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:
