The Detroit News's view

When the Honda CR-V debuted in 1997, we not only reviewed it, we had a panel of consumers give us their opinion after spending an afternoon testing the compact sport-utility vehicle. Their reaction: Lukewarm. They thought Honda’s little four-door was too small and didn’t offer enough value for the money. Because Honda is offering a special edition of the CR-V for 2000, we decided to revisit this Japanese offering.

Turns out our first impressions were pretty much on target.

She: I spent a very interesting Saturday in the CR-V. I picked up my brother Mike, his wife and two young sons, and headed up to Mt. Pleasant, about a three-hour drive from Detroit. The occasion was a graduation party for niece Lindsay. When I pulled up in the driveway of Mike’s house, the kids squealed with delight. They thought the five-passenger Honda was on a par with Pokemon – very appealing. But it didn’t take us long to compile a list of flaws.

He: I hate to interrupt – something I almost never get a chance to do in real life. But we should also mention some of the people-pleasing features of the CR-V, including the fact that it’s really simple to operate and comes with some nifty gadgets, like a flip-up tray table and a folding picnic table in the rear.

She: You are totally right. I kept thinking on the long drive to Mt. Pleasant that the CR-V has great visibility. It’s something you really appreciate when you have a car load of people. This would be a great first vehicle for a kid who doesn’t have much driving experience – because you can see so well out of it. And the gas mileage is pretty good. We got about 25 miles per gallon in mixed driving, which is much better than you’d get in an Explorer or a Grand Cherokee. That’s sure to be a concern with some buyers if gas stays over $2 a gallon.

He: The downside is that the CR-V only comes with a single engine, a twin-cam 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 146 horsepower and only 133 pounds-feet of torque. That little four-banger really has to work hard when you’ve got three or four adults aboard. What a difference from the Escape we recently tested with the 200-horsepower 3.0-liter V-6, which kicks out 200 pounds-feet of torque. The four-speed automatic on our test vehicle is geared more for economy than performance, so you probably want to consider ordering the five-speed manual if you’ve got your heart set on this Honda and you want better acceleration.

She: Let’s get back to some of the people-displeasing features. The front passenger seat has no armrest, which seemed to me like a sneaky way to cut costs. My brother, the athletic hockey player, griped that the seats were too thin and had no lumbar support. His wife mentioned there should have been a headrest in the center of the rear seat. When I told her to put one of the little boys in the middle, she wisely told me that moms have to sit between the kids to prevent fights – something the Japanese engineers probably never e ven dreamed of. In other words, there needs to be three headrests. And I haven’t even told you what prom queen Lindsay’s reaction was to the CR-V. Remember her parents promised her a new car since she got a full scholarship to college?

He: Let me guess. She wants a Corvette convertible. Or a Volkswagen Beetle.

She: You’re gonna be surprised. But it’s not a CR-V. I showed off the little Honda to her, thinking she’s going to really fall for the forest-green exterior and the manageable size. She just snorted and said, “I’d never get all my friends in there. I want a Ford Explorer.”

He: And who’s paying for the gas? If you think about it for a minute, I can’t think of a teen-ager who would be caught dead in the CR-V. Too square – literally and figuratively.

2000 Honda CR-V SE

Anita’s rating: average

Paul’s rating: average

Likes: Decent gas mileage. Lots of head room. Excellent visibility. Nice little features, like flip-up tray table d folding picnic table. Adds lots of standard features.

Dislikes: Puny four-cylinder engine; no V-6 option. Too small for families or people with lots of friends. Passenger seat has no armrest. Seats are too thin, with insufficient lumbar support. Rear seat lacks middle headrest. Not a lot of personality. No side air bags.

Type: Front-engine, four-wheel drive, five-passenger compact utility vehicle.

Price: Base, $22,600; as tested, $23,040 (inc. $440 destination charge).

Engine: 2.0-liter I-4; 146-hp; 133 lb-ft torque.

EPA fuel economy: 22 mpg city/25 mpg highway.

12-month insurance cost, according to AAA Michigan: $1,224 (Estimate. Rates may be higher or lower, depending on coverage and driving record.)

Where built: Sayama, Japan