Revamped CR-V has wow factor

— -- The renaissance of the small SUV segment began with the 2006 Toyota RAV4, which went on sale last December. It brought more room, more power and more sophisticated safety gear to the segment.

Now there's a flood of new or re-engineered models from other makers, including today's subject, a fully remade Honda HMC CR-V.

Wow, what an improvement. If you didn't know better, you'd think you'd jumped into an Acura luxury model, so solid and upscale does the CR-V present itself.

PHOTOS/AUDIO:Honda CR-V with Healey's comments

But despite apparent similarities and the premium feel of the new CR-V, Honda and Acura insist that CR-V and the Acura RDX have nothing in common.

MORE HEALEY:Test Drive archive

Unlike rivals, Honda hasn't stuffed a third-row seat into the vehicle. CR-V product planner Christina Ra says enlarging the vehicle to accommodate a third row would have been a mistake because owners consider it the perfect size.

In fact, the new one's slightly smaller. That's partly because the spare tire is now under the cargo floor instead of hanging off the back door and because the styling's less upright, more swoopy. The result is about 2% less overall passenger space, but more cargo space.

Dimensions notwithstanding, CR-V does not feel small or tight. It seems roomy for its overall size.

Honda stayed with a four-cylinder engine, period. Rivals assign four-bangers to their base models, and put V-6 engines into nicer versions. Or offer only V-6s. Ra says a V-6 would have required CR-V to be bigger. She says the four's also lighter for better handling and is less expensive.

Fuel economy's not much better, though. CR-V's four-cylinder sacrifices a staggering 103 horsepower and 85 pounds-feet of torque to RAV4's optional V-6 in return for a measly 1 mile per gallon advantage on government tests.

(RAV4's four-cylinder, same size and power as CR-V, gets only slightly better mileage.)

The CR-V four is lively and fun, if a tad coarse-voiced. The five-speed automatic shifts crisply and is well-matched to the engine, keeping it revving where it needs to be for good pep or good mileage, depending on the driver's right foot. But it's tough not to pine for the Toyota V-6's additional power, at little sacrifice in mileage, when you're toting a load, driving in hilly terrain, passing on a two-lane or merging onto a brutally fast big road.

To keep you from feeling blue, CR-V probably needs 25% more power or 15% better fuel economy without increasing the price or decreasing the engine's smooth personality. You're an engine company, Honda. Prove it.

Styling is the obvious change. Ra says a big change was needed: "Frankly, people were buying it in spite of the styling." And, she says, those who didn't buy often cited styling as the reason.

Moving the weight of the spare off the rear door allowed Honda to design a low-effort, swing-up tailgate to replace the sideways-swinging door. The gate provides a weather awning, handy for loading or unloading in the rain, and raises high enough for 6-footers. Trade-off: The spare is now a mini.

Other notable changes:

•Great steering and brake feel. Steady on-center and quick to respond to the driver's touch, the wheel feels connected not just to something, but something inviting.

Toe the wide pedal and the vehicle slows right now. No slop, but not touchy. Rare for a vehicle to get both those systems right.

•Bigger rear doors. Openings are larger, and the doors open to a wider angle. Makes it easier to get the baby in and out — moms with babies are the most-likely CR-V buyers, Honda says — and easier for your arthritic aunt, too.

•Lower step-in height. The seat cushions are about hip high, so you can get in and out without fuss.

•Revamped handling. It drives more like a sports sedan than an SUV. And the center of gravity is a bit lower, so it's more fun to fling. Less tippy-feeling.

•Useful rear room. The back seats slide fore and aft about an inch more than previously. The sliding permits tailoring for cargo or people, and the extra inch enhances that. There's sufficient leg and knee room in back for most riders, even when the front seat's fully back.

•New features and details. A navigation system and backup camera are available for the first time on CR-V. Telescoping steering column is standard. It wasn't available previously.

The so-called conversation mirror folds down from the ceiling to let you see the kids in back without turning around or wrenching the regular rearview mirror to an angle that prevents its intended use.

A rigid cargo cover stows on the floor out of the way or sits on a ledge to create both a shelf for light objects (20 pounds, max) and covered storage below. Ra says designers envisioned moms tossing strollers underneath, parcels on top.

