2018 Honda CR-V wins the Oscar of Auto Magazine awards

2018 Honda CR-V wins the Oscar of Auto Magazine awards: Sure, I could have titled this article as countless other outlets have opted to do, but I didn’t. Monday witnessed the glitz and glamour that is the Motor Trend Awards, the equivalence of the Emmy, Golden Globe, or Oscar awards in the automotive world.

Held on the opening eve of the Los Angeles International Auto Show, or more specifically, Automobility 2017, auto industry heavy hitters and their P.R. entourage, gather in mass (exaggeration) to witness the crowning of hopefully, their finalist in its respective segment as the ‘Best of the Best.’ Front and center, there sits 2018 Honda CR-V Touring

No stranger to Motor Trend SUV of the Year, a major refreshed CR-V won the accolade in 2015, a that time, edging out a problematic Jeep Cherokee. Honda’s carried over 2018, reinvented 5th generation CR-V SUV, rolls away with top honors -- just beating out Alfa Romeo’s Stelvio by one point. Now, I could ramble on and on about the past problematic Jeep Cherokee, or how and why my esteemed colleagues at Motor Trend pair Honda’s bread and butter family hauler against the exotic Italian offering -- we’ll hold that thought for a future expose. This moment belongs to 2018 Honda CR-V.

Held on Honda’s Mojave Proving grounds, 2018 Honda CR-V out scored 23 contestants

I experienced Honda’s Mojave Desert proving grounds behind the wheel of Civic Si. It’s hot, dusty and unforgiving. The pavement temperature there can melt tire tread, yet I can think of no better location for Motor Trend’s SUV trial. While assessing a vehicle can at times be very subjective, personal if you will, the crew at Motor Trend go to great lengths to keep this contest data based and non partial objective.

2018 Honda CR-V takes top shelf honors based on exceptional standard equipped features, seat comfort, ride quality, cabin noise level, overall handling characteristics, and quite possibly the best engine, transmission pairing found in a near midsize SUV today. And yes, the Real time all-wheel drive does work. Torque News spends a week behind the wheel of Honda CR-V.

Sure, there’s a thing or two I’d change in CR-V

But then again, that’s returning to the subjective side of this competition. There is one glaring flaw with CR-V the bugs me every time I look out the rearview mirror. As the eye follows the rather stunning sidewall curvature of CR-V, approaching the rear quarter panel, just below the teardrop tapered edge of the coolest rear window design in the segment, sits a mystery taillight bulge. Why Honda? Other than that, perfect!