The family friendly Honda CR-V crossover announced its 2014 prices and updates today, with only a modest increase and a handful of new features like an easier fold-down back seat. Still hot off the car’s redesign last year, the CR-V is America’s best-selling crossover with an easy driving demeanor and quite a large cargo area, even with the back seat up.

Seating five people and bringing some of the most robust and reliable mechanicals ever made, the Honda->ke34 CR-V’s celebrated position in the firm’s range speaks to the car’s exceptional balance of size, performance and efficiency.

The style of the previous CR-V was also ripe for updates, as seeing its grinning open grille intake at every stoplight became quite tiresome over the years. The new design brings a broader and flush-mounted upper grille with flowing wings that meet the headlights. These lights are still goofy and oversized, but overall the nose of the CR-V is more friendly and sleek.

The roof of this generation of Honda CR-Vs has some interesting shaping as it leaves tons of second-row headroom before rumbling downward to meet the rear glass. There is more structure and definition to the Honda->ke34’s trademark chrome-trimmed glasshouse, but the CR-V will still not be winning any design competitions any time soon.

The cabin took a big leap forward with the latest refresh, and offers a new navigation and infotainment setup, as well as a streamlined audio button interface – quelling critics of Honda->ke34’s overwrought interior layouts in recent years.

The CR-V still majors on reliability, affordability and family versatility. How does it compare with the Ford Escape, Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5? Is its large seats-up trunk volume and handy urban maneuverability enough to outweigh its lackluster MPG and performance stats?

Click past the jump for the full review of the 2014 Honda CR-V, with all the official pricing and features explained in detail.

2014 Honda CR-V

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2014 Honda CR-V
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 185 @ 7000
  • Torque: 163 @ 4400
  • Transmission: 5-speed Auto
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

The CR-V’s styling is a bit of a head-scratcher. Who is this design meant to inspire? From the cartoon-ish nose and headlights, it seems the people who will like the CR-V’s nose most are small children and their caregivers.

The new grille design is a huge improvement, and classes up the Honda->ke34’s nose with three chrome horizontal grille bars and a jump “H” emblem in the center. The CR-V still wears far too much grey plastic bumper cladding, with the sculpted lower air intake hurting the car’s appearance and making it look a bit like a deep-sea creature. The way the painted nose juts out ahead of this lower air dam area is also unappealing and a very weak off-road styling cue.

Alloy skid plates are available for the nose and tail of the CR-V, but fail to create the same premium feel as those on the Audi allroad.

In profile, things improve dramatically. The Honda->ke34 has conservative and premium surfacing treatments with few styling embellishments. A soft-pressed swage line passes through the new door handles before meeting the taillight bases in the rear.

The new taillights are still high-mounted on the top of the D-pillars, but show more curve and flow into the roof than previous efforts. The design lacks the Volvo XC70’s crisp LED signature and instead makes do with traditional bulbs for the brake lights.

Even so, the rear and sides of the CR-V look clean and tasteful, offering lines that will age gracefully and a goofy nose that does match the latest Accord and upcoming Honda Fit wagon replacement.

Maybe goofy styling is not such a bad thing when looking at the also-bizarre RAV4’s sales data. Combined, these two little trucks move nearly 600,000 units every year - in the U.S. alone.

Even so, the Mazda CX-5 shows how a cohesive and interesting design philosophy can add value to affordable cars – even without LED lights or big wheels.

2014 Honda CR-V – Exterior Dimensions:

Wheelbase (in.)

103.1

Length (in.)

178.3

Width (in.)

71.6

Height (in.)

65.1

Track - Front (in.)

61.5

Track - Rear (in.)

