Test drive Honda CR-V 2002-2004 SUV

the importance of Being Earnest

By purchasing a SUV for $ 30,00035,000 for their girlfriends, most will stop at the fashionable and stylish RAV4. Choosing an all-terrain vehicle for themselves, the X-trail will prefer. Romantics will buy a freelander. Snobs can be waiting for the appearance of BMW-X3. People who are inclined to look at things more soberly will surely get Hondu-Cr-V.

The second generation CR-V debuted a year and a half ago and immediately became a hit in Europe, the USA and Russia. In our country, from March 2002 to March 2003, more than a thousand CR-V has been implemented. Very solid. Of these, about 60 percent was on the version with an automaton. This is exactly what we took for interrogation with addiction.
  
Not cheap or expensive?
What attracts our compatriots this very Comfortable Recreat Vehicle or a comfortable relaxation car? At least not a dumping price. After all, $ 30,500 for the basic configuration is, along with the X-trail, the most expensive in the classroom. Even Rav4, let it be a little, but cheaper. But let's figure it out. The Japanese approach to the formation of configurations means that the base is by no means a synonym for the word naked, rather sufficient.
 
Judge for yourself: climate control, four airbags, ABS, full electric package, fog lights, headlight washer, immobilizer, central locking with a remote control, heating mirrors, a CD resort with four speakers, folding rear seats, three armrests. Agree, it’s generous enough. You can only regret that CR-V is not supplied to us in a less sophisticated configuration. Then, you see, the starting price would be more democratic.
 
But, alas, by $ 30,500 you can only add. At $ 500 more expensive you will get an electric lover, and $ 33,400 is asked for a top version with a leather salon and heated seats. Finally, the automatic gearbox requires an additional payment of $ 1,500.
 
As you can see, the first impression of excessive high cost CR-V quickly passes, although it does not disappear at all. The realities are such that in Russia the prices of all SUVs are obviously overstated. After all, let's say, in the USA, where CR-V is offered exclusively with a 2.4-liter 160-horsepower engine, the most expensive option will not pull $ 23,000. Even in the road by European standards of Great Britain, translated into green monetary units for us Honda is asked for less than 28 thousand. Do they have salaries there, small?
 
If it is very overthrown
Want to be known as a real jeeper? In this case, paraphrasing the famous statement of hippies, who preferred love to the war, do better tuning, and not off -road driving. And more pleasant, and, oddly enough, cheaper. From official dealers you can order both branded Honda accessories and non -original gazepa gams.
 
CR-V in an extreme body kit looks very aggressive. After all, you need it, isn't it? By the way, for the catalog of original accessories, it is not necessary to contact the dealer. On the website www.honda-access.com you can find the whole range of products. Look for your favorite wheeled wheels, evaluate the amenities of additional baggage mounts, finally, choose a suitable kner. The light did not converge with a wedge on silver metallics!
 
Outside and inside
The appearance of Honda can be the reason for a hot discussion behind a mug of tea. And not because of excessively screaming design, but just the opposite. One gets the impression that the stylists of the Japanese company deliberately gave their SUVs an ultra-small look. The playfulness of RAV4, the fantastic of the X-trail, the exotic of Santa Fe in CR-V is not in sight. A strict silhouette of a classic station wagon: no jewelry for the sake of jewelry, not a hint of flirting with customers. The exterior CR-V is most reminiscent of a summer linen costume. As if nothing special, but it sits perfectly, light, comfortable, comfortable and not cheap. In this, without hesitation, you can go anywhere.
 
   

But why did two generations parquet Honda made such similar ones to each other? Some, by the way, still think that this is just restyling just in Honda they know the circle of their potential customers well. The exterior arranged buyers of the former CR-V, so why look for good from good? Improved only what was needed. The protective plastic body kit around the perimeter of the car with integrated front and rear mudguards was not so much beautiful as a practical solution. And the relings are now made almost a flush with the roof. The ribbons of the rear lights became longer again, again, not beauty for the sake of, better visibility for. It is only a pity that the bumpers in Russian versions are mandatory in the color of the body, which means that there is more chances to run into repainting after frivolous parking sparring.
 
