- "CR-V" redirects here. It is also a shorthand referring to chromium-vanadium alloy tool steels.
The Honda CR-V is a compact station wagon, now crossover, manufactured since 1995 by Honda. It was loosely derived from the Honda Civic to satisfy a public demand for a sport-utility vehicle from Honda. There are discrepancies as to what "CR-V" stands for, with Honda sources in different markets citing different meanings. The most common meaning being "Civic Recreation Vehicle" since it is built on the Honda Civic Platform. Though Honda sales literature in UK reportedly makes references to "Compact Recreational Vehicle", other Honda references (including the official Honda Japan CR-V Fact Book[1] and Honda Worldwide[2]) cite "Comfortable Runabout Vehicle". It is produced in both four-wheel drive and front-wheel drive, with availability differing by market.
Honda produces the CR-V in Japan and the United Kingdom for worldwide markets, and as of 2007, North American CR-Vs are produced in East Liberty, Ohio. The CR-V is produced in Wuhan for the Chinese market by the Dongfeng Honda Automobile Company, a joint venture with Dongfeng Motor Corporation. Starting in fall 2007, North American CR-Vs will also be produced in Jalisco, Mexico in addition to Britain, Japan and the US due to high demand. Honda executives considered making the CR-V as one of the first vehicles to be produced at Honda's new facility currently finishing construction in Greensburg, Indiana that opened in fall 2008; however, the facility will initially exclusively produce the Civic, which may free up space in East Liberty for CR-V production from the 2009 model year onward. Elsewhere, the CR-V is Honda's smallest SUV other than the related Element sold in Canada and the United States, and the HR-V sold in Europe. In size, the CR-V slots between the Element and Pilot, but due to the Element's discontinuation after the 2011 model year, the CR-V will once again become Honda's entry-level SUV.
 | |
| Manufacturer | Honda |
|---|---|
| Production | 1995-present |
| Class | Compact Crossover SUV |
| Body style | 4-door SUV |
| Layout | Transversely mounted, front engine,front-wheel drive / all-wheel drive |
Second generation (2002–2006)
The bigger and heavier[3] second generation CR-V(Chassis Code RD4-RD7) was a full redesign, based on the seventh generation Civic, and powered by the K24A1 engine. North American versions of the new engine produced 160 hp (120 kW) and 162 lb·ft (220 N·m) of torque. Per new SAEregulations, the same engine is now rated at 156 hp (116 kW) and 160 ft·lbf (220 N·m). Despite the power increase, the new CR-V retained the fuel economy of the previous model, thanks in part to the engine's i-VTEC system. The newly developed chassis had increased torsional and bending rigidity, while the new suspension possessed front toe control link MacPherson struts and a rear reactive-link double wishbone; the compact rear suspension increased cargo space to 72 cu ft (2,000 l). The second generation CR-V was Car and Driver magazine's Best Small SUV for 2002 and 2003. Second generation CR-Vs in countries outside of North America were again offered in both 'low specification' and 'high specification' variants, with the latter featuring body-colored bumpers and fittings. It also now did not require the glass hatch to be opened before the swinging door. Changes between model years 2002, 2003, and 2004 were very minor. The success of the CR-V prompted Honda to introduce an entry-level SUV, the Element.
It is reported that in late 2003, Honda took legal action against Shuanghuan of China accusing its Laibao SRV of copying CR-V's exterior design.[4]
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[edit]Facelift
In 2005, the CR-V received a mid-cycle refresh. The 2005 CR-V was now equipped with 16 inch wheels, the earlier models had 15 inch wheels. Visual changes included new headlights and taillights. The new headlights now have two separate H1 bulbs for low beams and high beams, the previous setup used H4 single bulb for both low and high beams. The taillights now used clear lenses instead of amber for the turning indicators. The grille was also changed; it had 2 horizontal bars instead of one. The front bumper design was slightly changed, it now has round fog lights compared to the previous rectangle fog lights and in addition to the lower grill there are 2 horizontal bars instead of 1. The rear bumper reflectors were longer and narrower.
On the inside of the car, the EX trim received upgrades which included steering wheel-mounted audio controls and an outside temperature monitor. The stereo system was also XM Satellite Radio ready (USA but not Canada). All CR-V models also had revised rear seat headrests, which had been redesigned to reduce rear view blockage.
Mechanically, the 2005 model was also changed. A major change included a drive-by-wire throttle for all CR-Vs. The all-wheel drive system was improved; it had been tuned to activate faster in low traction situations. US market models were equipped with a 5 speed automatic, as opposed to the previous 4 speed automatic.
