2024 Honda CR-V 1.5 VX AWD Turbo – Car Review | A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing

Ever since its introduction in 1997, the Honda CR-V has been a mainstay in the garage of countless Filipino families. Its refined ride, sharp styling, and dynamic driving characteristics have meshed seamlessly together to curry favor with everyone who has had the pleasure of owning one of these models. My family was also very happy with the unit we got brand new in 2007, to the extent that it became the reliable steed that ferried me to school on an everyday basis.

Thankfully, I was able to go through the Honda CR-V ownership experience once again courtesy of Honda Cars Philippines. They lent us again the 2024 Honda CR-V 1.5 VX AWD Turbo for review – and it fell into my hands, considering that Julian has already given and shared his inputs on the vehicle with you guys through a video review.

Admittedly, I have a very different driving style as compared to Julian, and I also prefer taking vehicles on adventures and observing how they handle a variety of conditions. That’s why some of our opinions and experiences may differ with regards to it. 

Styling

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so I’ll start off with the exterior aesthetic. 

For some reason, despite this Honda CR-V being a tad larger than the previous generation, you can still really tell that it’s a CR-V. The general silhouette of the vehicle has been established as a signature shape over its many generations.

However, don’t mistake that as me downplaying the changes in the exterior design from the outgoing model. In my opinion, the previous generation did come off a little more soccer mom-y, while this one carries a fine combination of elegance, sportiness, and aggression. 

The flat-nosed design provides ample space for a gigantic, hexagonal-patterned grille to reside. It smoothly transitions into the sleek, Full LED, auto-levelling headlights. The tasteful black accents found all over the vehicle complement its radiant Platinum White Pearl colorway.

Move on to the side and you’ll see more of the CR-V’s athletic stance. The vehicle’s body lines are curvaceous in some areas, but equally sharp in just the right places. This harmonious balance gives off an elegant aura – but it also appears to be capable of going anywhere on its 18-inch alloy wheels, paired with chunky Michelin e-PRIMACY tires we’ll get to later. 

Stand from the rear and things are just equally as clean. The taillights, once again angular, aid the CR-V in oozing modernity. Of course, this is done in signature Honda fashion, which keeps things interesting but avoids looking tacky. The only logos present are the Honda badge, vehicle’s model, the AWD logo, and VTEC Turbo to give you an idea as to what’s under the hood.

It goes without saying – while one glance at this CR-V gives you the sense that you can have more fun with it than the previous generation, it still exudes a certain level of maturity that won’t be out-of-place ferrying executives into a five-star hotel’s driveway. 

The Cabin

Take a step inside the cabin and it might tingle your deja vu. That’s because a significant amount of these design elements were taken from the current-generation Civic. Not that we’re complaining, as that’s a fine ride.

One look and I wouldn’t blame you for mistaking this as another bland dark interior. After all, other brands have been spicing it up with an assortment of shades to amplify a certain sense of occasion. Unfortunately, while they do grab your attention, some of these fall flat when you actually look deeper. Thankfully, here, you don’t need any of those fancy tricks. This is a cabin that just works and doesn’t feel cheap – moving into Mazda, Lexus, or European territory.

The steering wheel is nice and chunky, given the fact that you hold onto it for majority of your drives. (Unless you’re a “Look ma, no hands” type of driver).

The metallic honeycomb grille that extends almost throughout the dashboard is a design cue that screams Audi and other upscale brands. A visually-appealing collection of surface types and textures take shelter in this cabin. From the luxurious leathers, classy wooden panels, sturdy plastics, and all the way to the shiny piano blacks. I mean alright, I’m not really the biggest fan of piano black plastics due to the sheer impossibility of keeping it away from fingerprints and dust, but it did appear attractive during my time with the vehicle.

But this all isn’t just all show and no glow. It’s clear that this interior layout has been designed to be as enjoyable to use as it is to look at. 

For starters, the A/C directional knobs to control the vents don’t feel cheap or flimsy in any way at all. The rotary knobs to control the climate scream quality in the hand and give off a satisfying click every time you turn them. And do we really have to explain the convenience of each these knobs having their own tiny displays?

