from the golf club decided that perhaps we shouldn’t be pinching "his" wood after all. Ha!

Motoring Research

What don’t we like about the Honda CR-V?

As the image with the load of logs shows, there was some snow around and the grass on the common was damp. The XJR needed a bit of a shove to get off but, and here’s the surprise, the CR-V didn’t make mincemeat of its extraction onto tarmac either.

The proper fix for this is to fit winter tyres. It makes massive sense on any 4x4, not just this Honda. Then you’ll be able to deal with almost anything.

Motoring Research

It’s out on loan again. Sean in the office is off on a family event in the West Country. More next month.

2.2 HONDA ACCORD EX GT I-DTEC 2009 Road Test Drive - The UK Car Reviews.

Honda CR-V 2013 1080p HD MSN Cars test drive