Honda CRV?

Joined: 06 Feb 2006

Hey All,

I'm thinking of buying a new Honda CRV, stockie and no mods. I'd like to go off-road every so often, including on some sand.

Keen on your advice: how would it go?, but please, constructive critisism only :0)

Cheers
Sydley

Joined: 07 Aug 2003 Location: Townsville

Ummm, it won't.

First of all, have a look at the CRV, lots of nice matte black painted lower panel to make it look higher. At least the dents and damage won't show up as much.... Now, where is a nice strong point to mount some tow hooks, ummm no...

Now, (if you can) get your head under it and have a look at all the mechanical bits. Easy to see aren't they?? Everything is nice and low to the ground without any significant protection. Makes thing easy to replace when you break them (albeit at a significant cost and frequency).

Now step inside. That was easy wasn't it?... Does it have a 4WD knob? No??? Hmmm... must be an automatic system. When does it engage??? (looking through the manual) Ahh, it only engages after it detects slip. Bit late then isnt it? Can you lock it in 4WD....No (well yes up to walking pace then it lets go of any traction you have. In mud/sand vehicle speed does not equall speed on the speedo). Does it have any low range if you do get stuck?...No.

Now have a look at this forum. Do you see any frequent mention of a CRV offroad section (even in this "Other models" thread)?

Yes, your CRV will get you far off road, just make sure you have enough holiday leave available for the looooong walk back to civilisation, and enjoy selecting a vehicle next time that is more appropriate for the task at hand when you get home.

Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Townsville

It's a very nice road car and may make it up a grassy slope but I'd be looking for somthing that has a least one solid diff or isn't front wheel drive.Maybe a forester? Not that good but better.
I have found more than one or two soft roaders on sand tracks stuck in the soft. The only way to drive one is like your in a rally flat out so you don't get stuck. Not so nice.
Keep looking. Don't fall in love with the first car you see. Ask around.
Mind you if you start going off road and you begin to enjoy it (hense this forum) you'll be sad you limited yourself.
Maybe look at one of those new KIA's ? not bad for 35K.
Good luck Wink

Joined: 09 Mar 2004 Location: NSW

DAMKIA wrote:

No??? Hmmm... must be an automatic system. When does it engage??? (looking through the manual) Ahh, it only engages after it detects slip. Bit late then isnt it?

After dragging one off Stockton beach, this auto engage AWD system is very poor. Only had to sit there and watch it. It would try to move forward and the front would spin, then watched as the rears kicked in after the front has already bogged down, the rears would simply do the same. I don't even know what i wrapped the strap around at the back to pull it out, some pipe thing underneath, guessing part of it's suspension. All this was on a dead flat bit of sand at the beaches entry that nothing else was having any problems on.

For similiar money, there are better options if you want something that will get traction on loose surface or a bumpy road, i just have a pure hatred for Honda's after that incident on the beach, it took far longer to recover then it should have for a situation that wouldn't have even occurred in the first place if the thing was even just AWD, not FWD with rear assist. A 5 Door 2.0L Vitara is another option.

Joined: 03 Jun 2004 Location: SEQ

do the new kia's have low range? the top spec one i drove on monday didn't.. i think the grand vitaras have low range.
if you want a 4wd to go 4wd'ing, avoid anything without low range for starters.
crv's are famous for bogging themslves on sand.

Joined: 07 Aug 2003 Location: Townsville

munga wrote:

do the new kia's have low range? the top spec one i drove on monday didn't.. i think the grand vitaras have low range.
if you want a 4wd to go 4wd'ing, avoid anything without low range for starters.
crv's are famous for bogging themslves on sand.

Vitaras/ Old GV's = Beam rear + IFS + dual range + chassis

New Kia Sportage = Hyundai Tuscon = Hyundai Elantra platform = no chassis/low range = SIHT (there, I said it !!!)

New GV's = IFS/IRS + no chassis (I think) + dual range

1981 Subaru = IFS/IRS + no chassis + dual range (Gee we've come a long way in 25 years Rolling Eyes

)

Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Location: Riverina

Teeheehee, he used CRV and 4x4ing in the same sentence #Rofl

Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Townsville

This is the Kia Sorento I was taking about. High and low range!!!
http://www.kia.com.au/cms/default.asp?action=article&ID=45

Joined: 07 Aug 2003 Location: Townsville

paultherocksta96 wrote:

This is the Kia Sorento I was taking about. High and low range!!!
http://www.kia.com.au/cms/default.asp?action=article&ID=45

Ahhh, I thought you meant the new Sportage!!! Yeah, the new Sorento is Cool

Coils all corners, decent V6/transmission/tcase (should be easy to mod most of the mechanicals as they are all stock Mitsubishi, even to 3.8 litres or 3.2 DiD????)

