It seems only a short time ago when Honda introduced its first Sport Utility Vehicle to American buyers. But it’s now been a decade, and the CR-V, its first offering, has been revamped several times, sometimes subtly, other times drastically.
Another model revision is set for 2007. But that’s not to discredit the current model. The 2006 CR-V (Compact Recreational Vehicle) model is spacious, thoughtfully designed and versatile as a family car for weekend projects, a youth sports team transporter, a sporty work vehicle and well-suited for recreational getaway weekends. In short, it’s an ideal, economical SUV.
My weekly driver model was the SE 4-door with all-wheel drive (Honda calls its system is Real Time 4-Wheel Drive.), It’s among five available CR-V configurations. With its five-speed automatic transmission and various upgrades, it’s also the most expensive CR-V with a base price of $25,450.
Key Takeaways
- Test car: the SE 4-door with Real Time 4-Wheel Drive and a five-speed automatic, powered by a 2.4-liter 156-horsepower four-cylinder.
- $25,450 base price, the most expensive of five CR-V configurations.
- 22 mpg city and 27 highway on the original estimates; 20 and 25 under the EPA’s current method.
- Ride: The CR-V offers a steady, if somewhat noisy, ride.
- Design: The CR-V’s interior and exterior are handsome and difficult to criticize.
- Space: The CR-V’s best feature is its overall spaciousness.
Engine and Design
All CR-Vs include 2.4-liter, 16-valve, 4-cylinder, 156-horsepower engines. Some competitors, like the V6 Ford Escape, are quicker and stronger, but the CR-V advances just fine and it holds it own despite its smaller engine. The CR-V’s smaller engine, of course, helps the vehicle’s gas mileage averages.
More impressive is what’s impressive about every Honda. The CR-V’s interior and exterior are handsome and difficult to criticize.
When it was first introduced in the U.S. as a niche vehicle in 1997, the CR-V had a box-like look. The current generation has curve appeal and is nearly streamlined considering its category.
Interior and Storage
The CR-V has an attractive console, with automatic transmission gearing designations available in two locations. Radio, heat and air-conditioning controls are large and functional, but they’re positioned too low and hard to reach, even for a 6-foot, 185-pound driver.
The interior design also has several small keen individual features that combine to push the CR-V into a unique position in the compact sport utility class.
For storage options, the small, front seat tray table folds flush against the driver’s seat. And in the same travel convenience category, there’s a removable picnic table stored under the rear cargo area.
Another space-saving idea: When engaged, the hand brake rests flush against the front instrumentation panel. It’s so efficiently designed, it’s easy to forget to set the brake.
The CR-V is also equipped with a half-dozen small containers and storage areas tucked in here and there around the vehicle. It also has thick, sturdy map pockets behind the front seats. These features all further complement the notion of a utility vehicle.
Driving Impressions
The CR-V offers a steady, if somewhat noisy, ride. Cornering is satisfactory and unlike some SUVs there’s no sense of instability while cornering or negotiating sharply angled freeway ramps.
2006 Honda CR-V Verdict
The CR-V’s best feature is its overall spaciousness. There’s plenty of leg and head room and seat sections fold efficiently for additional space. The rear cargo space is accessible via a easy-to-open pull door and a separate glass window that’s nicely contoured around the exterior spare tire cover.
Like all Hondas, the CR-V has a long list of standard features: six airbags to power windows/doors/locks and a multi-platform stereo to a waterproof rear storage well.
The SE model features leather seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather-wrapped shifting knob, heated front seats and heated power mirrors.
Facts & Figures: 2006 Honda CR-V
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Base Price | $25,450 |
| Trim | SE 4-door |
| Engine | 2.4-liter 16-valve 4-cylinder |
| Horsepower | 156 hp |
| Transmission | 5-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | Real Time 4-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel Economy (original EPA label) | 22 city / 27 highway mpg |
| Fuel Economy (EPA, revised) | 20 city / 25 highway / 22 combined mpg |
| Fuel Type | Regular |
| Airbags | Driver and front passenger front, side and side curtain |
James Raia
A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida. An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.