2006 Honda CR-V Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The CR-V shares a platform with the Honda Civic, Honda Element, and Acura Integra. Despite this car-based DNA, the CR-V has many traditional SUV style hallmarks. It has a tall profile, an angled front bumper, and a spare tire mounted to the rear. The front headlights and grille design fall in line with the visually upbeat design language, like that of the Honda Accord and other members of the Honda family.

Inside, the CR-V has a clean, focused design that bridges form and function. The radio is mounted high in the dash for ease of access, with the climate controls down at the bottom of the centre stack. Between these elements, there is a helpful tray and cubby. To the left, the CR-V has an attractive and clean instrument panel, giving it a sporty vibe.

The CR-V comes with a 2.4-litre VTEC 4-cylinder engine that makes power specs of 156 horsepower and 160 pound-feet of torque. Power is routed to standard all-wheel drive (AWD) in Canada (the front-wheel drive drivetrain is not offered here) through a five-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic transmission. The automatic is operated via a helpful dash-mounted shifter, while the manual shifter is located in the floor, between the front seats. Though Honda calls it four-wheel drive (4WD), the CR-V lacks a transfer case with low-range, and so it’s actually an AWD system.

The CR-V’s car-based DNA leads to refined driving characteristics. Acceleration is adequate for getting around town and getting up to highway speeds and will provide plenty of hassle-free and comfortable driving.

We keep talking about the car-like underpinnings of the CR-V, and it really pays dividends in the layout of the vehicle. The car platform allows for a spacious, flexible cabin that makes the most of the CR-V's footprint. The CR-V has 949 litres of cargo space behind the rear seats, and with those seats folded down, it provides up to 2,039 litres of cargo space. The competing RAV4 offers 1,030 litres with the rear seats up and 2,067 litres with the seats down.

One thing to note about the CR-V’s cargo space is that is accessed by a side-hinged tailgate and opens sideways. This is also true of the RAV4 and is a bit unconventional. Some may like this door hinge placement, as it allows you to easily crack it open a small amount to quickly place or access an item, but it also means you have to be mindful of opening it when parallel parking. Some may prefer this, especially if they park in a garage, but others may find it awkward.

In Canada, trim lines include the base Honda CR-V SE, EX, and EX-L. Air conditioning, 16-inch alloy wheels, power windows, keyless entry, a roof rack are standard equipment. Leather seats, privacy glass, a sunroof are optional.

The CR-V comes standard with four-wheel disc brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, antilock brakes (ABS), as well as stability control, traction control, and an anti-theft engine immobilizer.

It also comes standard with dual front side airbags with front passenger occupant detection and front and rear head airbags.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates the 2006 Honda CR-V as Good in its front overlap and side crash tests but Poor for its head restraints and seats. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives this CR-V a five-star rating in frontal crash tests and four stars for its rollover tests.

The 2006 Honda CR-V’s fuel economy for its standard four-cylinder engine is rated at 11.1 litres per 100 kilometres in city driving and 8.4 on the highway with the manual transmission, while the automatic returns 10.6 L/100 km city, 8.0 highway.

Base MSRP for a 2006 Honda CR-V is $29,300. The EX with the automatic will likely be a common build, starting at $32,000. The most expensive trim, by starting price, is the Honda CR-V EX-L, which starts at $34,200. That pricing is slightly below that of the Toyota RAV4, the CR-V’s biggest competitor among small SUVs.

Note: Images show a US model.