Before you jump into the salon, we will go around the car again. Unlike the predecessor gathered in Japan, the current CR-Vs are completely English, have workers from Swindon shut down anything? By no means. The build quality conquers. With what soft, noble sound the doors slam, how convenient the door handles are under double grip! Zero tolerance, that is, a gap less than a millimeter in the conjugation of a bumper and headlights, says a lot.
 
 
With prestigious skin, the Sulpet salon loses a little in practicality

 
Adjusting the driver's seat in an integral attribute of any CR-V


The continuity of generations in the interior is even more obvious. Did you like the completely flat floor of the previous CR-V? In the new model between the rows of seats you can walk, you just have to throw back the serving tray between the front seats. Are you pleased with the adjustment of the back of the sofa? Now it moves in the longitudinal plane. Do you remember a convenient remote table hidden in the trunk? It appeared in it forms for glasses. Is it enough glove? At your service is over 20 containers for small things scattered throughout the cabin. Forget what you put.
 
Of these pleasant little things, a general favorable impression of Honda's inner world is formed.
 
 
Electric lover can be fixed in any open position convenient for you
 
The fasteners of the upper trunk are hidden under the plugs of relings made almost flush with the roof
 
 
Children's lock lock is located in the end of the right and left rear doors

More importantly, everything is fine and with spaciousness. Previously, CR-V freely took four on board, five will arrange here. Even an electric lover sitting in front of the giants, eating five centimeters from the level of the roof.
 
However, if you, like many now, are obsessed with the design of the interiors, then you may find the inner world of CR-V the fresh. Of the two color combinations provided for the car, only one black is supplied to Russia, of course. Now imagine black seats, black fabric inserts on the doors, black torpedo. Not too fun, although, of course, practical. Even a truly designer little things, such as a mixture of the located automatic transmission selector and a hand brake lever in the form of aircraft helm, only emphasize the lack of a whole stylistic idea in the cabin. On the other hand, except for design inside Honda, there is nothing to cling to.
 
We liked
 

A large number of secret places for small things

Spacious salon and trunk
 
Generous basic equipment

The best in the class passive security
 

As well as:
 
Beautiful engine
Great sound insulation
Higher level build quality
 
We didn't like it
  
 
Inconveniently located right armrest

Lack of steering wheel adjustment in height
 
Antenna and headlight washers available for vandals

Not the best geometric patency
 

As well as:
The absence of useful little things in the Russian configuration, such as the central locking of the lock and the intensity of the backlight of the dashboard
Relatively high base price
 
We load and fit
The trunk for its class is simply outstanding. Suffice it to say that the minimum useful volume of CR-V is greater than that of RAV4 with a folded couch! And here is wide and as much as possible. Let us recall the sofa on the runners, as well as about the cunning system of folding seats.
 
 
   
The glass of the fifth door is opened separately using the button on the keyboard or turning the key in the larva until the right extreme position (shown by the arrow)
 

Removable chairs are a purely minivan decision to increase the luggage compartment in Honda. The car seat is by no means a fluff, to drag it into the garage that is still joy. Instead, the seats are folded point -blank to the back of the front seats, forming a sufficiently sufficient landfill for luggage creativity. How is sufficient? Two mountain bicycles in an upright position will be fitted without problems. Doesn't it say anything to you? In this case, what about the refrigerator for two meters? Impressive
 
 
Three seconds, and the rear seats no longer prevent you from loading large -sized things in the trunk

The minus of the trunk is only one fifth door opening from the side of the roadway. The Japanese, however, argue that the driver get to her so faster ... Ah yes Kryatrey!
 
