Competent on the road
A nice surprise waited for us during our road tests: the front-wheel drive version turned out to be compliant and quick; it offered good handling in curves and allowed only a small amount of body roll. With its traction

2007 Honda CR-V EX-L (Photo: Honda)

control system, the front wheels hardly spin during launches on wet or sandy surfaces. As a matter of fact, that's the model we liked the most. The all-wheel drive CR-V still shows some body roll due to its higher curb weight. However, not only does it count on a traction control system, but it also relies on electronic stability control to prevent the risk of rollover. Honda added the latter because of the American regulations, but we've never heard of any horror stories with Honda products. The test conditions didn't allow us to fully exploit the improvements made to the all-wheel drive hardware. The engineers explained to us that the system now reacts more quickly. A more elaborate test will allow us to verify that claim. That was one of the previous generation's weak points. Its off-road capabilities were somewhat limited compared with its competition. As for performance, the front-wheel drive version is slightly quicker to 100 km/h (11.13 seconds compared with 11.63). For passing power, we recommend deactivating the overdrive,

2007 Honda CR-V EX (Photo: Honda)

whatever the version, which helps shave at least a second in the 80 to 120 km/h test (8.03 seconds instead of 9.23).

Still a sure bet
The new CR-V, with its numerous safety features, its 4-cylinder engine, its roomy accommodations and legendary reliability, still reigns at the top of the charts. Honda will win its bet in offering the front-drive model. Its price is still high compared to other compact SUVs, but its resale value will stay strong thanks to its intrinsic qualities.

2007 Honda CR-V LX (Photo: Honda)

2007 Honda CR-V LX (Photo: Honda)