My first SUV With the rise in interest for SUVs in full swing in the mid to late 90s, many car makers saw an opportunity to further cash in on the craze. They simply realized that not everyone wanted a truck desired it to not fit in their garage. Suzuki, along with General Motors had already been playing in this field for a while with the likes of the Suzuki Sidekick, the Geo Tracker and its twin, the Pontiac Sunrunner. As late 1996 rolled around, Honda jumped on the scene with the CR-V. Based on a stretched Civic platform, the CR-V literally launched the compact sport-utility segment. Soon thereafter, Toyota, Mazda and Ford joined the Honda along with the Suzuki and GMs.
Styling I am almost sorry to have to say this but the Honda CR-V, in essence, could lay claim to the cute 'ute craze and gave a new life to the compact SUV segment. Now, the cute thing came from the fact that these mini trucks really were not trucks at all. They looked like shrunken and softened SUVs that were really harmless and incapable of accomplishing anything that "real" SUVs can. Aesthetically-speaking, the CR-V was a cross between a Civic wagon and an Accord wagon. The design was simple and tidy. The only element that stood out was the location and shape of the taillights that were loosely based on the Volvo 850 wagon.
The interior of the CR-V is cozy and welcoming. Ingress and egress are easy and once aboard the roomy cabin, four passengers will find plenty of manoeuvring room. Instrument and controls are located exactly where the occupants would like them to be. The seats are Storage compartments are everywhere. To complement the dash bins and the glove box, Honda included a section under the front passenger's seat to stockpile more stuff. There is even flip-up/fold down tray with cupholders between the two front buckets. The floor section of the cargo area actually turns into a picnic table should the owners decide to stop for a roadside picnic. The second row of seats folds flat to greatly increase cargo volume in the already spacious trunk.
Technical In 1997, the DOHC 2.0L 4-cylinder developed 126 hp and 133 lb/ft of torque. The only transmission choice was a 4-speed automatic. 1998 saw the addition of a 5-speed gearbox as standard equipment on the base LX model. By 1999, horsepower had increased to 146. Brakes were made up of front discs and rear drums and the suspension was fully independent. All CR-V have an all-wheel drive system that principally runs the front wheels. As the front wheels spin, the viscous coupling sends more energy towards the rear.