Lay your arm on any surface and you’ll be pleased to know that it’s been adorned with soft-touch materials. Comfort is a priority here. 

Storage cubbies are also aplenty in this cabin for all passengers, no matter where they’re seated. To top it all off, I can’t really fail to mention the reading lights that respond to soft touches. It certainly feels like you’re on a first-class flight.

Place your phone in the center cubby and you’ll notice its battery topping up, courtesy of Qi wireless charging. Two USB ports and a power outlet also provide alternative methods to get more juice – and these both are located underneath the 9-inch touch screen display that Honda has supplied this vehicle with. 

The display is not only bright, vivid, and color-accurate, but it’s consumer-tech-level responsive as well. Undoubtedly, it’s leaps and bounds ahead of what other manufacturers place in their vehicles – allowing this component to feel like an integral part of the vehicle and not an afterthought. Connection via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay never dropped or stuttered out, allowing for a consistently-seamless experience each and every time. 

It’s more than capable of being the media center here, especially when connected to the delightful eight-speaker setup. We didn’t see any sort of brand name on the speakers but they did a fantastic job in providing top-tier audio quality for the perfect soundtrips en route to our destinations. Honda did the CR-V right by putting in a superb system.

As par for the course in 2024, second row passengers also receive the supple seat treatment which is ideal for prolonged trips. The windows are expansive and provide a fuller view of the outside, preventing any type of danger caused by blind spots or claustrophobia. 

And of course, you’ll be blessed with a spacious 39.3 cubic feet of cargo space, supplying enough room for shopping bags and other forms of carry-ons.

The only gripes I had with the interior are, firstly, the fact that I don’t think adults can fit in the third row IF an average-sized adult were also to sit in the first and second rows. 

I (5-foot-7) decided to put this to the test by sitting on the front passenger seat (otherwise known as shotgun). I adjusted it to just enough to keep myself comfortable without my leg hitting the underside of the glovebox. I then adjusted the second row until my legs were almost, but not quite making contact with the backside of the front passenger seat. With these adjustments made, I sat in the third row and it was just not a comfortable experience whatsoever. On the flip side, a child or a shorter individual would have been just fine and cool with the dedicated A/C controls/vents for the third row. These occupants also are supplied with their own cupholders and cubbies.

I do feel like my other complaints are uniquely mine and won’t be a big deal for majority of buyers. The lack of a sunroof in this midtrim model is one, and since it’s standard in the highest Hybrid variant, I do wish that they implemented it here (for the price they’re asking). Finally, the diagrams for folding and rolling up the third row are confusing. Is it just me?

But let’s take a step back. This is a car review, not a living room review, so most of the time this little pocket of space will be in motion. How does it fare?

Performance

I’ll start my driving impressions by laying out the fact sheets first.

This variant of the Honda CR-V is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged Earth Dreams VTEC engine producing 190 horsepower and 240 Nm of torque. It’s mated to a Continuously-Variable Transmission (CVT) and a real-time All Wheel Drive (AWD) system sending power to all four wheels. 

I’ll just get this out there – I drove the CR-V a lot in my time with it, even bringing it to Benguet and beyond. It put way more smiles on my face than I was expecting. It’s as if every mile was meant to be meaningful. 

In the city, the powertrain and transmission work together like a match made in heaven. You don’t get any of that DCT lag that can be terrifying sometimes, especially in uphill situations. The last time I was in Baguio, I was stuck in steep uphill traffic and the vehicle I was testing at that moment really left a lot of code brown moments thanks to delays and rolling back. 

Auto Brake Hold in the CR-V was a godsend and never failed me, not even once. I was inching forward in bumper to bumper traffic on the steepest section of Kennon Road, of all places, without a worry in the world.

This vehicle also proved that it had heart. Never did I feel like I lacked power, even on Sto. Tomas Road – one of the world’s most dangerous and steep uphill climbs. The real-time AWD system was thrilling due to an innate sense of security in its superior traction. The CR-V felt very much at-home taking the twisties in a spirited manner, and the way all four wheels clawed for traction at corner exit propelled me to the next corners more briskly than I’d expected. It’s no WRC monster, but the system WORKS. Add the responsive steering feel and it’s simply magical!