61.5

Weight (Pounds)

3305 FWD, 3426 AWD

Drag Coefficient

.34, Est


2014 Honda CR-V – Exterior Features By Trim Level:

2014 Honda CR-V

LX

EX

EX-L

One-Touch Power Moonroof with Tilt Feature

NA

Standard

Standard

Remote Entry System

Standard

Standard

Standard

Security System

NA

Standard

Standard

Roof Rails

NA

NA

Standard

Fog Lights

NA

Standard

Standard

Folding Power Side Mirrors including Expanded View Driver's Mirror

Standard

Body-Colored

Body-Colored / Heated

Multi-Reflector Halogen Headlights with Auto-Off

Standard

with Auto-On/Off

with Auto-On/Off

2-Speed/Intermittent Windshield Wipers

Standard

NA

NA

Variable Intermittent Windshield Wipers

NA

Standard

Standard

Intermittent Rear Window Wiper/Washer

Standard

Standard

Standard

Heat-Rejecting Green-Tinted Glass

Standard

Standard

Standard

Body-Colored Door Handles

Black

Standard

Standard

Rear Privacy Glass

NA

Standard

Standard


2014 Honda CR-V – Optional Exterior Features:

- Tailgate Spoiler ($296)

- 17-inch 10 Spoke Alloy Wheel ($1,196)

- Ski Attachment ($140)

- Trailer Hitch Ball 1 7/8 Inch ($15)

- Trailer Hitch Ball 2 Inch ($15)

- Trailer Hitch ($541)

- Body Side Molding ($225)

- Door Edge Guards ($84)

- Moonroof Visor ($152)

- Door Visors ($184)

- Chrome Exhaust Finisher ($51)

- Running Boards ($478)

- Splash Guard Set ($104)

Interior

The CR-V’s interior is still roomy and extremely practical, with a totally flat passenger floor whose low height makes entry easy as well as offers a comfortable, elevated driving position.

The seats are still very accommodating and look great both in cloth and especially the optional leather. Individual front armrests help to keep drivers comfortable over long hauls, and the latest CR-V plastics and interior materials are top notch.

The steering wheel is a tasteful shape with handy secondary controls for the iMID data center and cruise control, plus audio and phone buttons on the wheel spokes.

The new infotainment unit looks good but is not quite large enough, and its position on the dash means it may be tricky to see in direct sunlight. In terms of the nav graphics, the whole interface still seems quite cluttered, with an overload of data on the screen to select from.

The CR-V's built-in Pandora integration is nice, and brings the Holy Grail of being able to thumbs-up a song right from the Honda->ke34’s audio controls.

The CR-V’s claim to fame is its flexible and large cargo hold, which offers a segment-leading capacity of 37 cubic-feet with the seats up, and 71 cubic-feet with them down. The CR-V’s back seat can be folded via a trunk-mounted handle, or drivers can flip the seat base forward first for a truly flat and wide load area.

2014 Honda CR-V – Interior Dimensions:

Front Seating Capacity

2

Rear Seating Capacity

3

Headroom - Front (in.)

39.9

Headroom - Rear (in.)

38.6

Legroom - Front (in.)

41.3

Legroom - Rear (in.)

38.3

Shoulder Room - Front (in.)

58.6

Shoulder Room - Rear (in.)

56.4

Hip Room - Front (in.)

54.5

Hip Room - Rear (in.)

53.1

EPA Cargo Volume (cubic-feet)

37.2

EPA Cargo Volume - Seats Folded (cubic-feet)

70.9


2014 Honda CR-V – Interior Features By Trim Level:

2014 Honda CR-V

LX

EX

EX-L

Air Conditioning with Air-Filtration System

Standard

Standard

NA

Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control System

NA

NA

Standard

Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with Voice Recognition and FM Traffic

NA

NA

Available

Honda DVD Rear Entertainment System

NA

NA

Available

i-MID with 5-Inch LCD Screen and Customizable Feature Settings

Standard

Standard

Standard

Multi-Angle Rearview Camera with Guidelines

Standard

Standard

Standard

Bluetooth HandsFreeLink

Standard

Standard

Standard

Power Windows with Auto-Up/Down Driver's Window

Standard

Standard

Standard

Power Door and Tailgate Locks

Standard

Standard

Standard

Cruise Control

Standard

Standard

Standard

Tilt and Telescopic Steering Column

Standard

Standard

Standard

Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel

NA

NA

Standard

Illuminated Steering Wheel-Mounted Controls

Cruise / Audio / Phone / i-MID

Cruise / Audio / Phone / i-MID

Cruise / Audio / Phone / i-MID / Navi (available)

