Technically, Honda calls the CR-V's updates for the new model year a "minor model change," or a refresh in our own parlance, but the changes run much deeper than a standard refresh. A more detailed list of changes can be found in our First Look of the 2015, but in brief include a new power train, new top-of-the-line Touring trim level and the debut of new safety technology for any Honda model.
Related: 2015 Honda CR-V First Look (Full Details)
There was also the addition of many standard features across all trim levels, with only an approximate $200 increase in starting price in the lower trim levels. We spent our drive through Orange County, Calif., however, in the new, line-topping Touring trim models with pretty much every option box checked including all-wheel drive.
Honda made significant updates to the 2015 CR-V's powertrain. Under the hood, the old four-cylinder has been replaced by the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine found in the 2015 Accord. It makes 185-horsepower, which matches the horsepower output of the CR-V's outgoing engine, but adds 18 pounds-feet of torque to give it 181 pounds-feet of twist.
Also gone is the five-speed automatic transmission, replaced by a continuously variable transmission also sourced from the Accord; it is now the CR-V's only transmission. These upgrades combine to give the 2015 CR-V a nearly 12 percent increase in fuel economy, good enough to make it best in class for both city and highway driving. Front-wheel-drive models get estimated ratings of 27/34/29 mpg city/highway/combined, while all-wheel-drive models check in slightly behind at 26/33/28.
The all-wheel-drive rating is so close to the front-wheel-drive rating due to its rudimentary setup; it basically functions as a front-wheel-drive system until slippage is detected, then power is transferred to the rear wheels to help regain traction. That is enough for the CR-V, which will likely never see any real off-roading and works fine for the street even in wet or slippery conditions.
How It Drives
When I hear the initials "CVT," I approach them with some built-in skepticism. CVTs are generally more fuel efficient than traditional transmissions, but they either deliver simulated shifts at their best or a dull, steady drone of acceleration at their worst. Unfortunately, the CVT in the CR-V fell on the latter end of that spectrum.
Hop in the new CR-V and right away there are large acceleration issues from a stop. Honda's literature suggested the all-wheel-drive system will adapt and send some torque to the rear wheels on harder launches, but I didn't notice that. In fact, when you hit the accelerator from a stop you don't feel much of anything at all; the engine lingers at less than 2,000 rpm for a couple seconds, then the CR-V starts to move forward. I tried putting the CR-V into Sport mode, but that didn't help either.
Once I was on my way, generating enough power to pass was a breeze; the transmission was responsive and immediately bumped up the rpm to summon more power from the engine.
Honda also updated the brakes, reducing braking effort by 6 percent. That sounds like a small change, but in practice it was very noticeable. It was one of the lightest brake pedals I've ever encountered, and thankfully it wasn't "grabby" at the top, with a linear delivery of stopping power that was predictable.
Changes were also made to the CR-V's body structure, which combined with a quicker steering ratio and wider tires, improve the 2015 model's ride and handling characteristics versus the 2014 we drove at the event for comparison purposes. Honda also added door sealing and soundproofing, which makes the cabin super quiet at highway speeds.
Interior
Interior changes are minor compared to the updates to the powertrain and the exterior, but are still noteworthy. The layout of the dashboard and center console is the same, but the center console itself is new with an added storage cubby with inserts that form cupholders.
A rubberized mat for cellphones is on the driver's side of the console; it will fit up to an iPhone 5s with a case on it, but doesn't quite fit larger phones. HondaLink has gotten a few updates; it was easier to pair my phone via Bluetooth than on previous iterations of the system that I've tested, but it still looks and feels a few years behind what other automakers are offering. Another USB port and an HDMI outlet have also been added to the center console for extra convenience.
Safety Features
The Touring model features a new suite of Honda safety technologies, called "Honda Sensing," making their debut on the CR-V. It uses instrumentation housed in a black box above the rearview mirror that includes a millimeter wave radar and forward facing camera mounted high up in the windshield. Honda Sensing, which comes standard on Touring, includes a pair of new technologies that haven't been seen on Honda models before: a collision mitigation braking system and lane keeping system. They join adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and lane departure warning to give the CR-V a slew of safety features.
Neither the adaptive cruise nor the lane keeping system can be used in a semiautonomous way like in other vehicles we've tested.
Lane keeping, for example, is not designed to completely take over the steering of the car for any extended period of time. It only works at speeds above 40 mph, and it will shut off if it doesn't feel the driver holding onto the wheel for 15 seconds, or as someone else intoned, "just long enough to send a text."
During our drive, we got on a free-flowing highway and flipped on the adaptive cruise control and lane keeping system to get a small taste of what is rapidly becoming a not-so-distant future. With no hands on the wheel or feet on the pedals, the CR-V cruised down the highway and navigated the slight curves on the freeway without any drama, staying firmly in the middle of the lane. But after 15 seconds passed, lights began to flash in the instrument panel, lane keeping shut off completely, and the CR-V started to beep as it began to drift toward another lane. Preview over.
The 2015 CR-V has many things going for it in terms of its value, segment-leading fuel economy and updated exterior styling but the new CVT leaves a lot to be desired.
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