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The Toyota RAV4 arrived in 1996 followed by the Honda CR-V in 1997 because the Japanese automakers thought there might be interest in a compact sport-utility vehicle a cut above the Chevrolet Tracker and Suzuki Samurai that were being offered.

Neither RAV4 nor CR-V claimed to be able to climb steep hills, ford deep streams or zip up and over sand dunes.

They simply offered all-wheel-drive in a car-based vehicle so motorists who didn’t climb hills, ford streams or travel dunes could at least maneuver over snow-packed roads without slip sliding away.

Thoughts of the past popped up when a 2005 Honda CR-V arrived for a test drive.

The original CR-V wasn’t very rugged looking. It was derived from the Civic and looked like a Civic wagon.

Have to admit not having great expectations for the CR-V when it arrived. Perhaps the best thing the CR-V had going for it, other than the name, was that it was small and came with a folding table tucked under the rear cargo floor.

Small meant decent mileage and easy to park, while the hidden table meant you had a conversation piece none of your other neighbors had–unless they owned a CR-V.

If memory serves, those tables in the first CR-Vs were small and a tad wobbly. And while billed as the place to hold your picnic fare, that would best be a very light snack.

While hardly loaded with muscle and certainly not blessed with fashionable styling, the CR-V has had staying power.

It gained credibility in the 2002 model year, when it underwent a dramatic upgrade. It was redesigned and enlarged. The added length and width provided a roomier cabin and more stowage space while the increased dimensions made for better stability and less wandering when the wind blew or a semi passed.

For ’05 the CR-V undergoes another upgrade that includes a style freshening to tide loyalists over for a couple years until the next remake.

Other than a return of the top-of-the-line SE luxury version with leather interior and the addition of body-colored bumpers and cylindrical shaped headlights outside, there’s some far more noteworthy changes for ’05.

Larger 16-inch radial tires are now standard across the lineup to replace the previous 15-inch treads. The larger tires give you more of a pawprint on the pavement for improved ride and handling. And anti-lock brakes are standard.

We tested the ’05 SE with real-time all-wheel-drive, which operates in two-wheel-drive until wheel slippage is detected and then all four wheels engage to provide added security.

And to ensure even greater security, Vehicle Stability Assist and traction control are standard as part of Honda’s “Safety for Everyone” commitment.

With VSA, sensors analyze vehicle speed, steering wheel input and lateral forces in relation to steering input to determine whether to apply brake force to one or more wheels and/or ease back on the throttle to keep you moving in the intended direction.

Traction control sensors detect wheel slippage when starting from the light or when traveling over slick patches on the road and apply the brakes to the affected wheel to keep the vehicle from skidding.

Also standard are side-impact air bags upfront and air-bag curtains front to rear with a sensor to keep them deployed longer in a rollover.

Ride is relatively smooth, and you don’t feel every tar mark in the road. The larger tires as well as VSA and traction control help ensure stable handling.

The CR-V is long and wide enough to keep from feeling top heavy in turns, but you’ll experience some lean in sharp corners.

The CR-V is powered by a 2.4-liter, 160-horsepower 4-cylinder with 5-speed automatic transmission. The 4 isn’t very peppy. Takeoffs from the light aren’t very brisk, and you need to plan ahead before pulling into the passing lane. But a 22 m.p.g. city/27 m.p.g. highway rating shows the value of the 4 cylinder.

Neat features include that folding table under the cargo floor–and some added stowage space under the table.

OK, you probably won’t use a folding table often on your motoring adventures. But, if you ever need one, isn’t it nice to know it’s there?

You access the cargo hold through a lightweight swing-out rear door that opens so wide you should have no trouble loading or unloading. The door also contains a series of bins.

When the CR-V bowed, the automaker told the media at previews that the rear door bins could hold wine bottles for the picnic. It took about a millisecond for the automaker to realize the gaffe and boast, instead, that the holders were large enough to carry cheese to the picnic.

The cargo hold behind the second-row seat is unusually large and will hold a massive amount of groceries or luggage or just plain old junk.

If you need more room, second-row seat backs fold flat and, with a pull of a strap, the seat back and bottom flip forward against the back of the front seat to provide huge stowage capability.

There also are pouches or holders in the doors, in the seat backs and scattered in and under the dash for even more stuff.

Another nice touch is a folding tray between the two front seats with cupholders, cell-phone holder and a space for whatever else you can serve up with cups and phones. There’s also a couple of holders for small plastic bags along the sides of the tray.

While designers were hell-bent on giving just about every inch of space some useful purpose, they fell short in two areas. The automatic gearshift lever is in the center of the dash rather than on the steering column or the floor. That is more fashionable than functional. And the emergency brake handle is fixed vertically in the center of the dash below the gearshift. That location keeps the brake handle from catching on coat or shirt sleeves in its usual location between the two seats, but it takes getting used to.

Base price of the CR-V SE tested is $25,050. All you have to add is $515 for freight. Standard equipment includes AM/FM radio with in-dash CD player and cassette, air conditioning, power windows and door locks, power moonroof, power mirrors, rear-window defroster and full-size spare tire mounted on the outside rear cargo door.

Desk clean: Winners (?) in the desk-cleaning giveaway were Tom Kelly, Orland Park; Carl Merry, Coralville, Iowa; Gorman Kenney, Downers Grove; Jennifer Boyd, Lowell, Ind.; Jerry Weber, Whitefish Bay, Wis.; Fred Schaeflein, Riverdale; Joe Jaskolski, Westchester; Doug May, West Chicago; James Vroom, Orland Park; and Dean Condell, Capron, Ill.

Also, Gene Mateja (no relation unless he owes us money), Norridge; Jay Fowler, Crystal Lake; Betty Koets, Deerfield; Stephen Caravello, Roselle; Tom Gersie, Mundelein; Sally Kulih, Itasca; John Hedstrom, Wheaton; Barbara Marchewka, Park Ridge; and Laurel Bartolomeo, Chicago.

More winners next week. As always, if the junque sent moves, needs feeding or talks, it’s not returnable. If nothing arrives, sorry, but some addresses were nearly impossible to decipher.

TEST DRIVE

2005 Honda CR-V SE 4WD

Wheelbase: 103.3 inches

Length: 181.8 inches

Engine: 2.4-liter, 160-h.p. 4-cylinder

Transmission: 5-speed automatic

Fuel economy: 22 m.p.g. city/27 m.p.g. highway

Base price: $25,050

Price as tested: $25,050. Add $515 for freight.

Pluses: New SE luxury trim level with leather seats. It features exterior/interior upgrades as well as more standard safety equipment, including side-curtain air bags, stability control with traction control and anti-lock brakes. All-wheel-drive for all-season motoring. Larger 16-inch radials replace 15-inchers for better road grip. Roomy cabin. Large cargo hold with folding table hidden under the floor.

Minuses: The 4-cylinder could use some added muscle. Gearshift lever in dash.

Read Jim Mateja Sunday in Transportation and Wednesday and Friday in Business. Hear him on WBBM Newsradio 780 at 6:22 p.m. Wednesdays and 11:22 a.m. Sundays.