Honda CR-V review

We’ve only driven left-hand-drive models so far but, as long as the conversion to right-hand drive doesn’t ruin the well-aligned pedals, seat and steering wheel combo, the driving position will be fine.

The steering wheel, for instance, has a good range of height and reach adjustment, and the driver’s seat comes with height and four-way lumbar adjustment. Having a lever to adjust the backrest angle is annoying, though, because it leaves you with a set number of positions, none of which seems to include the ideal one. Electric seats will be available and cure that issue, but most likely on only the most expensive trim.

Honda uses the same digital dashboard for the CR-V that the Civic has. It works well, displaying all the important information very clearly. A head-up display is also available. The rest of the dashboard’s controls – at least the things you’ll be fiddling with regularly, such as lights and climate control– are clear and grouped together well.

The windscreen pillars of the CR-V are unusually thin for a large SUV, making seeing out the front an easy task, while the deep front side windows and large door mirrors make it easy to see out the sides, too. Yet, crane your neck to look behind you and the tapering rear window line does hide what’s lurking at each corner.

Parking sensors and a rear-view camera will be available, although we don’t yet know from which trim level.

Let’s not pull any punches here: the CR-V’s infotainment system is the same as the one in the cheaper Civic and it’s poor. In the large SUV class, which features cars with brilliant systems such as BMW’s iDrive and Audi’s MMI, it’s even less competitive.

So, what’s the problem? Well, the 7.0in touchscreen is conveniently positioned on the dashboard but disappointingly low in resolution. Worse still, the menus are complicated and the screen is often sluggish to respond. Mercifully, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring are available, so you can in effect bypass Honda's own operating system and use the touchscreen to control your phone instead.

Compared with previous generations of the CR-V, the current model has received a worthy uplift in quality. There are soft-touch plastics on the upper areas, stitched leather on the door trims, gloss black panels and silver highlights.

That said, the number of materials used, including the naff-looking fake wood veneers, make it feel like the stylists just couldn’t stop styling the car; its German rivals, including the Volkswagen Tiguan, and even the cheaper Skoda Kodiaq, have more cohesive and appealing designs.

In a few areas, you’ll also find some sharp edges and large panel gaps, and the CR-V is less robust-feeling than its rivals in places as well. For example, give the front door handle a firm pull and it flexes in your hand.