In the United States and Canada, all 2005 and later CR-V's have ABS, Electronic brake force distribution, front seat-mounted side airbags, and side-curtain airbags with rollover sensors for all occupants. Also, Traction Control and Vehicle Stability Assist were added as standard equipment on all trim levels for increased rollover protection.
In Australia, the MY05 facelift went on sale in late 2004. A new pearl white, called Premium White, was made available on Sport models. Base models continued with the solid Taffeta White from previous models. Base models also made do with only dual airbags and ABS as standard equipment, while the Sport came equipped with side airbags for the first time. Curtain airbags were unavailable on any model, until the next generation.
Following the tradition of adding a trim level above the EX during the refresh like the first generation CR-V, Honda added the SE trim level for the 2005 CR-V. The CR-V SE had painted bumpers, body side molding, and spare tire cover. For a more luxurious experience, Honda added a leather interior, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and heated side mirrors and front seats. A new color, Pewter Pearl, could only be found on the SE. The SE also included a hard body-colored cover for the spare tire on the back.
For the 2006 model year, two new colors were added, Royal Blue Pearl and Alabaster Silver Metallic. These colors were available on the CR-V LX and EX only.
 | |
| Production | 2001—2006 |
|---|---|
| Model years | 2002—2006 |
| Assembly | Swindon, England Ayutthaya, Thailand Wuhan, China (Chinese market only) Sayama, Japan Ping-Tung, Taiwan Santa Rosa, Laguna, Philippines |
| Engine | 2.0 L I4 2.2 L turbodiesel I4 2.4 L I4 |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual 6-speed manual 4-speed automatic 5-speed automatic |
| Wheelbase | 2,620 mm (103 in) 2,625 mm (103.3 in) (post-facelift) |
| Length | 4,535 mm (178.5 in) 4,600 mm (180 in) (post-facelift) |
| Width | 1,785 mm (70.3 in) |
| Height | 1,680 mm (66.1417322834650 in) 2002-2004 1,800 mm (71 in) 2005-2006 2WD/4WD1,700 mm (67 in) 2002-2004 2WD 1,750 mm (69 in) 2002-2004 4WD 1,759 mm (69.3 in) 2005-2006 2WD 1,780 mm (70 in) 2005-2006 4WD |
| Related | Honda Civic Honda Element Honda Integra |
Third generation (2007-2011)
A redesigned CR-V was launched for the 2007 model year. The third generation CR-V is powered by the latest version of Honda's standard K-series2.4 L 4-cylinder engine, similar variants of which can also be found in the current-generation Honda Accord and Honda Element. In North American markets, this engine's power is rated at 166 hp (124 kW) at 5,800 rpm and 161 lb·ft (218 N·m) at 4,200 rpm.[5] A 2.2 L i-CTDI diesel engine is offered in the European and Asian markets. The European market CR-V offers a new R20A 2.0 L petrol engine, based on the Honda R-series i-VTEC SOHC engine found in the Honda Civic, as opposed to the previous CR-V offering the K20A. Since the introduction of a newer, 5-speed automatic transmission, which sports a higher MPG rating and smoother shifting, the manual transmission has been dropped from the US market. Fuel economy ratings from the EPA are 20 mpg-US (12 L/100 km; 24 mpg-imp) city, 26 mpg-US (9.0 L/100 km; 31 mpg-imp) highway. Consumer Reports rates fuel economy as 19 mpg-US (12 L/100 km; 23 mpg-imp) city, 29 mpg-US (8.1 L/100 km; 35 mpg-imp) highway.
Unlike previous models, the 2007 CR-V features a rear liftgate and no longer has the spare wheel attached to the back door. The new CR-V is lower, wider, and shorter than the previous models; the length decrease is attributed mostly to the fact that the spare wheel no longer adds length to the back of the vehicle. A lowering of the center of gravity is another benefit of the spare wheel being located underneath the rear cargo area. A feature unique amongst SUVs is the center rear seat pass-through.
Honda is also offering an integrated Navigation option on the EX-L model. The navigation unit is made for Honda by Alpine and includes voice activated control, XM radio (in the USA and Canada), in dash CD player that can play MP3 and WMA media. It also has a six-disc CD changer in the center console and a PC Card (PCMCIA) slot in the Nav unit for flash memory MP3 or WMA files. A second CD player is behind the navigation screen, this CD player plays MP3/WMA cds. A rear backup camera is also included.[6]
An iPod adapter was to be an available option on US models, but is currently only available as an add-on accessory. All CR-V models still have the auxiliary audio input jack, which is either on the head unit itself (LX), on the central tray (EX), or inside the center console (all versions of the EX-L, with or without navigation).
