Car Review Honda CR‑V 2022

Review

I bought a CR-V in 2023, when it became clear that my previous car — a 2016 Sportage — was starting to drain money: one thing after another. Plus the family grew, two kids, constant trips out of town and into the mountains. I needed something more spacious and without reliability surprises. I immediately looked toward the Japanese — I just wanted to drive, not live at the service center. After several viewings and test drives, it was obvious: spacious interior, solid feel, and with the discount the price was quite reasonable. In the end, I decided it was better to pay more upfront for a Honda than to keep patching up a Korean car forever.

The first few days felt unusual. High seating position, soft ride, good cabin quietness — after the Sportage it felt like stepping into a higher-class vehicle. That one was stiff and noisy, while this is calm and smooth, as if you're driving leisurely even at normal speeds. A couple of times I thought the engine had stalled because it was so quiet, but no — just smooth, relaxing driving. No wild excitement, no "wow", but also no irritating little annoyances — and that's probably the most important thing.

In the city the CR-V behaves confidently: light steering, reasonable dimensions, parking is no issue. Fuel consumption in traffic jams stays around 9–10 liters per 100 km (roughly 23–26 mpg). On the highway it's stable, overtakes are predictable, and the all-wheel drive really helps — especially in rain and winter. The suspension handles bad asphalt and potholes well, without thumps or bottoming out, though of course it doesn't pretend to be an off-roader. In daily use everything is well thought out: plenty of rear space, kids don't elbow each other, my wife particularly notes that trips have become noticeably more comfortable.

In summer we went to the Carpathians as a family: the trunk was fully loaded, some things went on the roof — there was enough space, and the road was handled calmly. And recently near Kyiv I hit severe black ice: on an uphill everyone around was spinning wheels, I engaged all-wheel drive and climbed up without drama. A friend called later, incredulous how I even made it through. A small thing, but nice.

There are downsides too. Above 110 km/h (about 68 mph) noticeable tire noise appears, especially on old pavement. During sharp overtakes there's sometimes not enough pull — the CVT whines, and acceleration doesn't always match expectations. The rearview camera gets filthy instantly in rain, the trunk lacks proper organizers — small items roll around. Maintenance isn't cheap, though it's not needed very often.

Overall I've been driving it for three years now and I'm generally pleased. The car is calm, reliable, with no nasty surprises. It's not perfect, but in terms of comfort and lack of headaches — one of the best I've owned. If I had to decide on selling it now, I'd probably keep it for a few more years.