In the nomination, the best sleeping places in the Honda-CR-V car would surely fight for the first place
 
Transformations do not run out on this charms. One has only to want, and CR-V literally justifies the phrase car for relaxation. Half a minute of simple manipulations, and a five -seater interior turned into a double bed. Have a nice sleep!
 
 
Car dimensions, mm
 
Salon dimensions, mm
 
Behind the wheel
Needless to say, if the creators of Honda paid such a reverent attention to the sleeping place, then they worked on the worker at least as carefully. The seat, which also liked on the previous model, became even better: a little longer a pillow, a little stronger than the side emphasis. It is gratifying that the most problematic places of the rollers of the femoral and lateral support are lined with leatherette as soon as possible. It is a pity that armrests remained fabric.
 
Governing bodies
 

1. Block windows. 2. Inner door handle. 3. The control/heating unit of mirrors. 4. Former corrector. 5. The trunk lever. 6. The lever of the gas tank hatch. 7. Management of head lighting. 8. AKP selector. 9. The lever of the parking brake. 10. The radio. 11. Alarm button. 12. Climate control unit.
 

The readability of the devices does not cause complaints, as well as the control of climate. Big past such is guaranteed not to miss the handles pleased with the information content in intermediate positions and large iconograms distinguished by lateral vision. So it is not necessary to regret the absence of a fashionable liquid crystal display.
 
Suddenly pleased visibility. The reserve hangs on the fifth door quite low, just so that you do not forget about its presence, handing over. The impressive area of \u200b\u200bthe trunk glazing reduces the dead zones, and the side mirrors are beyond praise. To make the rear headrests folding. But even at the same time, I did not have problems with parking. If you really want Parktronik, you are mercy, $ 285.
 
Dashboard
 
 
1. The indicator of the temperature of the coolant. 2. Tachometer. 3. indicator of automatic transmission modes. 4. Speedometer. 5. Mileage counter (odometer). 6. Button for the zeroing of a daytime run. 7. Fuel level indicator. 8, 9, 10. Blocks of control and signal lamps.

Nevertheless, the conversation about the salon, which I still want to compare with a barrel of honey, alas, it will not do without a spoonful of tar. And this is the matter here. Honda sells his SUV in more than 160 countries. In each monastery, of course, its own charter, therefore, the configurations for a particular market are selected by local specialists. Already guessed? I am about the fact that for unknown reasons in Russia, the CR-V buyer will have to do without a number of useful little things. How, for example, in a car worth $ 30,000, refers to the absence of a central door blocking key? Of course, you can close all the doors at once, but only by pressing the button in the upper part of the door.
 
And why does the CR-V steer a joystick control of the audio system? To reach for the buttons of the radio and far and inconveniently interferes with the automatic transmission selector. The final-apotheosis of reinforcements is the absence on most models of the intensity of the dashboard backlight. There is one on any Lada!
  
Golden mean
2-liter gasoline engines for SUVs what the doctor prescribed. Less powerful will not cope with a serious mass of one and a half tons, no less, more powerful spur to the aggression all -round at the wheel. As for the Hondovsky unit with a proprietary system for adjusting the valve lift height (I-VTEC), this is not a motor, but a song. Perhaps there is probably no weaknesses in it. With such a CR-V engine, it has become faster, more receiving, environmentally friendly and economical than the first generation model. And here is another argument for lovers of statistics among 2-liter SUVs precisely the Honda championship to accelerate to a hundred.
 
Engine
 
  
1. Railway tank. 2. Oil probe. 3. The oil -polling neck of the engine. 4. The tank of the main brake cylinder. 5. Air filter casing. 6. Battery battery. 7. The flood neck of the radiator.
 

Ideally, this engine is combined with 5-speed mechanics. By the way, the moves of the lever on the new CR-V have become more clear and short again an example of evolutionary thinking. The engine that is already painful from the bottom is easily twisted to the red zone, causing a surprised reaction of the drivers of the middle class sedans. In a word, the dynamics of CR-V with mechanics per five.
 
