Test drive Honda CR-V 2002-2004 SUV

Fighters with obstruction

The seventh part of the land, where you and I have carelessness to prosper, is little adapted for happiness. Especially in the traffic and climatic sense. And if six months still somehow manage to do with one pair of leading wheels and even secretly sigh through convertibles, awareness comes with the cold: the clearance should be high, the drive is complete, and the tires are winter. Once the cross -country ability falls, the crew’s cross -country ability should grow. Therefore, the updated Toyota Rav4 ripened to our market as a spoon for dinner. And face to face with an eternal competitor, the ancestor of a light off-road genre Honda CR-V.
Both samurai (although CR-V is collected at the English factory Honda, in lead), they are competing for a long time and successfully. They compete in the struggle for wallets of wealthy citizens, the off -road ambitions of which are exhausted by year -round overcoming of medium -sized curbs, summer picnics on the sidelines and winter nights in the yards uncleaned from snow. To do this, Toyota and Honda have everything you need. A spacious, but not too bulky body that is raised but not too much over the road. A fairly four-wheel drive, but without gigar excesses of the type of lowering or inter-seamy locks (RAV4 has constant, CR-V automatically connected when the front wheels are slipped). Plus a high landing of the driver, facilitating maneuvers at rush hour. Therefore, very often these cars are chosen by drivers in skirts, and auto -journalists are reduced in sparring. And once again we arranged for them a confrontation with a recent renewal of Rafi. The update is almost purely cosmetic, but still! There were no problems with the selection of partners in one financial category this time. Both are in the most running combination of 2 liters, 150 forces, a 4-speed machine, full of minced meat. Unless Rav4 was in the skin, but CR-V is not. But if you add $ 2000 to the price of the latter, which are asked for a leather salon on Honda, then for money the cars will go out to zero. Pure experiment!
Dynamics
 
Motors of the same power and moment imply equal chances, which means that the start will be simultaneous. Tearing off the place with gas in the floor, the cars rush in the ear for a long time, but with the transition to the third gear, the larger and heavy CR-V begins slowly ... step forward! Although the declared acceleration figures to a hundred RAV4 is more optimistic ... We will not sin on passport data, but just once again we remove the hat in front of the Honda motorists: their motor not only works miracles, but works much more culturally and quieter, rude-vanity Toyota. And in a full-time street-russian match, the Toyota dish can only hope for a slightly higher maximum speed. True, the slippery chances of RAV4 are preferable: in addition to a constant full drive with a blocked WISKOUT, an updated machine received an anti-circuit system of TRC TRCCHN-control systems. And in urban, torn RAV4 modes, it seemed a little more quick than CR-V. Where the magic Honda horses from the last forces are still pulling on the upper steps of the box, the Toyota automatic machine already encloses the transmission lower, throwing the car forward. In addition, the traction at low and medium speeds during restyling worked additionally, improving the release system. However, both cars are quite frisky both on the streets and on the highway, and all the nuances come down to the struggle of excellent with the beautiful. The same applies to the brakes. But if they are just good on CR-V, then RAV4 are excellent, in addition, now with the emergency subolder Brake Assist.
Controllability
Here the purity of the experiment cracked: Rav4, on the first snowfield, managed to re-take into studded winter tires, while the CR-V stole an ordinary all-ashesis. And we were already ready to write off a noticeably facilitated and empty steering wheel and sensitively growing comfort of the Rafik on soft clawing tires, if we did not know that the updated machine reconfigured the suspension and steering wheel amplifier in favor of the roller and in the city parking wheeler. The tire contribution cannot be underestimated, but it is impossible not to admit: before the harsh, but accurate in the reactions of Toyota has somewhat relaxed and lit a cigarette. Or became more feminine. In terms of irregularities, it goes simply wonderful and softly, but on a high -speed straight line, a clear zero of the steering wheel disappeared, and the rolls grew somewhat in the turns. But a proprietary system of dynamic stabilization VSC has appeared a serious help to an inexperienced driver. Against this background, CR-V began to look like a man: the steering wheel is more impudent and informative, the energy-intensive suspension counts the tubercles and holes tougher, and the Honda is not more than the Rafik. She, as a higher and heavy machine, is contraindicated in knees. But to pay for its absence had a lesser comfort and earlier removal of the muzzle out in quick and steep turns. However, it is again about the little things: by and large, the handling of both is almost no different from the usual in good passenger cars. They go worthy, as taught. And outside the road, the chances are almost equal. Honda has a larger base, but higher clearance, and also an unpainted chin that is not afraid to catch an obstacle. But the drive of Toyota is more fully necessary to wait for the slip for connecting the rear axle, and the passages are slightly larger.
Ergonomics and comfort
 
