MORE DETAILS ON THE NEW 2007 CRV, Finally Free To Be Me

[bluewho25]

Here is more info acoording to a Motor Trend; October 2006 Issue. :shock: :shock:

I got this info from Player4 (thanks dude)

Finally Free To Be Me
Out of the SUV closet and revealing its crossover identity

For its 10th year on the market, the CR-V has shed its boxy sport/utility wrappings to reveal its true crossover identity. It's always been car-based, with little off-road capability, but as sales trends move toward smaller, lighter vehicles, the Honda is now free to be itself. The 2007 model looks elongated and squashed down, but the dimensions haven't changed much: It's shorter (by 3.0 inches; the spare's now underneath), wider (1.4 inches), lower (0.1 inch), and rides on a shorter wheelbase (0.2 inch). Also gone is the left-to-right-side-swinging cargo door, which forced you to walk into traffic to retrieve groceries. The rear door's now hinged on top.
Last year's 16-valve i-VTEC DOHC four has been upgraded, with 166 horsepower instead of 156, and with one more pound-foot of torque, its peak at a higher rpm. Combine that with the 60 or so pounds the CR-V gained, and it's no surprise it doesn't blow the doors off the competition.
It's tighter in turns and quieter on the highway than in the past. Steering is responsive and linear, and the revised MacPherson-strut front and multilink rear suspension offers a decent balance of agility and comfort, making the CR-V behave like an oversized Accord.
As expected, it also comes with plenty of standard safety equipment-the front end uses the ACE body structure, and all trim levels have front, front-side, and dual-row side-curtain airbags, ABS, stability control, brake assist, and a tire-pressure-monitoring system. While pedal feel was good in both preproduction units we drove, the first one's brakes were grabby and engine braking came in too soon, making stops abrupt. The second one's brakes had the right balance of firm response and smooth deceleration. We hope that was the more accurate representative.
The cabin blends with Honda's excellent fit and finish with the simple function CR-V owners will want. The fold-and-tumble 40/20/40 rear seat can hold two child seats, or one on the middle that can slide closer to the front row-in case Mom or Dad needs to have a chat with Junior.
Honda had taken the positive attributes that make the CR-V its perennial best-seller and added style, better handling, and a hint of cool. Final pricing hadn't been announced as of press time, but given the automaker's low-$20,000 estimated starting point, it looks like it'll continue to be a great value.
Allyson Harwood


2007 Honda CR-V
Base Price $21,550-$26,250 (est)
Vehicle Layout Front engine, FWD or AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV
Engine 2.4L/166-hp/161 lb-ft DOHC 16-valve I-4
Transmission 5-speed automatic
Curb Weight 3400-3550 lb
Wheelbase 103.1 in
Length x Width x Height 178.0 x 71.6 x 66.1 in
0-60 MPH 10.0 sec (MT est)
EPA City/HWY Fuel Econ 22-23/28-30 mpg
On Sale In U.S. Currently


Article Pictures:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albu...3.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albu...4.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albu...2.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albu...1.jpg



El Guapo

[shahram72]

So with destinatino charge, it's going to start at 22K. Great! I'm not sure I can afford it. That's the same price as the FJ Cruiser(base model), which I love (but it has bad back seats). :( I might just have to get an 05 or 06 used. You guys must all make a bunch of money or are not afraid of $500 payments. My house payment is only $627, and that's on a 15 year loan.

[AoS]

Thanks for sharing but the links to the pictures are not working.

[mcbeevee]

Thanks for sharing but the links to the pictures are not working.
Here are the same (I think) links from another post:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/JBerm/2007HondaCR-V1.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/JBerm/2007HondaCR-V2.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/JBerm/2007HondaCR-V3.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/JBerm/2007HondaCR-V4.jpg

[Dragonfly]

the spare's now underneath

Hmm..that's new info. So it's not under the floor after all. I spose it's still a donut though....

