How Honda CR-V earns ‘2015 Best Cars For Families Award’

Looking to the compact SUV, crossover segment, one finds a very crowded and still growing playing field of exceptional contenders. These days you’ll be hard-pressed to find a nag in thoroughbred stable of quality, well equipped urbane crawlers. Torque News has driven them all and finds 2015 Honda HR-V to be superior in several categories.

“2015 is the year of Honda”

For the first time in U.S. automotive history, SUVs and crossovers outsell conventional sedans and coups. At the top of the summit of the mountain that is reasonably purchase price meets fuel efficient standard features, proudly sits 2015 Honda CR-V. At first, we didn't get it! Then we drove one… You’ll be hard pressed to find a superior drive and ownership experience to 2015 CR-V, in an apples-to- apples comparison to the competition.

CR-V is about more than horsepower, torque and off-road capabilities. The buying public has responded in staggering numbers, making CR-V second only to Accord and Civic in U.S. retail sales. CR-V’s a favorite with active singles, couples and the Soccer-Mom crowd. CR-V owners love the look and interior transformability of this compact SUV. When driving CR-V one is empowered by a sense of high-seat enabled visibility, refined power, handling characteristics, and standard active safety features generally reserved for premium SUVs costing $ thousands more.

Good looks exceptional standard features

CR-V LX

2WD:
185-hp (SAE Net), 2.4-Liter, 16-Valve, DOHC i-VTEC® 4-Cylinder Engine with Direct Injection
Eco Assist™ System
Hill Start Assist
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) with Sport Mode
Motion-Adaptive Electric Power-Assisted Rack-and-Pinion Steering (EPS)
Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with Traction Control[2]
Multi-Angle Rearview Camera with Guidelines[3]
Daytime Running Lights (DRL)
Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) Body Structure
Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®[4]
SMS Text Message Function[5]
Tilt and Telescopic Steering Column
Illuminated Steering Wheel-Mounted Cruise, Audio, Phone and i-MID Controls
Multi-Functional Center Console Storage with Sliding Armrest
Map Lights
Floor Mats
Easy Fold-Down 60/40 Split Rear Seat with Center Armrest
160-Watt AM/FM/CD Audio System with 4 Speakers
Pandora® Compatibility[6]
Bluetooth® Streaming Audio[4]
USB Audio Interface (1)[7]
Exterior Temperature Indicator
Remote Entry System
AWD:
Adding to or replacing features on the 2WD LX:
Real Time AWD with Intelligent Control System™

For 2015 Honda levels the SUV, crossover playing field by offering exceptional standard features and limiting the engine and transmission choice to one; We like that.looking to Honda’s 2015 CR-V web-page one discovers a shopping and buying tool that takes the guess work out of “building” your CR-V. You won’t find many if any options outside of HR-V’s 5 offered trim variants.

Again, simple, no surprises. MSRP for 2015 CR-V ranges between $23,445 for the front-wheel drive entry level LX and $31,615 for the fully loaded, bordering on power-seated-leather-luxury ‘Touring” edition. Note: LX is one of the best standard equipped entry-level compact SUVs on the market today.

80% off all car buyers begin their search online

Torque News believes that Honda’s website is one of, if not, the easiest in the industry to navigate, as well as the most transparent as to “added purchase cost.” This is key to Honda’s initial success as to getting a prospective owner into the dealership. The “Honda Experience” begins here.

How’s the ride, and hey, do you like the engine power, transmission and interior finish?

The reason for Honda CR-V’s ever-growing collection of safety awards, automotive journalism accolades and Kelly Blue Book highest residual value acknowledgement is many. We've driving 2015 CR-V on several occasions, and have discovered an exceptional compact SUV with midsize features, larger car ride and handling. On the cabin passenger accouterments side of the coin, we discovered a much refined and seriously refreshed CR-V sporting the best CVT transmission in the industry, and an impressive EarthDreams ™ direct injected i-VTEC gasoline engine that pulls like a much larger, thirstier counterpart. You may read our latest CR-V drive impressions here.

For 2015 driver’s will discover an outside-of-class upscale interior rivaling your neighbor’s Acura RDX, personal connectivity and active safety features found in this vehicle, and around town fuel economy approaching Honda Accord.

2015 Honda CR-V Touring is the pinnacle in compact SUV ownership

CR-V Touring

2WD:
Adding to or replacing features on the 2WD EX-L
18-Inch Alloy Wheels
Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™)[13]
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)[14]
Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)[15]
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)[16]
HomeLink® Remote System[17]
Driver's Seat with 10-Way Power Adjustment, Including Power Lumbar Support and Two-Position Memory
Power Tailgate
Projector-Beam Halogen Headlights with Auto-On/Off
Body-Colored, Heated, Power Side Mirrors, including Integrated Turn Indicators and Expanded View Driver's Mirror
AWD:
Adding to or replacing features on the 2WD EX-L:
Real Time AWD with Intelligent Control System™

For those that want more out of their exception Honda CR-V experience, checkout the all new 2015 CR-V Touring. Featuring Honda Watch ™ suite of active safety features, power heated and ventilated driver, front passenger seats touch and voice activated entertainment, navigation options adjustable split 2nd row seating, flat storage deck and power rear hatch.

We've driven the competition and like U.S. News and World Report, rate 2015 CR-V the best overall purchase or lease value in the segment.