According to Mr. Chu Tung – the car owner in Thai Nguyen – Honda CR-V is a highly considerate choice, with spacious space for the family, exciting driving experience, and safe operation thanks to the Honda Sensing technology package. The longer the car is used, the more these values are realized.
Starting to own the Honda CR-V from about February 2021, until now Mr. Tung has been using the car for over a year and has driven over 25,000 km ODO. On average, Mr. Tung drives more than 2,000 km per month, and the main route is the Hanoi – Thai Nguyen expressway.
Before coming to the Honda CR-V, Mr. Tung used to own a smaller crossover in a lower segment. With a large number of family members, including: husband and wife, three children, and two grandparents, the old car could not meet Mr. Tung’s needs. Therefore, after considering and consulting, Mr. Chu Tung decided to upgrade to the Honda CR-V.
Before owning the car, Mr. Tung and his family considered, even directly test-drove many other models in and above the segment for the most visual comparison. Compared to other names in the market, Mr. Tung said Honda CR-V gave him the most impressive driving experience.
The car runs on gasoline, so the advantage is that it is quiet and does not cause unpleasant smells. Moreover, the interior space of the CR-V is enough for 7 people, meeting the needs of the whole family. Therefore, Mr. Tung decided to buy the car.
After a year and a half with the Honda CR-V, Mr. Tung highly appreciates what the engine – transmission block of the car brings. With a 1.5L turbo VTEC configuration, the car meets the needs of gentle city driving, with a speed range of about under 50 km/h. In most urban cases, the car has not opened the turbo and provides a smooth feeling.
However, when on the high-speed or long-distance road, at high speeds, the turbo engine has opened when the machine reaches the right speed. At this time, the power of the CR-V completely meets good overtaking or acceleration at speeds of 80 – 100 km/h or more.
Especially, the steering wheel and chassis system of the Honda CR-V are the “specialties” that the Japanese manufacturer always favors for users. The CR-V steering wheel can vary according to the speed of operation:
When driving in the city, the steering wheel provides a very flexible and light feeling. When on the highway, the Honda CR-V gives a very smooth and precise steering feel. The driver can clearly feel the trajectory of the wheels according to each steering operation. This not only brings a lot of excitement when driving, but also helps the driver operate the vehicle more safely and confidently.
In addition, the 2020 version of the Honda CR-V is also equipped with almost all the amenities, meeting the needs of passengers and not inferior to previous Korean models.
One of the things that Mr. Tung highly appreciates and often uses is the Panorama panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charging, convenient trunk opening feature, and especially the safety driving support technology package Honda Sensing.
Mr. Tung frequently drives on the Hanoi – Thai Nguyen expressway. There are months when he travels on this familiar route up to 20 times. And when on the expressway, Mr. Tung always uses the Adaptive Cruise Control mode. It allows the car to automatically follow the car in front and maintain the preset speed.
Or the duo of lane keeping support – minimizing lane deviation is also very useful when operating the car on the highway. With the help of these features, the driver can completely confidently operate the Honda CR-V at high speeds in a leisurely and convenient manner.
However, these features only support and do not completely replace the driver. Every time the driver takes hands off the steering wheel, the car will remind and warn immediately. Or when wanting to change lanes, the driver will have to signal with turn signals, otherwise the steering wheel will automatically tighten and not allow lane change. These are outstanding safety features in the Honda Sensing system that Mr. Tung highly appreciates.
Moreover, Mr. Tung honestly shared that Honda Sensing once “saved” him from an obvious defeat. Specifically, when traveling on the Vo Chi Cong – Tay Ho route, Hanoi; Mr. Tung was driving behind a Kia Sorento, both of which were driving quite evenly and adhering to the correct speed.
But suddenly the Sorento in front suddenly braked. At that moment, Mr. Tung was startled and unable to react. However, the Honda CR-V immediately intervened in braking and stopped the car before colliding with the Sorento in front. If it were not for this collision prevention feature, Mr. Tung’s CR-V would have encountered trouble when an accident occurred that day.
He shared that he often drives on the Hanoi – Thai Nguyen expressway. There are months when he travels on this familiar route up to 20 times. And when on the expressway, Mr. Tung always uses the Adaptive Cruise Control mode. It allows the car to automatically follow the car in front and maintain the preset speed.
Or the duo of lane keeping support – minimizing lane deviation is also very useful when operating the car on the highway. With the help of these features, the driver can completely confidently operate the Honda CR-V at high speeds in a leisurely and convenient manner.
However, these features only support and do not completely replace the driver. Every time the driver takes hands off the steering wheel, the car will remind and warn immediately. Or when wanting to change lanes, the driver will have to signal with turn signals, otherwise the steering wheel will automatically tighten and not allow lane change. These are outstanding safety features in the Honda Sensing system that Mr. Tung highly appreciates.
Furthermore, Mr. Tung praised the fuel consumption ability of the Honda CR-V. According to Mr. Tung’s personal sharing, with a mixed operating distance in both urban and highway roads, this 5+2 seater car only consumes an average of about 7-8L of petrol per 100 km traveled.
In this way, the Honda CR-V even “eats” less fuel than the previous smaller crossover car that Mr. Tung owned, although the CR-V is much larger in size and heavier.
Actually, fuel efficiency is a common advantage of the VTEC engine technology that all Honda cars possess. However, in addition to that, the Honda CR-V also has some points that have not really impressed Mr. Tung.
Firstly, the soundproofing ability of the Honda CR-V is not very impressive. Especially when operating at high-speed range, the noise penetrates into the cabin quite loudly. Next is the rear multi-link suspension system of the car which, although provides a sharp driving feel for the driver. However, when heavily loaded, the shock absorbers make the rear of the car sag down, reducing aesthetics as well as the ability to cause disadvantages when overcoming bad terrains.
In addition, Mr. Tung has also upgraded some interior “toys” to serve daily needs, including: a 360-degree camera system paired with a large screen, supporting wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity (the original screen only supports wired connection), dashcam, sunshades for the rear seats.
In summary, after more than 1.5 years of use with 2.5 thousand km traveled; Mr. Tung personally rates his Honda CR-V at 8/10. Temporarily ignoring the shortcomings, because in the price range of 1 billion VND, it is difficult to find a “flawless” car. According to Mr. Tung, the CR-V is truly a comprehensive choice within the budget and makes him satisfied during use.
What matters is that the Honda CR-V provides a sense of security when used: durable, reliable, few minor issues; stable operation; useful safety features; sufficient equipment and suitable space for the needs of a 7-person family.
Mr. Phan (Tuoitrethudo)