The doorjamb decal specifying proper tire pressure and the maximum weight to be carried is highly readable, unlike some. It's a small matter with potentially big results.

All that thoughtfulness, plus the excellent driving personality, make CR-V almost too tempting. But some things might bug you:

•Nos. No power seats. No automatic climate control. No front-seat lumbar adjustment. No good place for the cellphone if the cup holders are in use. No auto-dimming mirror. No auto on-off headlights. No grocery bag hooks. No auxiliary sun visors (and the main visors don't slide, only swivel from front to side).

You can live without those, but you'd probably expect some of them, at least in the high-end EX-L model.

Ra says she hopes to add lumbar, power seats and auto climate control, but she can't say how soon.

•Noise. Not wind or tire noise; there's little of those, demonstrating good sound insulation. But the test vehicle, an early production model, had a slight buzz from the driver's door panel on coarse concrete. It wasn't present on other roads and eventually vanished on the concrete, too. (Has Honda invented the self-healing vehicle?)

Too, the six-disc CD changer whirred and buzzed loudly every time the vehicle was started.

•Easy things made hard. Nav control buttons are too small. (Use the voice commands, dummy, Honda says.) Child-seat latches on the test vehicle were buried deep in the back seat upholstery, hard to find and use.

If the power/mileage ratio doesn't bother you, and the missing features seem unimportant, then the new CR-V's great driving feel, new level of handiness and nice styling make it woefully easy to love. CR-V was the hardest test vehicle in a long, long time to give back.

2007 Honda CR-V

•What is it? Full remake of the small, four-door, five-passenger crossover SUV to broaden its appeal. Available in three grades, LX, EX and EX-L, with front-wheel drive (FWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD). Made in Sayama, Japan. Some U.S. market vehicles eventually will come from Honda's East Liberty, Ohio, factory, which already builds CR-Vs for other markets. Honda doesn't say when.

•How soon? On sale Sept. 28.

•How much? Prices range from $21,195 including $595 destination charge for LX FWD to $28,595 for EX-L 4WD with navigation system and backup camera. Dealer-installed options such as fog lights and running boards are extra. If you want a discount, wait for the pool of gotta-haves to drain and dealers to get hungry.

•Who'll buy? Honda's development target: "stylish young mom." College-educated, owns a small business, has a yearly household income of $90,000 and lives in an affluent suburb of a big city. Lots of empty nesters also expected.

•How many? 160,000-plus a year.

•What's the drivetrain? 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine rated 166 horsepower at 5,800 rpm (plus 10 hp vs. '06), 161 pounds-feet of torque at 4,200 rpm (plus 1 pound-foot and broader torque curve vs. '06); five-speed automatic transmission; traction control. Manual transmission no longer available. 4WD system usually is in FWD, sends up to 70% of power to rear wheels when fronts slip. Traction control manages side-to-side torque split.

•What's the standard safety gear? Expected bags and belts, front-seat side-impact bags, front and rear head-curtain bags, anti-lock brakes, stability control.

•What's the rest? Standard features include climate control; AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA stereo with MP3 jack; power steering, brakes, windows, locks, mirrors; tilt-adjustable and telescoping steering column; remote-control locks; 225/65R-17 all-season tires, temporary-use spare.

•How big? Similar to Ford Escape, smaller than Toyota RAV4. CR-V is 178 inches long, 71.6 inches wide, 66.1 inches tall, on a 103.1-inch wheelbase (0.2 fewer inches vs. '06).

Weight is listed as 3,389 to 3,534 pounds, depending on model. Passenger space is listed as 103.8 cubic feet (100.9 equipped with sunroof). Cargo volume is listed as 35.7 cubic feet behind second row (plus 2.2 cubic feet vs. '06), 72.9 cubic feet when second row is folded forward (plus 0.9 vs. '06).

Rated to carry 850 pounds of people, cargo and vehicle accessories. Rated to tow 1,500-pounds.

Turning-circle diameter: 37.8 feet (curb to curb).

•How thirsty? FWD rated 23 miles per gallon in town, 30 on the highway. 4WD rated 22/28. Tank holds 15.3 gallons. Test vehicle trip computer showed 19.6 mpg in mixed suburban, highway driving.

•Overall: Missing some expected features, but who cares? Drives beautifully and handy as heck.