If the cars are close enough in the sled parameters, then from the inside they vary fundamentally ideologically. The RAV4 salon is a salon of almost a passenger car, almost a golf-class hatchback. All levers-cones-signs-wraps in the usual places, only the driver sits a little higher and more vertically than usual. And he looks back into the unusually large (thanks to restyling) burdocks of external mirrors and a self -clever (thanks to him) salon Mirror of the rear view. He sits tight, comfortably, holds onto the magnificent steering wheel and obsesses, and touches all sorts of elegant and high -quality things. He sits expensive. What they took care of in the updated car, having improved the materials of the finish and closer to the design of the front console to the Land Cruiser. And CR-V seduces the owner not a sense of quality, which is perhaps the same, but the values \u200b\u200bfrom the Arsenal of the minivans. A very spacious salon with an even floor here is much more Volga than in Toyota, a bunch of all kinds of pockets and containers ... There is even the opportunity to move from the front seat to the rear, for which the machine gun selected right in the front panel, and the handbrake was attached to the intricate The central console, disguising the vertical handrail. And if you feel like a young story at the wheel, then in the Honda salon you begin to look around in search of a wife and children.
Practicality
The Honda utilitarianism is far ahead. Its vast trunk, numerous armrests, niches and secretaries RAV4 can contrast only with a small loading height of its not too impressive cargo compartment and a rigid removable shelf covering the trunk from above, the CR-V has a soft roller curtain to conceal the luggage from prying eyes. The rear seat in Toyota is divided and folded strictly in half, which is less convenient than asymmetric-division (60:40) bench at Honda. But the latter still has a folding table in the luggage underground and another folding, between the front seats, and the glass of the luggage door opened separately, and ... and ... in a word, in terms of variations on the cargo -passenger theme, rivals also differ as the way Hatchback and minivan. True, the feeling of quality turned out to be different here. For example, in the Rafika, the rear chair thrown forward is fixed with a gas emphasis: cotton and ready! And in Honda, there is a strap with a hook for fixing, which must be hooked there for something so that everything does not decompose. A trifle but the feeling remains ...
Safety
The RAV4 passive safety during restyling also worked hard. Two front airbags have become two -stage: depending on the strength of the blow, their disclosure changes. And in our rich configuration, two more side pillows and inflatable curtains to protect the head were added to the front. An energy -absorbing mechanism is now mounted in the steering column, additional gaskets appeared on the roof panels and torpedo. CR-V of the pillows also has a lot of four, and, of course, there are seat belts on both cars. By the way, it became impossible to go to Toyota unhealthy on Toyota, besides lamps, non-installed driver and passenger belts, it was equipped with a reminiscent of this inexoraious outbreak of zummer. EURONCAP crashes for this has an extra score. And on the Honda so far they are only a light bulb. Active safety is a strong trump card toyota. Next to the mentioned bouquet that appeared here after updating the electronic systems VSC, TRC, Brake Assist ABS with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) on CR-V looks modest. Moreover, ABS with EBD has an opponent.
Price quality
A lot was spoken about the sensations. It remains only to admit that a barely prominent discount of $ 100300 from the price of the updated RAV4 is a weak argument in favor of a more modestly trimmed CR-V. Moreover, in addition to the base with an automatic machine for $ 33,200 on Toyota, only skin, an electric rear -view mirror and a set of airbags: side and curtains are offered. The rest is already included. Winning in volumes and sizes and practically not inferior in riding, CR-V lags behind the number of luxury for every dollar invested by the buyer. Honda, which had succeeded in sports, has always strove to go in its own way and focus on the main (supercuses with an even floor, supermotor), not going too much into the little things of life, not affecting maximum speed. Toyota is less uncompromising and better understands the needs and aspirations of an unenlightened client. However, both cars are very popular in the secondary market, and CR-V has an electric hatch in the roof.
