In today’s car evaluation program by Autodaily, let’s explore the Honda CR-V 2018, specifically the highest L version.
Exterior design
The exterior is a remarkable transformation of the new CR-V. The front end exudes power, with a high hood, a large honeycomb grille and chrome accents that make the CR-V look much more muscular. All the lighting on the car is equipped with full LED technology, and I really like the headlight design on this model. Of course, the headlights have automatic on/off mode.
On the sides of the CRV, what caught my attention is that the doors at the front/rear seats all have a large opening, making it easy to get in and out. But the biggest impression that gave the CR-V a 10/10 for me is the rear design. From the full LED taillights to the complete disappearance of the humpback from the previous generation, and that’s the overall design that’s really beautiful.
In my eyes, this is the most pleasing design among all CR-V generations that I have seen. Of course, to have that beauty along with the 5+2 design, the storage space in the rear trunk has been reduced a bit. After I tried putting 3 large suitcases, the trunk still had space for three travel bags. Overall, even though the trunk has been downsized, there is not much to complain about. Especially, the ability to customize the third-row seats makes the car more flexible when transporting people and luggage. And in the new CR-V, the power trunk is also a standard feature.
Interior and amenities
As I mentioned earlier, the third-row seat is the biggest concern for me because with the 5+2 design, the space will be narrowed down.
To get to the third-row seat, I have to push the second-row seat up with the backrest slightly inclined. Luckily, the second-row seat of the CR-V allows for adjustment. When sitting in the third-row seat, I guess I will have to endure for a 100km trip while the second-row seat has to be pushed closer. It’s worth mentioning that the 5+2 design is quite unique. I think if I want a more spacious and comfortable space, I will need a real 7-seater. It’s like when you switch from a 90m2 apartment with 3 bedrooms to a 300m2 villa with 3 bedrooms but much more spacious, you have to spend a lot more money.
With the CR-V, all seats have air vents. The front seats, of course, the second-row seats, for sure, and there are also 2 USB charging ports right below them. As for the third-row seats, there are 4 air vents on the ceiling of the car. When sitting in this row, you don’t have to worry about lack of light because the CR-V has a super wide panoramic sunroof.
But what makes me feel at ease when sitting in any position in the car is the curtain airbag system in all rows. This feature is only available on the top-of-the-line CR-V L version.
The sound system is also a highlight of the new CR-V. I still remember at the beginning of 2017, I interviewed a long-time user who said the sound was the worst thing about the old CR-V. But now, with the new CR-V, I believe he will be satisfied with the 8-speaker, 180W audio system. Along with the beautiful 7-inch screen with high resolution, it allows me to connect Apple Carplay or Android Auto and I tried calling my “wife” in the contact list named My Wife. It was quick and convenient, and of course, the English language recognition was quite accurate. I also used the navigation system and found it easy and convenient. The 7-inch screen replaced the iPhone screen, making it much easier for me to observe.
In terms of space design, the new CR-V is a significant improvement. The quality of the details, buttons… are the features that I really like. There are many storage compartments, USB charging slots that you can find in the spacious storage compartment under the armrest. Through the 7-inch screen menu, you can also customize the display settings and the clock according to your preferences. Since Hanoi is in the winter season, I haven’t experienced the cooling quality of the CR-V’s air conditioning system yet.
The steering wheel of the CR-V is similar to the Civic model that I drove before: small, compact, beautiful, and has a smooth feel. The smart cruise control function is even better with the speed displayed on the dashboard. If you want to adjust the speed by 1 km/h, you need to lightly press the increase/decrease button, and if you want to adjust to a round number like 70, 73…, rounding up to 80, then you need to press and hold the button longer. It’s a bit regrettable that the CR-V in Vietnam is still not equipped with advanced systems such as blind spot warning, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, 360-degree camera.
Driving experience
To feel the turbo engine and the improvements in the chassis, suspension system, and AHA steering assist system of the car, we chose the road to Ba Vi summit. Unfortunately, it was a wet and foggy day, which affected our photo shoots. But every cloud has a silver lining, and this was a great opportunity for the major changes on the CR-V to be revealed.
Unlike other times, I invited 3 familiar editors, Duy “handsome”, Tuấn “bald”, and Long “dark” to film with a trunk full of luggage, which can be considered full load.
The road to Ba Vi summit gets steeper as you go up, with visibility reduced to about 10-20m due to wet fog. But the CR-V immediately demonstrated its new advantages quite well. The turbo 1.5 engine, 188hp/5.600rpm, torque 240/2.000-5.000rpm operates smoothly. Even at low speeds below 2.500rpm, there is very little throttle delay. And when the engine reaches over 2.500rpm, everything becomes even easier, the quick acceleration is quite good, even with a full load, climbing uphill is also very smooth and “sweet”. The CR-V effectively controls the phenomenon of front wheel lifting even when I step on the gas pedal hard.
The CVT transmission was a big question mark for me before I took the wheel. Will it be weak when climbing uphill? Can I downshift and use engine braking? And I had all the answers when I got behind the wheel. Yes, with 4 people and a full trunk, it was simple to go uphill and go downhill with the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. Of course, you can choose the soft D driving mode or the sporty S mode with the engine always operating at a high speed to reduce throttle delay
The road to Ba Vi summit has many bends and you can comfortably accelerate to speeds of 70-90km/h. The acceleration on straight roads and brake points before the bend all bring exciting feelings behind the CR-V’s steering wheel. It’s very different from the previous generation, stable, firm, and sweet turns are what I feel on this road. Indeed, what I have always loved about Honda cars is the feeling of embracing the steering wheel. Yes, a compact steering wheel gives me a lot of emotions. It’s been a long time since I last drove a car that excited me so much.
On the highway, at speeds above 60-70km/h, the CR-V accelerates smoothly. I have to admit that the suspension system and chassis of the car are very interesting. I tried maintaining the speed over potholes on the road and felt the stability quite clearly. Even when we took the car on rough dirt roads, the CR-V still showed surprising stability.
We also performed emergency lane change and acceleration tests to compare the turbo engine of the new CR-V with the previous generation. When doing continuous emergency lane changes at 80km/h, the new CR-V handled it smoothly, while the previous generation had a significant rear wheel lift and skid. With a test to accelerate from 0-100km/h, the new CR-V achieved a faster time (8.5s) compared to the old one (10.2s), reducing the time by nearly 2s. The new car’s sound insulation capability is also better. However, the noise level when driving at speeds above 80km/h on the highway still did not truly satisfy me.
The new CR-V is equipped with notable safety systems such as Auto Brake Hole, drowsiness warning (G, L versions), curtain airbags (L version), 3-angle reversing camera, hill start assist (HSA), electronic stability control (VSA), automatic door lock when the key is out of the sensor range (G, L versions).
Finally, I think that even though it is not equipped with advanced technologies (possibly due to price balance), the CR-V is still a car worth owning.
Le Hung (forum.autodaily.vn)
Honda CR-V L 2018 Specifications
- Engine: 1.5 DOHC VTEC TURBO, 4-cylinder inline
- Transmission: CVT
- Displacement: 1,498 cc
- Maximum power: 188hp/5.600rpm
- Maximum torque: 240Nm/2.000-5.000rpm
- Fuel consumption (liters/100km): 6.9
- Seating capacity: 7
- Length x Width x Height (mm): 5,584 x 1,855 x 1,679
- Wheelbase (mm): 2,660
- Tire size: 235/60R18
- Ground clearance (mm): 198
- Minimum turning radius (m): 5.9
- Price: VND 1,068,000,000