 
You quickly get used to the automatic transmission selector of an unusual design. It is a pity that it interferes with the control of the radio

 
CR-V with mechanics in Russia is almost a rarity, but it is with this gearbox that the character of a 2-liter engine is fully revealed
 

A four -speed automatic transmission is also not bad. But with her, Honda turns from an excellent student into good. Of course, to join the stream, you can energetically rebuild without problems. And the delay in switching and a semi-second confusion in when turning on the Cyc-Dawn mode of almost all automatic transmission. It is only necessary to remember: the gear ratio of the fourth, clearly economical, transfer of only 0.6. This means that behind a mark of 120 km/h Honda gains speed, frankly, not too cheerful. If you go to risky overtaking, it is better to immediately turn off the overdrave good, the button in the selector end. Then the reactions to the supply of fuel will be faster and more delightful.
 
On the highway, in corners
Actually, it is not recommended to regularly travel on an all-terrain vehicle at high speeds. But we must pay tribute to Honda to autobahous modes, it is adapted very well. On the speedometer 160 km/h, and CR-V does not think to scour on the road or sway. To moderately a hard, assembled suspension perfectly smooths out the irregularities of the canvas, allowing to maintain a decent speed even by passenger standards. On the laundry, the Honda suspension so effectively eliminates vertical buildup, that you just wonder you get to your country house in a matter of minutes.
 
The suspension, by the way, is generally one of the strongest cr-v trousers. She is also very comfortable by the standards of the Parners. Those who travel to X-Traile or Rav4 are satisfied with the smoothness of their cars, they simply never tried Honda on the go. Only vibration is noticeably felt when crossing the tram tracks, but force the shock absorber to work on a breakdown that is still a task. And this is not only comfort, but also the durability of the suspension, but ultimately your family budget.
 
Crossing the topic of comfort, literally two words about sound insulation. What is called sit down, five! Tikhona Motor from Tikhon, aerodynamics for such a high car is simply luxurious, and only tires at speeds far over a hundred interfere in the conversation. But if your interlocutor does not suffer from deafness, you will not have to increase your voice.
 
Despite the excellent suspension, you cannot call Honda a queen. At the same time, it is obvious that Japanese engineers tried very hard, and progress in comparison with the previous model is quite obvious. The car writes a high -speed arc very carefully, but impressive rolls and an empty steering wheel beat off such exercises. The car reacts obediently to the harsh orders of the steering wheel, but somehow with a laziness after an unpleasant pause. When Honda cries on the front wheel in a steep turn, you understand that Caesar is really cesarean. By the way, perhaps that is why when setting up ABS, the Japanese decided to play it safe. The operation of the anti -lock system seemed a little premature. So you say it is better to overdo it? Although there is nothing more to fix the honda brakes.
  
And by mud
Your CR-V is a passenger car with an increased road clearance and is not intended for serious off-road so fascinating in the operating instructions of Honda about off-road driving techniques. At this very place, perhaps, it is worth stopping. Are you really tolerant of stepping on a rake that have already worked tens of thousands of times? Then at least look under the bottom.
 
That's it ... If the belly intended for serious off-road jeep resembles not a plateau, but a light highland, then there is a whole mountain ridge. So, what do you want to tear today: a muffler resonator or plastic shelter, engine protection or gas tank? This is only the visible part of the iceberg. There is also a passenger suspension, sensitive to blows, and the complete absence of off -road bells in the transmission. The famous and reliable system of Dewell Pamp, connecting the rear -wheel drive using two pumps, is effective in a snow -covered night at the courtyard or on a sandy beach, but certainly not in a clay career. Enough that each time, moving from the place, the transmission connects the rear wheels for better adhesion. No, Honda is not an alternate, but just a SUV. Chop it on your nose and try not to move off the asphalt.
 