Of course, I did this all within the confines of the legal speed limit – which was effortless to monitor courtesy of a splendid digital instrument cluster. Good ol’ round speedometer doesn’t cut it for you? Turn it into a bar so you can see your speed and RPMs progress as you move along!

Even when I had to go over some rocky terrain, especially muddy remnants of landslides, the CR-V never hinted that it experienced any type of struggle. It just kept soldiering on, composed and without complaint. That’s high praise.

Parking it is also easy-as-pie thanks to generous visibility of the outside, as well as clear cameras that supply the driver with a terrific view. 

Despite its strong performance, not even the mightily-impressive CR-V can outdo science. Due to the installment of a tiny-displacement turbocharged engine in this compact crossover SUV, it does require the turbo to spool first in certain situations. Turbo lag isn’t as evident as it would be on, let’s say, a 90’s sports car, but it definitely is present.

When I noticed this, I immediately went to testing on some of Baguio’s more incline-heavy sections. I would try to keep RPMs as low as possible when climbing, but my pedal application would just not translate into movement until turbo-level RPMs were achieved. Of course, this only applies to certain situations and the CR-V is more than capable of getting through most situations without having to rev until a certain threshold.

By the end of my stint with the vehicle, I had averaged 9.8 kilometers per liter in the city and 12.2 on the highway. That’s with ECON mode on most of the time, except when I was absolutely mashing the throttle pedal into the ground on the twisties.

While I’m sure the upper-tier Hybrid model does better to the kilometer, it’s certainly not a bad figure.

Passenger Comfort and Safety

An initial ride in the Honda CR-V already leaves a refined impression, but the front McPherson Strut and rear Multi-link suspension arrangement simply doubles down on this. 

It’s an ideal setup wherein the vehicle soaks up bumps on the road with relative ease, but also doesn’t feel wallowy when you want to put the pedal to the metal. Both the driver and passengers are sure to be satisfied by the ride quality. 

Only both front passengers receive fully power-adjustable seats (memory too), but all passengers are treated to the supportive seats in the CR-V. 

The Achilles’ Heel here lies in the NVH levels. For a vehicle of this caliber, I would expect less of the outside road noise to make it into the cabin. Although, with the aforementioned high-quality audio system playing your favorite tunes, it’s unlikely that this will be much of a bother. 

Safety-wise, this variant of the Honda CR-V comes with the full array of Honda SENSING features. That includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Low Speed Follow, Lane Keep Assist, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, and others. 

It also comes standard with Dual SRS airbags, side curtain airbags, ABS, Hill Start Assist, and a myriad of other features.

A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

With everything the Honda CR-V brings to the table, it would be hard not to label it as one of, if not THE top contender in its segment. Sure, this middle variant shouldn’t be missing some things like a sunroof and more-sound-deadening NVH insulation at a price of PHP 2.280 million, but it just does everything so well that I find it difficult to fault it. 

It’s comfortable, refined, elegant, safe, and comes with all the bells and whistles you could possibly need out of the factory. While its generous amount of space will fit the family, the usual tradeoff of not having something “youthful” or “sporty” to look at isn’t such a big problem here. 

You haven’t sold your soul just yet!

In fact, I would go as far as saying that the Honda CR-V has successfully made the soccer mom’s transport cool again. Cool enough, actually, that I think it could definitely appeal to a younger demographic IF they can afford to shell out the money for it.

And…shush…but most importantly, only to us select few, is that it’s still fun to drive. You can drop your family off, find some empty mountainous backroads, and have an amazing time. Then you can pick your kids up again and trek off the beaten path. This Honda CR-V will willingly comply (to a certain extent, of course.)

So would I get one? Financial restraints aside, definitely, without a doubt in my mind, yes.

As mentioned, this mid-spec Honda CR-V 1.5 VX AWD Turbo is priced at PHP 2.280 million. The entry-level V Turbo CVT starts off at PHP 2.1 million, while the top-of-the-line RS e-HEV e-CVT tips the scales at PHP 2.590 million.