2012 Honda CR-V
Starting MSRP $22,495–$28,495
By Cars.com Staff
Cars.com National December 20, 2011Vehicle Overview
Honda's CR-V has been redesigned for 2012. The five-seat compact crossover has new styling inside and out, and it gets better gas mileage than its predecessor. Offered with either front- or all-wheel drive, all CR-Vs are powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. The CR-V is offered in LX, EX and EX-L trim levels. Competitors include the Ford Escape, Toyota RAV4 and Hyundai Tucson.
Exterior
The 2012 CR-V's styling revisions eliminate one of its more controversial design features — the prior generation's underbite front end has been ditched in favor of a more conventional grille that's bounded at its upper edges by new headlights.
The CR-V's profile looks different thanks to changes in the crossover's greenhouse. Whereas the prior model's side glass arced gracefully lower at the rear, there's now a kink in the window line that draws attention to the rear roof pillars and the restyled taillights that climb them. There's a new liftgate, too, which has a modern look. Exterior features include:
- Standard 16-inch steel wheels; optional 17-inch alloy wheels
- Standard folding power side mirrors
- Optional power moonroof
- Optional roof rails
- Optional fog lights
- Optional body-colored door handles
- Optional rear privacy glass
Interior
Like the exterior, the CR-V's cabin is an evolution of the former design. The door panels, steering wheel and dashboard sport a new look, but materials quality doesn't seem nice enough in places for an all-new model. Honda did, however, significantly simplify the folding procedure for the backseat. Interior features include:
- Standard air conditioning; optional dual-zone automatic air conditioning
- Standard Bluetooth connectivity including streaming audio
- Standard CD stereo with USB port, MP3 jack and Pandora compatibility
- Standard cruise control
- Standard tilt/telescoping steering wheel
- Standard center console
- Standard 60/40-split folding backseat
- Optional power driver's seat
- Optional leather seats with front seat heaters
- Optional navigation system
- Optional backseat entertainment system
Under the Hood
All CR-V trim levels are powered by a 185-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that teams with a five-speed automatic transmission. Gas mileage has improved, with front-wheel-drive models rated at an EPA-estimated 23/31 mpg city/highway while all-wheel-drive versions get 22/30 mpg. Mechanical features include:
- Engine uses regular gas
- Hill start assist
- Electric power steering
- 1,500-pound towing capacity
Safety
Standard safety features include:
- Side curtain airbags with rollover sensor
- Four-wheel-disc antilock brakes
- Electronic stability system with traction control
- Backup camera
Additional Reviews
Cars.com Expert Reviews
| David Thomas | Cars.com National | November 16, 2011 |
| Cars.com Staff | Cars.com National | December 20, 2011 |
Affiliate Reviews
| BreAnn Ahara | Mother Proof | May 10, 2012 |
| Warren Brown | washingtonpost.com | January 20, 2012 |
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