Only problem with them was thay weren't out when I bought the Sportage Confused

Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Townsville

For what the Sorento is it's a pretty good option for people who like to buy new. Good bang per buck. Wink

Not much else like it for the money.

Joined: 04 Aug 2005 Location: gold coast

a mate of mine has a gen 1 crv and he comes out 4wd'ing with me its suprisinly capable but lacks ground clearance and the exaust runs directly under the rear diff so ruts are out of the picture

Joined: 01 May 2004 Location: dandenong vic

you'd be better with a Rav4 than a honda. and even they are very average.
how good would it be if toyota put low range in a rav4. would prob be better than the new vits. and they look better too

Joined: 06 Feb 2006

Well guys, let me tell you about how it went:

I checked out the following:

Suzuki Grand Vitara
Nissan X-Trail
Rav4
MDX (couldn't afford at wouldna wanna)
Honda CRV
Jeep Wrangler
(all new and base models)

Bar the Jeep, these are all yuppie like SUVs, and some of you may say they're girlie cars, and that's fine. But I need a car for day-to-day (90%) use with off-road capability (10%). I don't take cars to places to get them dirty, I go places where the car gets dirty.

Of all of these cars, the CRV was the best all-round (albeit the girlie looks), so I bought it. I've taken it up big muddy hills, through some rough tracks, on the sand a little (more to come) and it's great. Best thing is, it's a comfortable fast car on the road, with room and fuel eco. I've even been hit twice up the arse and both times damage to the other cars and my bumper just popped back in, no marks!

Honda have improved the 2005-6 models with 16" wheels for more clearance, and a superfast reactive rear-assist/4wd whatever. There's hardly any of that old bog-the-front-before-the-rear-kicks-in crap. It now goes places the old model didn't, I've even towed a Sportage.

My only gripe with the car is the lack of 4wd interoperability. It's totally automatic, but it doesn't even tell me when it's on. I like to see buttons and lights and shiet on the dash, but overall-it's a fair contender for your softer 4x4's.

As this section is for 'other makes', I thought it be appropriate to share my experiences. I know I'll ask some of you to snatch-strap me out of the mud one day, but the new CRV isn't the old CRV.

Thanks for your advice though!

Joined: 07 Aug 2003 Location: Townsville

The new CRV is no better than the old one. Maybe a bit quicker to react, but still overheats and is recognised as the worst of the worst (by "Wheels" magazine, no less).

Understand one thing, the only reason we get the 4WD versions of these softroaders is due to the lower import tarrif resulting in lower sale prices than the 2WD version. Anything that is capable of driving all 4 wheels, however pathetically, qualifies. In the US most of these vehicles are sold as 2WD and 4WD (similar to the Ford Territory here).

"...car for day-to-day (90%) use with off-road capability (10%)...."

It's the 10% that wil trash the 90%.

Buy yourself a new cheap runabout, and a new Suzuki Jimny for the same money as you will be spending on a new CRV. Absolutely the best of both worlds, and you will never be stuck for a vehicle to go to work in. Or go used for both vehicles and put the extra money towards a decent recovery kit and winch plus other 4wd related necessities (since you will be pulling other softroaders out, won't you?).

You honestly still haven't looked underneath the CRV (old or new) yet, have you? No protection of anything..............(the ring around the fuel tanks on the old ones does a good job of catching and lifting branches into the fuel tank area and puncturing the thin plastic tank)

Of the vehicles you mentioned your best choice would be the Jeep Wrangler. Gets you noticed when cruising too Wink

Other suggestions would be the Hyundai Terracan, older model Prado/Pajero, even a post 2000 Kia Sportage, all of which can take a moderate amount of 4WDing, are reasonably roomy, and are reasonable to drive around town.

"...I know I'll ask some of you to snatch-strap me out of the mud one day, but the new CRV isn't the old CRV...."

A push, maybe, but as for a snatch out of mud, only if you have a decent rated tow hook mounted to your vehicle (NOT a tie down!!!) Oh, that's right, there is no structural place strong enough to mount one on a CRV (old or new) due to the inbuilt crumple zones in the monocoque body. Stand on your roof and salute as she sinks.................

Edit: Just reread your post and realised you actually bought one!!!!

Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 4:57 pm

Fair enough, it suits your needs, but don't expect too much from it as you've bought an AWD and not 4WD.....
Some people forget this and end up in dangerous situations....also.....
.....hope you have a sense of humour and a thick skin, you will need it if you ever have to ask to be recovered by any of the guys on here Wink

Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Location: Riverina

So how is it going sydley? Taken it 'offoroad' yet? Ne pics? Problems/Comments on it?

Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Location: New Zealand

Well done Sydley - you bought a car to suit your needs. Your main need is comfortable on-road performance with occasional limited offroad use, and that's what you got.

I sometimes wonder how many of the contributors to this forum with 36" tyres, 3" lifts, turbos, lockers, after-market suspension etc. actually do much offroading. Not that I am knocking them - truck modifying can be a hobby in itself.

But horses for courses - and you appear to have chosen a suitable horse for your course.

Cheers

Joined: 06 Feb 2006

David, thanks for your post, I almost lost faith in this website (it's posters). An offroad car comes in different flavours and capabilities and I don't need a truck so I can drive one wheel up a rock, stop and take a 'flex photo'. That's all well and good if you're into that, I'm into getting to places to do stuff, not the car itself.

Squik - I have a sense of humour and a thick skin, all cool, but I also have a sticker on my car that says "no Pencil extension necessary". So long as we can have a beer at the end of a CRV retrieval excercise, we're friends, otherwise the joke is on the dude with the 36" wheels Laughing

Damkia - same goes re the sticker "have Pencil, don't need jeep", want jeep, but don't NEED jeep to get noticed! (please, i'm NOT having a go at jeep owners, jeeps are like' cool cars!) You do know your CRV well tho, are you a Honda salesman? Smile

Your points about the V are correct technically, but again they are not necessarily limiting factors. Did you know that high density polyurethane tanks are stronger than steel tanks? Certainly lighter!

All's fair tho, if I was serious about off-roading, I'd not get a CRV, but that doesn't mean a softroader can't go off-road. I appreciate everyones advice tho, perhaps I should have started this post with "I don't want to go ape-shit offroad but..."

As for pictures of the CRv doing stuff, sorry, I'm too busy enjoying myself outdoors! Wink

Thanks guys!

Joined: 04 Jun 2006

OK,

Constructive criticism only. Having been an ex CRV owner, here are my 2 cents.

The car roll around too much to be a good road car, for the money I'd rather get a suby.

Others has already mentioned NO recovery points....so I won't elaborate.

Separation between the front wheel well and the engine bay is pathetic, what ever you do, don't turn the steering wheel if you're stuck as you'll end up with:sand, mud ... or what ever you're stuck in all over the engine bay, NOT pretty. If you do, good luck with Honda for a $5k air-cond compressor.

The door switches has a habbit of malfunctioning and draining your battery.

BTW look after the flimsy picnic table, it's $900.00 to replace.

Cheers

Joined: 02 Jan 2003 Location: Brisbane

glad you're happy with your crv and if you understand the technical limitations then you're well ahead of most of the nuff nuffs who buy them Laughing

Don't be surprised if people flatly refuse to assist you in recoveries though Smile

I certainly won't help softroaders in distress. Reason is that I won't be held liable for damage done to a vehicle when I try to recover it by hooking onto a suspension component or crossmember because it has no recovery points Confused

not to mention the plastic bumpers and panels torn to pieces because they hang so low and get mutilated on the ground or by straps etc.

Not a dig against the type of cars but I won't recover them to cover my arse Laughing

If I can see a dedicated proper recovery point well clear of delicate parts and panels then no worries Smile

Joined: 26 Sep 2005 Location: Victoria

I'm not having a go here at all. You buy what u like and thats cool.

My question is...What is the point of cars like CRV's?

Do they offer any advantage over a sedan or family wagon?

AWD may be good for towing up slippery boat ramps or beaches but then u wouldn't tow any reasonable size boat with these anyway and probably nothing a normal sedan with an LSD couldn't handle.

By the way i was in Robe a few months back and we had 2 vehicles, a new lifted patrol on 35's and a mid 90's stock vitara. The vitara did absolutely everything the patrol did and only got bogged once as it bottom out on some dunes. It drove all the way to beachport and we passed quite a few bogged landcruisers and brand new discoveries who had obviously not lowered their tyre pressures!!!

Jimmy

Joined: 07 Aug 2003 Location: Townsville

Whilst a car is depicted in the clip, the same monocoque construction is used in most sotroaders such as the CRV...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF693eh9mUU&mode=related&search=

Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Location: Sydney

syd, congrats on your new car.
if you do go offroading I would strongly suggest you get some recovery points put in and get yourself atleast a snatch strap and equalising strap/tree trunk protector.