Sentence
If I have a friendly family with a bunch of offspring, a strictly normalized working day, a dog, a fishing rod, a boat, a tent, a summer house and a passionate desire to spend the whole weekend away from the noise of the city, I would not hesitate to give money and the heart of Honda CR-V. In addition, the thoroughbred sound of her refined motor is not at all empty for me. But I have nothing of the above, and therefore I treat the minivans coolly, even if they have an automatically connected all -wheel drive. And besides, I am always gnawed at a stingy desire for every ruble spent as possible as more entertainment and pleasures. And I prefer four -wheel drive, since it is impossible to turn it on yourself. Therefore, my sympathies on the side of the updated Toyota Rav4. Let it not be so practical, even if its engine vibrantly votes, and the light (but leather, three -spokes, almost sports!) The steering wheel and the same weightless pedals suggest that at the wheel I occupy a female place of Rafik closer to me both the look and the spirit. If you and I buy it with the same blood for ourselves, wife, daughter or at least a friend. And if you have a dog, cottage, fishing rod, etc. You can wait for the updated CR-V. He is already on the way. And by the way, the conversation about the price/quality then can go completely different.
HOW DO THEY LOOK
Nikita Rozanov
Outside: Despite the full resemblance of the type (rivals of the SUV anthology itself), the design of these two Japanese all -terrain vehicles are contradictory. Thus, the architecture of the Honda body is more angular and is drawn by uncomplicated horizontals, and Toyota, on the contrary, was around and curvedly sensual. In this regard, the style of the first car is utilitarian and somewhat dry, the second is directly opposite, and from this, it is playing and entertaining, which is valued somewhat higher today. The proprietary affiliation is recognized quite easily from the face that both competitors have an oriental accent and shines with the new -fangled development of the headlights unit in vertical. Facing radiators can hardly be called branded, but a large and well -readable emblem placed in the center helps unmistakable identification. On the side and silhouette, the difference in views on fashion is most obvious. A fervently raised wedge of the window sill RAV4 easily puts the proportions of CR-V on the shoulder blades that seem to be correct, which clearly belong to a practical station wagon, and not a dynamic hatchback. In the back, thanks to the original optics, from any distance and at any time of the day, more recognizable Honda. And in order to recognize and not confuse with something other Toyota, it will have to be caught up and read the corresponding plate on the back door. As for the off-road specifics, it is timidly expressed in both nominees: Rav4 scares puddles in the athletically inflated relief of the reacon of wheeled arches, and CR-V slightly intrusively demonstrates the color of the body of the body ...
Inside: the severity of the style completely commands the parade of the interior of RAV4. The architecture of the instrument panel develops today the theme of all -proper horizontal and does not focus on the connection of the central console with the floor tunnel. The composition of the block of control and measuring instruments is very unusual at the base of the centrally located small (!) Tachometer, which should hint at the hot disposition of the car. I will set the attitude and a pretty three -spoke steering wheel, and a dynamic pattern of the top relief of the door upholstery. CR-V style is a direct opposite in everything. This is a hundred percent Japanese car. On the huge central console, a place for the screen of the navigation system is reserved, without which Tokyo does not even drive multi -experienced taxi drivers. To the left of it, one cannot fail to notice the purely island design of the selector lever resembling a slot machine handle. The steering wheel is solid, and the panel of the door upholstery of the flat and inexpressive. But the front seats are equipped with a pair of armrests, and the rear sofa is hidden for three.
Summary: the obvious and probable fifty fifty, because the design is carefully and very professionally on both cars, and a different emotional mood will have to (except for the consumer, of course!) Only dealers who can easily and quickly convince any doubtful buyer.
Text Vitaly Tishchenko photo Alexander Nozdrin
 

 

Source: Cars