2010 Honda CR-V Preview

2010 Honda CR-V

Enlarge Photo

Honda brings back the uber-successful CR-V crossover for another year of mortal combat with the Ford Escape, Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Santa Fe and the like. And for 2010, the CR-V gets a modest bump in power and some fresher face lines in a typically Honda mid-cycle tweak.

The CR-V is the best-selling compact crossover on the market, with almost 200,000 sold last year. And it's among the higher-rated crossovers here at TheCarConnection, with great marks for safety, features and comfort. Performance has been the downfall with the CR-V, though, and this year Honda's modestly raising the CR-V's four-cylinder output by 14 horsepower to 180 hp. Fuel economy goes up to 21/28 mpg (FWD) or 21/27 mpg (AWD).

Mechanically, little else changes with the CR-V. Still available in three trim levels, with a choice of front- or all-wheel drive and with a sole five-speed automatic transmission, the CR-V does adopt some cosmetic tweaks this year. A new grille design and a slightly modified hood arrive for 2010, along with new 10-spoke wheels on EX and EX-L models.

Creature comforts added this year include Bluetooth (packaged with the optional navigation system), automatic headlights and a USB audio interface on EX-L versions, revised radio controls and seat materials, wider armrests and revamped console tray.

We'll revisit the CR-V this year to see if its overall score of 7.8 out of 10 still holds up. For more information, steer over to our 2010 Honda CR-V page.

2010 Honda CR-V

Enlarge Photo