One of the signs of a vehicle we must pay attention to is the awards and accolades that are bestowed upon it.  The Honda CR-V is the Motor Trend SUV of the Year for 2015 and has been a serious fan favorite for many years.  The CR-V developed from a boxy, square and small size to be a nice crossover SUV that has an awesome look, comfortable ride and the space needed to let the whole family enjoy the ride.  As a mid-cycle upgrade on a vehicle that was launched for its new generation in 2012 the 2015 CR-V gives us an awesome vehicle to enjoy.

To begin with the CR-V offers some excellent design upgrades that are just enough, but not over the top.  In the segment the design was one of the lesser concerns which meant there was much more attention paid to upgrading other parts of the vehicle.  The interior boasts the first HDMI input, even though it’s a wonder what anyone will do with that feature, but with excellent space and better cabin the CR-V has certainly made strides to be better than when the generational change took place three years ago.

The knock on the CR-V in 2012 was a lack of fun.  Translated this means poor acceleration and a drive that certainly didn’t inspire.  Upgrades were made in all the mechanicals and the 2.4-liter engine is able to reach its peak horsepower of 185 at 6400 rpm and the torque has been increased to 181 lb.-ft. which is reached at 3900 rpm.  Typically a CVT won’t receive any praise, mostly because many companies don’t know how to employ them properly, but on the CR-V the CVT is amazing, giving a great performance to allow for the SUV to have a fun ride, especially when the Sport mode is used.

Amazingly, this powertrain comes out and offers a time to sixty mph of only 8.5 seconds; not bad at all for a mainstream AWD crossover SUV.  Not only can the CR-V jump out and accelerate quickly, but it also has new dimensions on the chassis along with a wider track which gives the CR-V a fantastic setup and steering to not only feel more planted, but more active and sporty.  When you step inside a crossover SUV you expect to get a fun ride that feels a lot like a sedan but with some great pickup and power, which the CR-V now does, leading it to the award winning status it has received.

With any crossover SUV, versatility is the name of the game.  The CR-V has plenty of versatility and an easy way to access what is needed.  The first part is the comfort and space that any family can enjoy along with the 35.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats.  With two pulls of levers and a completely mechanical performance, the cargo hold can be expanded to a massive 70.9 cubic feet and offers a bevy of ways to tie down or hand the different items needed.  The only negative for any family is the lack of power outlets in the rear of the vehicle but there is a power tailgate that is optional to make it even easier to load and unload.

Because the engine now benefits from direct injection and the CVT, the fuel efficiency is better than before.  The 26 city/33 hwy mpg make for an easy to enjoy every day driver that can certainly give you the power and mileage you want to have in the vehicle.  If you do a lot of city driving you might not notice the difference much, but you should on the highway with a generous bump from last year.

One of the biggest challenges and most important considerations for this new model was to have a much better safety rating.  The offset test resulted in a poor score before, but for this year the actual goal was to give you an SUV to offer a much better safety rating than before.  Even though the tests have not been conducted yet, the simulations have shown a dramatic improvement in the offset crashes which leads the Honda team to believe they will have no problem clearing this hurdle.

The Honda CR-V offers you a new look on a familiar face.  Its style changes are minimal, but the upgrades to the power and performance are amazing.  This along with the added safety, great value and reputation for being a family favorite have certainly given this SUV a huge turnaround from the way it came out in 2012 to what we now see in this awesome award winning vehicle that you just must drive and admire.