2010 Honda CR-V EX-L NAVI Review

Three times this week I’ve piled my teenage son and a smattering of his friends and related gear into the CR-V for a day trip to a local ski hill. On all three occasions, I have grown more appreciative of Honda’s compact crossover SUV.

2010 brings more power and better fuel economyA 2.4-litre 4-cylinder DOHC engine featuring Honda’s i-VTEC technology powers the CR-V. For 2010, output from this modest mill has been boosted to 180 horsepower @ 6,800 rpm while torque remains unchanged at 161 pound-feet.

A welcome adjunct to the extra 14 horses over the zeal of last year’s engine is a slight increase in fuel economy. The 2010 CR-V equipped with Honda’s optional RealTime 4WD (four-wheel drive) is now rated at 10.1 and 7.5L/100km city and highway driving respectively.

That’s a pretty decent showing when one considers the 4WD functionality of this vehicle combined with the additional grunt behind its refashioned grille.

Minor styling revisions provide visual distinction for 2010Some close scrutiny may be required in order to spot the 2010 styling revisions. Subtle as they are, they include a revised front fascia and a larger grille along with a redesigned rear bumper. Despite the amended surfaces, the CR-V’s “smiling face” front-end theme remains intact.

Perhaps I’ve grown accustomed to this odd design cue that seems all a-rage these days but I’m not a fan of it, or its application on the CR-V’s nose. I do however think that the CR-V’s side profile and tail design are attractive, fresh and worthy of praise.

About the only alteration inside the CR-V for 2010 is the incorporation of a centre-console bin and cup-holder arrangement that replaces the flip-up centre shelf found in last year’s model. The new arrangement is definitely more functional and a better usage of the space between the front seats.

Maximizing both seating and cargoThe CR-V is capable of seating five adults in realistic comfort. I was surprised to find the rear 40/20/40 3-way split rear seat to be so accommodating of my long limbs. And the triple split enables more versatility than a conventional double split when it comes to matching cargo capacity with seating needs.

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KBB lists its "most researched" new cars and trucks in 2009

Kelley Blue Book (KBB) strained the data from its voluminous cache to come up with the year's 20 most researched cars, and the five brands that got the most attention. This will probably come as a surprise to precisely none of our readers, but Honda and Toyota dominated the upper reaches of the list. Together they made up all of the top five and nine of the top ten -- Nissan's Altima squeezed into ninth.The secondary ten provided more model mix, with three Fords and two Chevrolets making up the domestic squad. Midsize cars also made a return to buyers' attentions, after last year's list was overrun by fuel sippers.

PRESS RELEASE
Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com Names Most-Researched New Vehicles for 2009, Brands With Greatest Share of Market Interest This Year

Chevy Equinox and Camaro, Ford Fusion, Lexus RX 350 Jump into 2009's Top 20 Most-Researched New Cars

IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Kelley Blue Book, the leading provider of new and used car information, today announces the most-researched new vehicles of 2009 on the company's top-rated Web site, www.kbb.com. In addition, Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com reveals the top five brands with the greatest share of market interest for 2009.

This year marks the fourth consecutive year that Kelley Blue Book saw increased visitation to its Web site, with nearly 180 million visits to kbb.com in 2009. Because kbb.com is one of the most-trafficked automotive research sites, visitation to specific vehicles has become a leading indicator of sales patterns for manufacturers.

Kbb.com's Top 20 Most-Researched New Vehicles of 2009
1. Honda Accord
2. Honda Civic
3. Toyota Camry
4. Honda CR-V
5. Toyota Corolla
6. Toyota RAV4
7. Toyota Highlander
8. Toyota Prius
9. Nissan Altima
10. Honda Pilot
11. Ford Escape
12. Chevrolet Camaro
13. Honda Odyssey
14. Ford Fusion
15. Mazda3
16. Ford Mustang
17. Volkswagen Jetta
18. Toyota Sienna
19. Lexus RX 350
20. Chevrolet Equinox

The Honda Civic, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry (in varying orders each year) have been the top three most-researched new-vehicles on kbb.com each year since 2004. However, many vehicles made noteworthy jumps into the top 20 most-researched new-vehicles for 2009 that were not on the list in 2008. Chevrolet's all-new redesigned Equinox and Camaro models both grace this year's list for the first time. Also new to this year's top 20 are the recently revamped Lexus RX 350 and the popular, fast-selling Ford Fusion.

The stabilization in gas prices for 2009 has indicated a trend away from smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles over the past year, and thus some popular small cars that were among the most-researched in 2008 have fallen off the list for 2009. Subcompact cars like the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit, along with the compact MINI Cooper, were among the most-researched new cars last year, but do not hold court among the most-researched models this year. In addition, Chevy's Malibu, redesigned for the 2008 model-year and featured on last year's 'most-researched' list, has seen some of its popularity fade over the past year, no longer listing among the top 20 most-researched new cars of 2009.

"The site traffic on Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com demonstrates what is on the minds of today's new-car shoppers, especially when examining the most-researched new-vehicles of 2009," said James Bell, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com. "Declined interest in smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles and increased popularity in attractive, recently redesigned models is an accurate reflection of the marketplace in 2009. We also see that consumers are reacting well to new models and redesigns from domestic manufacturers like Chevy and Ford, which bodes well for their future sales numbers."

(Source: Kelly Blue Book)