2005 Honda CR-V Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Honda's 2.4-litre four-cylinder pairs with standard all-wheel drive (AWD) in Canada (a front-wheel drive, or FWD, drivetrain is offered in the US, but not north of the border). This engine makes power specs of 160 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, which is more than enough for this lightweight SUV. The engine also uses i-VTEC technology, which is the variable valve timing system that Honda pioneered more than a decade ago. It can either maximize performance or fuel economy, depending on the driver's inputs. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on the base LX and mid-level EX powertrain, while a five-speed automatic transmission offered as an option, an additional gear versus the 2004 model. On the top-trim EX-L, the automatic is standard.

Handling is nimble, the ride is smooth, and the steering is light and accurate. Just don't take the CR-V off-road as you might in a Subaru Forester. The all-wheel-drive hardware received a mechanical upgrade to make it activate faster, but this is not the best SUV in the worst weather.

Fuel economy is estimated at 10.6 litres per 100 kilometres in city driving and 8.0 on the highway for the most popular automatic models. The manual returns 11.1 L/100 km city, 8.4 highway.

It isn't just space, of which the CR-V has plenty. You get a whopping 2,039 litres of cargo space with the backseats folded and 949 litres with them raised. Headroom for the front seats and rear seats is great, except taller drivers may not like the optional sunroof which cuts into that headroom by more than two and a half centimetres. The CR-V has great sightlines in all directions, and there's enough legroom for rear passengers.

But the CR-V has more tricks. You can store your stuff almost everywhere. What looks like a big blank plate on the centre stack is actually a sealed compartment, perhaps for CDs or a box of tissues. Nestled between the glove box and the upper dash are three deep trays. There are more pullout bins at the very bottom of the centre stack, another slot for change to the left of the steering wheel, and of course, that CR-V trademark—the folding picnic table that sits on the cargo shelf. You can't get a roomier and more useful small SUV than the CR-V.

Caveats: The steering wheel doesn't telescope, there is no lumbar adjustment, and the rear hatch is hinged from the side, which makes closing that big door tougher than if the hinges were top-mounted. But everything is built to maximize space, including the dashboard-mounted gear shifter. If you fill a CR-V to capacity, it's not the car's fault. You're a junk collector.

For 2005, Honda makes anti-lock brakes, stability control, front-side airbags, and head-curtain airbags standard safety features. That's in addition to dual front airbags and traction control. That's very comprehensive for a mass-market, non-luxury car in 2005. As a result, the 2005 CR-V scored the top Good rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the front- and side-crash tests, and five out of five stars for related tests run by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) plus a four-star rating in its rollover test.

Update: Make certain any car you buy has had its front airbags replaced under the Takata recall. All CR-V models from the 2002-2011 model years, plus the 2016 model year, have faulty airbags that can kill you or your passenger in a crash.

Prices in Canada for a new 2005 CR-V sport utility vehicle start at $28,200 for an LX trim and range up to $33,600 for the Honda CR-V EX-L. This is a great value, and the CR-V is expected to run and holds it value for a long time. The car is solid, fun to drive, and immensely practical. Plus, its handsome design is likely to age well.

Note: Images show a US model.