It’s a redesign for the 2012 Honda CR-V

DALLAS, July 5, 2012 — A redesign of the Honda CR-V for 2012 means this little compact crossover is hotter than ever. With room to spare for passengers and plenty of cargo space, the 2012 Honda CR-V is good on the fuel economy and is family-friendly too.

One of the major changes in the CR-V for 2012 is the loss of an inch in height and length, though the width and wheelbase remain the same.

Features that were once extra are now standard, like the three-way rearview camera for extra safety, Pandora Internet radio interface, and Bluetooth. You will also likely notice the folding device that makes the rear seats easier to manipulate.

Competition for the 2012 Honda CR-V includes the Chevrolet Equinox, Kia Sorrento, Toyota RAV4, and the Subaru Forester.

Trim levels include the LX, EX, EX-L, EX-L with Navigation, and EX-L with a Rear Entertainment System. You can get any one of these in either front- or all-wheel drive, so take your pick.

The bottom of the line LX comes pretty well equipped, even as the lower end trim. It includes 16-inch steel wheels, automatic headlights, keyless entry, power accessories, cruise control, tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, 60/40-split rear seats, rearview camera, steering wheel audio controls, and Bluetooth phone. The LX models also include a CD player with four speakers, the Pandora interface, and an USB/iPod interface.

The EX models include 17-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, a sunroof, a rear privacy glass, retractable cargo cover and six speakers instead of four. With the EX-L there are additional roof rails, heated side mirrors, a dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery (the L stands for leather), heated front seats, and seven speakers with satellite radio. The EX-L with Navigation adds voice controls and real-time traffic, while the EX-L with Rear Entertainment System has a rear DVD entertainment system. That rear entertainment system is a first for this model.

Under the hood, the 2012 CR-V has a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 185 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed automatic transmission comes standard, along with front-wheel drive.

Safety is important, and the 2012 Honda CR-V has antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, active front head restraints, front side and side curtain airbags. Recall again that rearview camera, which is standard on all trims.

Inside, the cabin is definitely spruced up for the redesign with a more natural look than in years past. The controls are easy to use and are logically arranged to make their use intuitively simple as well. Also take note of the front console offering more storage than in previous model years.

For the backseat passengers, there is an auto-fold feature that gets high marks and you can fold the rear seat flat if needed too.

Driving the 2012 Honda CR-V is a pleasure: It handles nicely and takes the road with ease. A quieter ride, particularly on the highway, adds to the driving pleasure. There is an economy mode that is worth mentioning, but it does reduce available power. The trade-off is good fuel economy, and many drivers won't mind making it.

Should You Need to Know: A particular good fit for the family-friendly market, the 2012 Honda CR-V is not only redesigned, but also offers new sheet metal and a cabin design that is generous with space, with additional comfortable amenities.

Miles Per Gallon: The 2012 Honda CR-V I drove, the AWD EX-L Navigation, came in at 22 miles per gallon on the highway and 30 miles per gallon in the city.

Cost: For the EX-L version, the price tag was $30,605.