[latimes]

I'm really not liking that front end. Maybe it will look better in person :roll: Plus i'm kind of dissapointed the H/P. I was hoping for about 180 or even 200. Oh, well

[bluewho25]

the spare's now underneath

Hmm..that's new info. So it's not under the floor after all. I spose it's still a donut though....


Having the Spare underneath? I think that is cool, I can live with the donut size tire.
I guess that explains why the new CRV will have more cargo space than the RDX.

Looking good. So far, I am please, especially with all that safety since my family will be riding in it.

I hope they go down on the prices and I hope they offer seat materials like the ones on the Element (water proof).
I love my current 2006 Honda Accord SE I4, except for that stupid material Honda used on the seats, everything sticks to it.

El Guapo

[andersean]

Long-time lurker - first-time poster.
The thing that jumps out to me is that it is only .1 inches lower than the current model. That was a major concern for me living here in Dallas. Need all the height you can get with all the big pickups and SUVs down here.

[98AccordEx]

I'm so glad they managed to keep the weight down. When the RDX came out at nearly 4000 lbs I thought the CRV would be sucking wind trying to pull all that with the 2.4 4cyl. The 40/20/40 rear seat sounds like a great feature too. It doesn't look comfy but the baby seat feature (copy from Volvo) is fantastic. It will also open up a middle channel from the rear gate to the gear shift for home depot items, skis, etc. My Dad likes everything about our 05 CRV but the height and interior. The height bothers him because he has to load a windsurfer up there. perhaps with the middle folded he can slide the gear up the middle and still use the rear seats.

Thanks for the post Bluewho!

[orbit9090]

The 2007 Honda CR-V's front end is a deal-breaker; just awfully ugly. The tumor-like buldge in the rear liftgate is fugly too, but I could live with it. I can't live with that Fat-Albert lipped front end or that U-shaped excuse for a grill... :x no way!

If the 2007 CR - V really makes it to the showrooms of America looking like this, my next S.U.V. will likely be ANYTHING else.

[miko]

Looks like Honda will lose some and gain some. I like the looks of it, and will probably buy one. Like it much better than the current one.

[mcbeevee]

I really hated the front grill when I first saw it, but it seems to be more acceptable each passing day. I really like all of the changes made to the interior. I don't think the 0.1" height loss will be noticable compared to the current CR-V's. :)

[YummyPork]

The 2007 Honda CR-V's front end is a deal-breaker; just awfully ugly. The tumor-like buldge in the rear liftgate is fugly too, but I could live with it. I can't live with that Fat-Albert lipped front end or that U-shaped excuse for a grill... :x no way!

If the 2007 CR - V really makes it to the showrooms of America looking like this, my next S.U.V. will likely be ANYTHING else.

One solution would be to avoid driving behind anything with a big mirror mounted on the back. :wink: Then, you could drive all day and never have to look at the front grill...

[Player4]

Hey guys i am the one who typed the article from MT. And i must say that the new CR-V looks really good on the mag compared to the 07 Outlander which is on the next page which is also a great looker the Outlander looks longer and maybe a bit boxier too and then a few pages later is the 08 Suzuki XL7 and dam is that thing ugly and weird looking or wut?? it just doesnt have any shape and looks a mess.

Ill keep my eyes on the dealer here in my area to maybe see a new CR-V soon as soon as i do ill get pics and post them.

BTW nice forum, i had been checking it out since im such a big Honda fan but never actually joined till like 2 days ago. So far so good.

*It's funny how i was like the only one to post pics and type the article and now its everywhere in the net, the exact same thing i posted and my pics and all. lol :lol:

Player4...

[98AccordEx]

The 2007 Honda CR-V's front end is a deal-breaker; just awfully ugly. The tumor-like buldge in the rear liftgate is fugly too, but I could live with it. I can't live with that Fat-Albert lipped front end or that U-shaped excuse for a grill... :x no way!

If the 2007 CR - V really makes it to the showrooms of America looking like this, my next S.U.V. will likely be ANYTHING else.