Safety
The creators of CR-V hoped to get five stars from Euroncap. Did not work out. According to European experts, Honda was brought up by the long-standing trouble of all all-frustrations of serious damage to the legs during the frontal impact. But 26 points and four stars are worthy. But the two American pillars of SEES-NCAP passive security and the IIHS Institute of Road Security (IIHS) were not trifling, putting CR-V the rating perfectly. Moreover, insurers generally recognized Honda the safest compact class soil.
 
So, choosing CR-V, you can doubt the first-class defense as we have already said, four Air Bags, seat belts and ABS are included in the basic equipment. As for the lack of inflatable curtains, let it not scare you. With greater than a regular passenger car, the altitude of the all -terrain vehicle is quite sufficiently lateral pillows.
  
The standard equipment includes the isofix mounts in the back seat. But in front to install a children's chair is strictly forbidden, the passenger pillow does not turn off, which resembles a warning sticker on a dashboard.
 
Operation, service
Even Honda made in the UK receives a purely Japanese guarantee for three years or 100 thousand kilometers. The intervals between then are 15,000 km. Moreover, recently Honda has introduced enlarged intervals for replacing technological fluids. So, the replacement of the antifreeze is now carried out after 200,000 km, and the brake fluid every three years.
 
In total, 14 Honda dealers work in Russia. The cost of the Normal Council at maintenance stations ranges from 35 to 50. If the dealer did not have the necessary spare part, it will be written out from abroad. Even in the most difficult cases, the waiting time will not exceed three weeks.
 
Honda CR-V
common data
 
Body
5-door station wagon
 
Equipped mass, kg
1430
 
Complete mass, kg
1900
 
Maximum speed, km/h
177 (167)
 
Acceleration time 0100 km/h, with
10 (11.9)
 
 
Highway fuel consumption/city, l/100 km
7.7/11.7 (7.6/12.3)
 
 
Fuel supply, l
58 (AI-95)
 
 
Engine
 
Location
Front transversely
 
Design
gasoline, 4-cylinder, in order, with two upper camshafts
 
The number of valves per cylinder
four
 
Diam. cylinder x Piston stroke, mm
86x86
 
Working volume, SMZ
1998
 
Compression ratio
9.8
 
Power, L.S. at rpm
150/5500
 
Torque, kgsm at rpm
19.6/4000
 
 
Chassis
 
Drive unit
On all wheels
 
Transmission
mechanical, 5-speed (automatic, 4-speed)
 
Gear rates I; II; III; IV; V; Z.Kh.
3.53; 1.77; 1.21; 0.92; 0.71; 3.58 (2.68; 1.53; 1.08; 0.695; 2)
 
main gear
5.06 (4.56)
 
Suspension:
Independent, with stabilizers of anti -resistance stability
 
front
Type McEzerson
 
behind
Multiceman, spring
 
Steering
REMENCH with an amplifier
 
Brakes
disk, in front are ventilated, ABS
 
Tires
205/565 R16
 
Prices for spare parts and then, euro
TO1 15,000 km 135
TO2 30,000 km 246
TO3 45,000 km 216
Oil filter 14
Air filter 35
Fuel filter 39
Spark plug (1 pc.) 9
Front brake pads/rear 134/103
Tip of steering thrust 47
Steering thrust 94
Ball support (lever assembly) 283
Hood 435
Front/rear shock absorber 180/180
Front wing 252
Rear wing (body sidewall) 606
Front door 479
The rear door 482
Front bumper (outer part) 344
Bamper rear (outer part) 385
Lobic glass 403
Side glass 125
Front headlight assembly 116
Rear lamp assembly 130
 
   
We decided:
there are no doubt, convenient, fast, comfortable and safe Honda-CR-V for the most comprehensively gifted parquet all-around compact class.
 
Mikhail Medvedev, photo Alexander Sadovnikov and Maxim Goncharov
 
 

Source: Magazine "Limousine" [08/03]