For 2007, Honda CR-V became one of the ten best selling vehicles of the year, outselling competitors like RAV4, Escape and Tahoe by tens of thousands.[7] It even overtook Ford Explorer, which had held the title for fifteen years (1991–2006), to be the number-one selling SUV in the US.[8] To meet the high demand, Honda shifted some Civic production from East Liberty, Ohio to Alliston Plant #2, Ontario[9] (where some Pilot, Ridgeline, andOdyssey[disambiguation needed] production was located until production was consolidated at Honda's Lincoln, Alabama facility) to free up space for additional CR-V production. Currently, the East Liberty plant is building 400+ CR-Vs a day for the Canadian and US markets. US market CR-V models are imported primarily from Sayama, Saitama, Japan and El Salto, Jalisco, Mexico in increasing numbers. In 2008, CR-V continued to be top ten bestseller and best selling SUV of the year in the U.S.[10] Since its introduction in 1997, there were more than 215,000 CR-V sold in Canada.[11]
Chassis code: RE1 (2WD), RE2 (4WD), RE3 (2WD), RE4 (4WD) RE5 (4WD), RE7 (4WD)
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Crash Test Ratings[12]
Frontal Impact: 
Side Impact:
Rollover: 
The Honda CR-V is rated "good" in frontal[13] and side-impact[14] crash tests by the IIHS. However it is rated "marginal" in the roof strength test.[15]
[edit]2010 facelift
For the 2010 model year, the CR-V receives modest style, powertrain, and equipment changes. The exterior changes include a redesigned front fascia with a new horizontal-slat chrome grille and honeycomb-designed lower front grille, new front bumper, and revised taillights. The rear bumper is also redesigned, as well as new five split-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels for EX and EX-L models. The interior gains minor changes, such as improved seat fabrics, and wider driver & front-passenger armrests. The audio head unit controls are altered and the information display backlighting in the gauges is blue instead of the previous black. USB audio input is standard in the EX-L trim while hands-free Bluetooth connectivity is exclusive to the EX-L trim equipped with navigation system.
Horsepower is increased from 166 to 180 for 2010 and mileage is improved by 1 MPG for both front-wheel and all-wheel drive models. EPA ratings are now 21/28 MPG city/highway and 21/27 MPG city/highway respectively. Specified oil weight changed from 5W-20 to 0W-20 from previous years with a change to the K24Z6 engine.
Prices are increased between $300 and $900 depending on trim level. The 2010 model went on sale in the United States on September 10, 2009.
_Sport_wagon_01.jpg) | |
| Production | 2006-present |
|---|---|
| Model years | 2007-present |
| Assembly | Indonesia(Indonesia Market only) East Liberty, Ohio, United States (North America) El Salto, Jalisco, Mexico (North America and Latin America) Ping-Tung, Taiwan (Taiwanese market only) Sayama, Saitama, Japan (International Markets) Swindon, England (Europe) Vinh Phuc, Vietnam (Vietnamese market only) Wuhan, China (Chinese market only) Ayutthaya, Thailand(South East Asian Market) |
| Engine | 2.0 L R20A I4 2.2 L N22A turbodiesel I4 2.4 L K24Z I4 |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual 5-speed automatic |
| Wheelbase | 2,620 mm (103.1 in) |
| Length | 4,518 mm (177.9 in) |
| Width | 2007-09: 1,820 mm (71.7 in) 2010-: 71.6 in (1,819 mm) |
| Height | 67.1 in (1,704 mm) |
| Related | Acura RDX Honda Civic Honda Element |
Fourth generation (2012-)
On July 25 2011, Honda released a photo of the upcoming 2012 Honda CR-V. The photo was released along with the announcement that the fourth-generation Honda CR-V will be sold in the United States by the end of 2011(November) and in Europe in 2012. No mention was made as to when the vehicle will be available in Asia. Honda said, "The new CR-V Concept embraces a distinctive and bold styling direction. Compared to the previous generation, the concept model takes on a more aggressive stance with deeper sculpting of the body lines and a bolder front fascia. The lower front bumper wraps smartly upward to convey SUV capability, while the overall lower front bumper design now integrates more smoothly into the fascia for improved aerodynamics.
The CR-V's vertical taillights remain for the next model with a more three-dimensional style that wraps further into the design of the vehicle." Specs of the fourth-generation were not revealed but Honda said it will be equipped with "more efficient engines compared to the current model" to deliver improved fuel economy.
The new CR-V Concept will be debuted at the Orange County International Auto Show in California in September.
Honda currently provides information about the 2012 CR-V on their "Concepts" page, which states in part: "With a new design, enhanced features and improved fuel economy, the 2012 CR-V is designed for you and your friends to be in the center of the action. The exterior of the 4th-generation CR-V is sleek and stylish, while the accommodating and spacious interior promises a host of new possibilities. The 2012 CR-V goes on sale in late 2011"