Center Console

Standard

Standard

Standard

Driver's and Front Passenger's Vanity Mirrors

Standard

Illuminated

Illuminated

Conversation Mirror with Sunglasses Holder

Standard

Standard

Standard

Instrument Panel-Mounted Shifter

Standard

Standard

Leather-Wrapped

Beverage Holders, Front and Rear (8 total)

Standard

Standard

Standard

12-Volt Power Outlets

Front and Center Console

Front and Center Console

Front and Center Console

Glove Compartment

Standard

Standard

Standard

Door-Pocket Storage Bins

Standard

Standard

Standard

Driver's and Front Passenger's Seatback Pockets

NA

Standard

Standard

Map Lights

Standard

Standard

Standard

Rear-Seat Center Armrest

Standard

Standard

Standard

Driver-Side Garment Hook

Standard

Standard

Standard

Remote Fuel Filler Door Release

Standard

Standard

Standard

Rear Window Defroster

Standard

Standard

Standard

Rear-Seat Heater Ducts

Standard

Standard

Standard

Floor Mats

Standard

Standard

Standard

Retractable Cargo Area Cover

NA

Standard

Standard

Cargo Area Tie-Down Anchors (4 total)

Standard

Standard

Standard

Cargo Area Light

Standard

Standard

Standard

Driver's Seat with 10-Way Power Adjustment, including Power Lumbar Support

NA

NA

Standard

Driver's Seat with Manual Height Adjustment

Standard

Standard

NA

Leather-Trimmed Seats

NA

NA

Standard

Heated Front Seats

NA

NA

Standard

Adjustable Front Seat-Belt Anchors

Standard

Standard

Standard

Easy Fold-Down 60/40 Split Rear Seat

Standard

Standard

Standard

Head Restraints at all Seating Positions

Standard

Standard

Standard

160-Watt AM/FM/CD Audio System with 4 Speakers

Standard

NA

NA

160-Watt AM/FM/CD Audio System with 6 Speakers

NA

Standard

NA

328-Watt AM/FM/CD Audio System with 7 Speakers, including Subwoofer

NA

NA

Standard

XM Radio

NA

NA

Standard

Pandora Compatibility

Standard

Standard

Standard

Bluetooth Streaming Audio

Standard

Standard

Standard

USB Audio Interface

Standard

Standard

Standard

MP3/Auxiliary Input Jack

Standard

Standard

Standard

MP3/Windows Media Audio (WMA) Playback Capability

Standard

Standard

Standard

Radio Data System (RDS)

Standard

Standard

Standard

Speed-Sensitive Volume Control (SVC)

Standard

Standard

Standard


2014 Honda CR-V – Optional Interior Features:

- Back-Up Sensors ($530)

- Remote Engine Start System ($510)

- All Season Floor Mats ($143)

- Cargo Net ($51)

- Cargo Organizer ($70)

- Cargo Tray ($114)

- Rear Seat Covers ($239)

- Auto Day/Night Mirror ($323)

Drivetrain, Suspension and Brakes

All CR-V’s share the same engine and transmission, with front-drive as standard and AWD available on all trim levels. The engine is a 2.4-liter four-banger that makes a respectable 185 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 163 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm. This is actually a lower-rev torque peak than previous Honda engines, but the CR-V still needs a heavy foot and lots of engine thrash to get moving quickly.

The five-speed automatic is also a weak link, offering fewer mpg than the leading crossovers by quite a bit. Versus the base Mazda CX-5’s 35 mpg, for example, the FWD CR-V’s 31 mpg is not so good. Performance also requires a bit of patience, with 60 mph coming in 8.8 seconds before an estimated 112 mph top speed. The CR-V is rated to tow 1,500 pounds.

