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Behind the wheel
Since the redesign, the CR-V has run via the 1.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that’s common currency in the Honda and Acura lineups. It delivers a very reasonable 190 hp and 179 lb-ft of torque, all of which is sent to all four wheels via a CVT (continuously variable transmission). While it doesn’t deliver a festival of power and speed, the CR-V manages to be relatively sprite (especially considering that it's heavier than a Civic, for example). On the other hand, I remember the old CR-V equipped with an automatic transmission instead of the CVT as being quite a bit more active and dynamic.
Unlike the Mazda CX-5 - certainly the most responsive of the compact SUVs on the market - the Honda CR-V prefers to take it easy on the highway or even in urban areas. You won’t find a stiff suspension or muscular accelerations in Honda's best-selling model, put it that way.
While that means the CR-V is a very pleasant vehicle to live with day to day, it does lack that sparkle found in the Civic for example. The steering is fuzzy and uncommunicative, while acceleration, while sustained at high revs, isn't as satisfying as in equivalent SUVs equipped with automatic transmissions.
It's all a matter of getting used to it, and once you've had a short period of time to acclimatize to the vehicle's behavior, the CR-V becomes as docile as any other popular vehicle. However, you have to overcome that CVT-caused short delay when stopping and starting in the city. Which means, you have to push the right pedal a little harder to wake up the engine.
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On the highway, the CVT unit works well with the 4-cylinder engine, the primary objective being to achieve the best possible fuel economy. I was able to record an average of 9.6L/100 km during my week-long test drive, compared to the 8.1L/100 km promised by Canada's EnerGuide.
Another of the CR-V's missions is to get its occupants to their destination in satisfactory comfort, which it accomplishes without too much trouble. Despite the presence of 19-inch wheels, the CR-V made short work of the ubiquitous springtime potholes. The seats offer enough support in the first row and the backrest is soft for longer road trips. As for soundproofing in the SUV, the CVT makes for some engine screeching that’s impossible to ignore, but once you reach cruising speed, the number of decibels in the cabin drops to a perfectly acceptable level.
The last word
Comfortable, well-built and roomy as heck, the 2022 Honda CR-V is still a relevant choice for consumers, and they agree, going by sales figures. This even if it's not as technologically or otherwise advanced as newer models in the segment, and even though the driving experience is not anything exceptional. But for the vast majority of buyers, those two drawbacks clearly matter less than the qualities the SUV does deliver.
The 2022 CR-V is still worth a look, if you're able to find one on the market, that is; supply chain issues continue to give automakers headaches.
Specifications sheet of 2022 Honda CR-V Touring
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We like
Overall quality
Proven reliability
Interior space
We like less
Outdated infotainment system
Uneventful driving experience
Fuzzy steering
The competition
Chevrolet Equinox
Ford Escape / Bronco Sport
GMC Terrain
Hyundai Tucson
Jeep Cherokee
Kia Sportage
Mazda CX-5 / CX-50
Mitsubishi Outlander
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester
Toyota RAV4
Volkswagen Tiguan
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