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The 2013 Honda CR-V is by and large the same vehicle as the 2012. This is a good thing for Honda, seeing as it’s one of the best selling crossovers in Canada and remains a very popular choice for practical-minded people who want a reliable, fuel-efficient and spacious vehicle. On the other hand, many would call the practical people-carrier uninteresting. Sure, the top-of-the-line Crystal Black Pearl Touring model we drove wasn’t that much of a head-turner (this could partly be attributed to how many you can spot on the road at any given time), but its strength is knowing exactly what it’s designed to do, and carrying that out with precision.
Comfort and safety in this segment are important, and the CR-V has that in spades with heated front seats that position the driver for a good view of the road. The front seats have also been designed to mitigate neck damage during a rear-end collision by providing a greater spring range that help absorb energy during an impact. The CR-V was named a 2013 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick due in part to its front and side airbags and Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure that helps spread out the forces during a frontal collision.
Between the seats is the centre console with the biggest storage space I have ever seen. It easily swallowed up my cellphone, keys and wallet—and I could have probably fit a netbook in there with room to spare. There is also a sliding door to hide the valuables out of sight.
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The interior of the 2013 Honda CR-V
The dashboard displays all sorts of pertinent information and includes Honda’s Eco Assist, which helps the lead-foot-inclined to optimize efficiency using coloured indicator lights. The CR-V is a time-saver, too—instead of fumbling with headrests and different latches to lay the rear seats down when you need the extra cargo space, simply tug on a lever and watch the magic unfold.
Powered by a 2.4 L four-cylinder engine, with 185 hp and 163 lb-ft. of torque available across all trims, the CR-V will get you where you need to go. The Touring comes with all-wheel drive (also standard on the EX-L and optional on LX and EX) to help out in slippery situations at the cost of a little more gas burned. I managed to achieve 10 L/100 km primarily driving in the city compared to Honda’s combined estimate of 8.1 L/100 km.
There is also an ECON button you can press that alters engine and transmission characteristics to maximum fuel economy. All trim levels get motion-adaptive electric power steering that detect slippage during cornering and assists the driver to steer in the correct direction.
The base Honda CR-V, which comes with front-wheel drive, starts at $25,990, and the Touring I drove is priced at $35,215. There’s a good chance customers shopping for a crossover are also looking at staples like the Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4 that are priced similarly to the base model. None would be a poor choice, but if interior layout and safety are among the top things you’re looking for, a tip of the hat goes to the CR-V.