One solution would be to avoid driving behind anything with a big mirror mounted on the back. :wink: Then, you could drive all day and never have to look at the front grill...

HA HA :lol:

[YummyPork]

Hey guys i am the one who typed the article from MT. And i must say that the new CR-V looks really good on the mag compared to the 07 Outlander which is on the next page which is also a great looker the Outlander looks longer and maybe a bit boxier too and then a few pages later is the 08 Suzuki XL7 and dam is that thing ugly and weird looking or wut?? it just doesnt have any shape and looks a mess.

Ill keep my eyes on the dealer here in my area to maybe see a new CR-V soon as soon as i do ill get pics and post them.

BTW nice forum, i had been checking it out since im such a big Honda fan but never actually joined till like 2 days ago. So far so good.

*It's funny how i was like the only one to post pics and type the article and now its everywhere in the net, the exact same thing i posted and my pics and all. lol :lol:

Player4...

Thanks for taking the time to do this.

I am so, so close to making an automobile purchase in the next few weeks (Rav4, CR-V, 2006 v 2007, RDX, FOreester... etc... in a bit of a analysis paralysis). The gist of the article about better handling etc... makes me think I will wait a few more weeks to take a look at one.

[Player4]

Ohh man its my pleasure. I really enjoy doing this stuff specially Honda's lol. Ive always been into cars and its really good to know that the info is going to help you now. I saw an RDX today at my local dealer it looks really good i just passed by it i didnt stop and look into it maybe saturday i will. But it does look really nice im not a big fan of the RAV because it looks ok on the exterior but the interior is a letdown Forester looks too much like a wagon to me RDX and CR-V look promising and nice both inside and out, also like the 2007 Santa Fe which looks amazing in person love their design...

Well i hope you make a wise decision on your purchase because it is your second biggest purchase in life after a home so do whatever you think and know that is right.

happy to know i helped :D

Player4...

[greyd]

No offense to any of you but I really can't believe that some people on here are saying they like the looks of this redesign. It is 100% dull and boring. There are no curves or sexy lines in this crv at all and it's not even an suv any more. It's a 4 wheel drive station wagon technically although honda will call it a crossover vehicle. I would bet that honda will refresh this crv in 2008, with Many style changes because sales will mainly be pulled from other vehicle owners and not previous crv owners.

[az-crv-guy]

I agree the new re-design front end sucks! Now, the EU version look much better!

[AoS]

I agree the new re-design front end sucks! Now, the EU version look much better!
The front end is exactly the same with the Euro version ... except that the Euro version has the foglights and headlight washers.

[etc]

The gist of the article about better handling
well of course - its lower, shorter and wider
there is no other way but the new cr-v to have a much better handling than all the previous versions :)

[KW Sluggo]

I was hoping that like the next Outlander, the 2007 CRV would land somewhere above the RAV4 166 horsepower floor.

It seems however that it is closer to an all wheel drive somewhat larger (in both size and price) Matrix. I suppose that is part of the price we pay for Acura's existence in this market.

IMO this is a mistake that is just as great as when they underpowered the 1997 CRV and when Toyota launched its original "too small" RAV.

I might have had a different view if there was a price difference or a quality difference between the 2007 CRV and the latest generation RAV, but there are no such differences (at least here in Canada). In fact the only lures that the 2007 CRV has over the 4 cylinder RAV4 is the rear hatch and the 5th gear in the tranny, otherwise it trails the RAV4.

It will only get worse once that new 220 hp Outlander goes on sale.

Too bad.

[jswift2000]

You also have to take into account fuel consumption with the 166 hp engine - this puppy should do quite well. I would rather have better mpg than hp (i'm not going to tow anything) - this is the reason we're selling our MDX and looking at the CRV - love the 'X' but its awful on gas. We have it narrowed down to the Subaru Outback wagon or the CRV. If Honda only brought the accord wagon to the US :D (accord tourer - http://www.honda.co.uk/car/)

[dicko]

Amen. I had a '91 Accord Wagon EX MT and loved that car. Unfortunately time took its toll and we replaced it with a '04 CR-V. Maybe since the new 'V is auto only, they'll give us the Stream with MT. I know, doubtful, but a man can dream. . .

