Are the new CR-V's really that terrible?

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I have a few different firsthand accounts of people complaining about the new CR-Vs and I just wanted to ask those of you who own one what your opinions on it are.

The following is from a Reddit post about a brand-new CR-V that got hit so hard the owner's foot broke off the gas pedal.
"Currently having to drive a 2018 cr-v. And its awful. Just got done putting 3000 miles on a 2020 equinox. Far far better vehicle. The CR-V is so loud inside I almost need earplugs. The buttons are worse than the last honda I drove which was a late 90s accord. It's just a coarse rough riding all around horrible [censored]. No idea why someone would buy one."

One of my friends from my career tech school is an intern at the local Honda dealer and his job is taking new cars off the delivery truck and going to fill them up with the complimentary full tank of gas. I let him drive my 2007 a few weeks ago and he made similar comments about the buttons and handling, and said he'd gladly take my CR-V over the newer ones any day.

Never thought I'd hear so much negativity about a Honda product... they can't be that bad, right?
 
CR-Vs have been hit or miss for a while now. Most people seemed to like the CR-V well enough when I sold them, but there were more than a few complaints of vibration through the steering column, uncomfortable cabin, and excessive road noise dating back to at least 2014.
 
At what new cars cost now I wouldn't risk my money on any Turbo Honda. Other cars are cheaper we seemingly fewer problems. But the car industry has a very deep hole to dig itself out of.
 
Don't let others make your decision for you. Test drive one and check everything and you decide. Go home and think about it. Go to another dealer and test drive another one (to get more exposure and familiarity). Go home and think about it.

Problem is, I think you've already set your mind to buying a new one one day and now you're finding the squeaky wheel people. Remember, Honda sold 300,000+ CR-Vs last year and it looks like they've sold more this year and that means hundreds of thousands of generally happy owners. Rarely do happy owners post on forums, reddit, etc about their good experiences.
 
Oh I don't plan on getting another CR-V, my next car is either going to be a 4th gen Camaro, Regal TourX, or an old work truck.

I was purely curious if anyone else has had similar experiences with the new CR-Vs.
 
Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Remember, Honda sold 300,000+ CR-Vs last year
And McDonald's sells 2.4 billion hamburgers a year. Does it make it good food?


Quote
and it looks like they've sold more this year and that means hundreds of thousands of generally happy owners. Rarely do happy owners post on forums, reddit, etc about their good experiences.
I know a lot of people who refuse to cross shop. They are die hard Honda fans. Whatever Honda makes is what they buy. If they don't compare to any other offerings in the segment, they have no point of reference, so they may accept what they get as "good."

So yeah, my recommendation to the OP is to be open minded and not limit yourself to just Honda. Test drive the CR-V, and also test drive other vehicles in this segment to get some perspective.
 
Not an owner, but was seriously considering one last year until I test drove. Too much road noise for me, crossed the CRV off my list. Mazda CX-5 was much quieter, nicer interior too.
 
They have had a lot of issues with the new generation. Even the motors have the fuel dilution issue.

Always liked the older CRVs but the new ones are behind the competition and quality seems to be off now.
 
Originally Posted by carviewsonic
Not an owner, but was seriously considering one last year until I test drove. Too much road noise for me, crossed the CRV off my list. Mazda CX-5 was much quieter, nicer interior too.
And then you ended up with an Impala?
smile.gif
 
That CVT transmission is awful, especially for spirited commuter driving in traffic. I drove my parents' 2017 CR-V in some heavy traffic once, and need to get over a lane to exit. An opportunity opened up, I signalled and mashed the gas to go, the engine revved up, and nothing happened as far as the acceleration I needed right then. I had to abort the attempt so I wouldn't get hit. My 2013 CR-V (5-speed AT) would have downshifted fine and I would have made it to the lane I needed. It happened several times over the course of the day. To me the CVT is a safety liability.
 
Why buy a CRV when there are other choices like CX-5, Subaru, Equinox, Tiguan, Rogue, etc.?
I don't think Honda ever really solved the severe fuel dilution problems in the 1.5T either.
 
My wife drives a 2011 CR-V, it was what she wanted. In my household I have the final say when it comes to vehicle purchases because I do all of the maintenance and repairs. I didn't object to the purchase because they are/were very reliable, very durable, and they hold their value. It has been 100% trouble-free.
Having said that, I hate driving it. It is noisy, rides rough, the front seats are VERY uncomfortable (hard as a rock, my wife even complains about this), the steering is too sensitive on-center, and the transmission upshifts to 5th gear too early making it irritating to drive in-town because the engine doesn't have enough torque at 1500 rpms to pull it effectively at 35 mph, so it is constantly downshifting. Also, the gas mileage is not nearly as good as one would expect for a CUV this size.
 
I was a passenger in a newer CRV. What didn't impress me was climbing up the steeep grade to my brothers place. I've driven numerous vehicles up this grade at varying levels of speed. The CRV barely made it up the grade. We were down to about 15 MPH in a couple stretches. I thought I may need to get out to lessen the load and/or push. Not sure if it was the CVT or just under-powered. Otherwise it seems to compare with other entry level vehicles of the sort.
 
Originally Posted by wag123
In my household I have the final say when it comes to vehicle purchases...


Does your wife know you are using the computer...?

I was awfully tempted to buy a newer CRV when the time came however I couldn't justify the cost. Considering I could buy something more powerful and more comfortable cheaper (used) than what the CRV offered I went another direction. However I work with 3 people who have newer models and my father in law has one and they all love them!
 
If you are a car enthusiast then yes a CR-V is not great. An average regular person? CR-V is just right.
If i had to buy a crossover my list would look like this:

1. Tiguan = Cheapest in segment and decent
2. Rav4 = Better
3. CX-5 = Also Better
 
Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
And McDonald's sells 2.4 billion hamburgers a year. Does it make it good food?

I'd guess that 75% of those hamburgers are repeat purchasers so if people bought them, ate them, and bought them again, they must be happy with them.
 
Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
And McDonald's sells 2.4 billion hamburgers a year. Does it make it good food?

I'd guess that 75% of those hamburgers are repeat purchasers so if people bought them, ate them, and bought them again, they must be happy with them.
Tasting good =/= good for you.
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
carviewsonic said:
Not an owner, but was seriously considering one last year until I test drove. Too much road noise for me, crossed the CRV off my list. Mazda CX-5 was much quieter, nicer interior too.
And then you ended up with an Impala?
smile.gif


I didn't know what I wanted until I test drove a bunch of vehicles. Of course price was a factor, along with reviews. I really liked both the Impala and the CX5, but the Impala has all options and was less $ than the less equipped CX5. CX5's are hot sellers, Impalas not so much. I keep my cars a long time, so resale not really an issue.
 
A few months back I decided to get a thank you gift for my late father's home care giver; she cared for him night and day for almost 5 years.
Mani's efforts allowed me to have a pretty normal life; to keep working and to keep him at home.
I was sold on the RAV4 Hybrid; I drove several and was playing the dealerships against each other. Not much discounting on the hybrids...
Mani liked her old CR-V, so I decided to give the Honda a test drive.
In my opinion, the CR-V drove better and was certainly bigger inside, which is important for Tongans; they are big people.
It made me forget about the RAV4.
I ended up with a great deal on a black 2019 EX-L 2WD.
She loves it.
I have not driven a Tiguan or a Mazda, but id I were buying today I would go right to Honda.

I will service Mani's CR-V on a 5K OCI schedule, just to be sure.
 
I see tons of new CRV's around here. Mostly driven by Honda CRV's target demographic: Old People.
 
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