2014 Honda CR-V – Mechanical Details:

Engine Size and Type

2.4-liter 16-valve I-4 With DOHC And i-VTEC

Peak power (Horsepower)

185 @ 7000

Peak torque (Pound-feet)

163 @ 4400

Transmission

5-Speed Auto

0-to-60 mph

8.8 seconds

Top Speed (mph)

112, Est

EPA Fuel Economy MPG (City/Combined/Highway)

23/26/31 FWD, 22/25/30 AWD


Safety

The CR-V is a five-star car from the NHTSA and a 2013 Top Safety Pick from IIHS.

2014 Honda CR-V – Standard Safety Features:

- Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with Traction Control

- Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist

- Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

- Daytime Running Lights (DRL)

- Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) Body Structure

- Dual-Stage, Multiple-Threshold Front Airbags (SRS), Front Side Airbags with Passenger-Side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS), Side Curtain Airbags with Rollover Sensor

- 3-Point Seat Belts at all Seating Positions

- Front 3-Point Seat Belts with Automatic Tensioning System

- Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH): Lower Anchors (2nd-Row All), Tether Anchors (2nd-Row All)

- Child-Proof Rear Door Locks

Pricing

The CR-V is priced from $22,945 for 2014, and ranges up to just below $30,000 for the AWD EX-L trim with the rear-seat entertainment system.

2014 Honda CR-V – Prices:

Model

Transmission

2014 MSRP

EPA MPG Ratings (City/Hwy/Combined)

CR-V LX (2WD)

5-Speed Automatic

$22,945

23/31/26

CR-V LX (AWD)

5-Speed Automatic

$24,195

22/30/25

CR-V EX (2WD)

5-Speed Automatic

$25,045

23/31/26

CR-V EX (AWD)

5-Speed Automatic

$26,295

22/30/25

CR-V EX-L (2WD)

5-Speed Automatic

$27,695

23/31/26

CR-V EX-L (AWD)

5-Speed Automatic

$28,945

22/30/25

CR-V EX-L w/ Rear Ent. Sys. (2WD)

5-Speed Automatic

$28,395

23/31/26

CR-V EX-L w/ Rear Ent. Sys. (4WD)

5-Speed Automatic

$29,645

22/30/25

CR-V EX-L w/ Navi (2WD)

5-Speed Automatic

$29,195

23/31/26

CR-V EX-L w/ Navi (AWD)

5-Speed Automatic

$30,445

22/30/25


Competition

Ford Escape

The Escape offers a more contemporary design inside and out, with a high-tech cabin that spans from utility in its base trims, up to near-premium status with the 240-horsepower EcoBoost engine and active safety tech that's missing in the Honda.

Mazda CX-5

The CX-5's new optional engine allows it to be much quicker than the CR-V, despite similar horsepower counts. The CX-5 can hit 60 mph 1.5 seconds before the CR-V, but does have a slightly smaller interior volume for cargo and passengers. The CX-5 looks far better than the CR-V from the outside.

Conclusion

Familiarity can breed contempt at times, and the CR-V is so ubiquitous across the globe that consumer wear-out is only natural. A handful of tasteful new earth tone paint colors at least help the CR-V to look more contemporary than the parade of identical maroon press cars from the CR-V launch.

Among the millions who rely on the CR-V as their pride and joy, the car’s lovable traits emerge and burn bright for years of stress-free driving. For people with more gasoline in their veins, the base-trim BMW X1 and Mazda CX-5 will bring more smiles-per-gallon than the practical Honda CR-V

Category

Rating

Details

Driving

B

Spacious And Flexible Interior Has Comfortable Seats And Better Refinement Than Before

Performance

C+

Slow And Noisy Under Power

Look

B-

Improved Profile And Tail, But Headlights Are Embarrassing

Value

B+

Good Trim Levels Mean Easy Purchase Of Exact CR-V Features A Buyer Wants

Overall

B

A Bland But Reliable Crossover With A Huge Trunk