[KW Sluggo]

You also have to take into account fuel consumption with the 166 hp engine - this puppy should do quite well. I would rather have better mpg than hp (i'm not going to tow anything)

Well, I suppose that is part of my point -- I do't think that the mpg on the RAV V6 is that bad, especially for the 268 hp.

I will be quite interested to see the mpg figures for the 2007 CRV but I won't be expecting much change from last year's. If that does turn out to be the case, then the V6 RAV (and the 220 hp Mitsu) will steal CRV sales

[osman]

The latest issue of Car and Driver has two pages on the CR-V with a picture of the interior as well.... it shows the interior of a regular Vee not the glorified EX-L with navi. Their test drive found the ride quieter than that of the 2nd gen but they also found the steering to be heavier.

I absolutely despise the front end. My wife likes it overall but I will probably buy the RDX instead of the toothless CR-V. I will only buy the 3rd Gen CR-V if the dealer installs Tow Mater like buck teeth upfront to cover the front grill....

As for the rear, not bad and I think its somewhat of an improvement. However, bottom mounted spare tires are definitely a big NO for Canadian winters.... I would hate to replace my spare tire after 4 winters as it might get rusted to the bone and fall off one day.

I plan on test driving the RDX as soon as it hits the showrooms.

Cheers.

[Nutty]

I really love the looks of my 2006 CR-V. The 2007 model is not either better or worse, just different. It WILL sell because its a HONDA. Good luck to all who buy one.

[jswift2000]

For my wife and I it will depend on the cargo room for us. if its the same size as the rdx, forget it - we're going to buy a subaru outback wagon. We have 1 kid, 1 on the way and two labs so we need a lot of cargo room. We both love the looks of the car.

[Dragonfly]

the spare's now underneath

Hmm..that's new info. So it's not under the floor after all. I spose it's still a donut though....


Having the Spare underneath? I think that is cool, I can live with the donut size tire.
I guess that explains why the new CRV will have more cargo space than the RDX.

El Guapo

Conflicting info from someone who says they drove an '07 over at VTEC:

No third row seat, now a full size temporary spare tire where the table used to be.

[mcbeevee]

Do any of the magazine articles mention the brand of tire? Replacing the Duellers would help it be a quieter ride than Gen 2's. :)

[KW Sluggo]

For my wife and I it will depend on the cargo room for us. if its the same size as the rdx, forget it - we're going to buy a subaru outback wagon. We have 1 kid, 1 on the way and two labs so we need a lot of cargo room. We both love the looks of the car.

Last January at the NAIAS in Detroit I was struck by just how small the RDX was. I realize it is difficult to get a perspective without other vehicles right beside it but still the RDX looked very small. I was concerned that the new CRV not be as small as the RDX.

As far as the Outback is concerned, I have tried that one out for size and I have found that it lacks the useful room of the current CRV. I really don't care that much about the dimensions stated in a brochure since they are misleading. If I had 2 labs and 2 plus 1 children, I would find the Outback too small.

My advice would be to look at the CRV when it gets here to ascertain whether Honda has done its usual good job of creating useful space or whether it has joined the other illusionists (like the Chev Equinox).

One other thing, the new RAV4 has decent space for both cargo and for rear passengers (those kids sprout legs very quickly).

[AoS]

Conflicting info from someone who says they drove an '07 over at VTEC:

[quote]No third row seat, now a full size temporary spare tire where the table used to be.
It's not conflicting .... the spare need to be the same radius as the standard wheel in order not to damage the RT4WD system. But the width of the spare can be smaller ... that's what they mean by temporary or donut, I guess.