I think we all realise that a CRV will never be as capable as a 4by but hey, kudos to you for getting out there and enjoying the car.

your biggest problem will be clearance.

yes you guessed it, I have a softroader too (hyundai tucson) armsup

Joined: 07 Aug 2003 Location: Townsville

ed. wrote:

syd, congrats on your new car.
if you do go offroading I would strongly suggest you get some recovery points put in and get yourself atleast a snatch strap and equalising strap/tree trunk protector.

I think we all realise that a CRV will never be as capable as a 4by but hey, kudos to you for getting out there and enjoying the car.

your biggest problem will be clearance.

yes you guessed it, I have a softroader too (hyundai tucson) armsup

You just don't get it do you? There is no "structural" points strong enough forward of the firewall/engine to mount any recovery points in the monnocoque car based softroaders. Snatching you out will probably result in the front end (crumple zones) being ripped off like a piece of toilet paper (see the above video link, and that was just a bit of snow). NO STRUCTURAL STRENGTH. I wouldn't want to do that to your vehicle unless there was a signed legal document absolving me of ANY responsibility of damage to your vehicle, and I wouldn't trust the insurance companies to clear me of liability for damage to your vehicle if I did pull you out and damaged your vehicle in the process. Hell, I've seen snatches that have resulted in chassis being bent in larger 4WD's...

Happy to push and shove as far as possible, but no snatching.

Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Location: Sydney

DAMKIA wrote:

ed. wrote:

syd, congrats on your new car.
if you do go offroading I would strongly suggest you get some recovery points put in and get yourself atleast a snatch strap and equalising strap/tree trunk protector.

I think we all realise that a CRV will never be as capable as a 4by but hey, kudos to you for getting out there and enjoying the car.

your biggest problem will be clearance.

yes you guessed it, I have a softroader too (hyundai tucson) armsup

You just don't get it do you? There is no "structural" points strong enough forward of the firewall/engine to mount any recovery points in the monnocoque car based softroaders. Snatching you out will probably result in the front end (crumple zones) being ripped off like a piece of toilet paper (see the above video link, and that was just a bit of snow). NO STRUCTURAL STRENGTH. I wouldn't want to do that to your vehicle unless there was a signed legal document absolving me of ANY responsibility of damage to your vehicle, and I wouldn't trust the insurance companies to clear me of liability for damage to your vehicle if I did pull you out and damaged your vehicle in the process. Hell, I've seen snatches that have resulted in chassis being bent in larger 4WD's...

Happy to push and shove as far as possible, but no snatching.

Valid point about not snatching out.
With an engineer's cert you can get recovery points mounted to the chasis rails.
EDIT: even a rated hitch style towbar on the rear.

Joined: 27 Feb 2004 Location: Meadowbrook, Brissie

I now have a renewed...well not renewed, I now have some respect for a CRV now.
My g/f's brother borrowed my shorty Gq and ski boat yesterday and he decided to kill the batteries.....while the gq was on the boat ramp with the tide coming in. Since its 24v a jump start is out of the question but this CRV managed to snatch up a boat ramp my gq and fully laden ski boat Shocked

. I was mighty suprised when he told me Confused

Joined: 29 Nov 2004 Location: Townsville

Sir Rollsalot wrote:

I now have a renewed...well not renewed, I now have some respect for a CRV now.
My g/f's brother borrowed my shorty Gq and ski boat yesterday and he decided to kill the batteries.....while the gq was on the boat ramp with the tide coming in. Since its 24v a jump start is out of the question but this CRV managed to snatch up a boat ramp my gq and fully laden ski boat Shocked

. I was mighty suprised when he told me Confused

At least it wasnt pushing it up the beach to start it Rolling Eyes

Joined: 27 Feb 2004 Location: Meadowbrook, Brissie

screw you hippy The Finger

Meh, what can I say.....its a little bit of character that my shorty has. The choice of going hmmmm Im gonna kill the battery right about .......now Confused

Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 7:48 pm

ed. wrote:

DAMKIA wrote:

ed. wrote:

syd, congrats on your new car.
if you do go offroading I would strongly suggest you get some recovery points put in and get yourself atleast a snatch strap and equalising strap/tree trunk protector.

I think we all realise that a CRV will never be as capable as a 4by but hey, kudos to you for getting out there and enjoying the car.

your biggest problem will be clearance.

yes you guessed it, I have a softroader too (hyundai tucson) armsup

You just don't get it do you? There is no "structural" points strong enough forward of the firewall/engine to mount any recovery points in the monnocoque car based softroaders. Snatching you out will probably result in the front end (crumple zones) being ripped off like a piece of toilet paper (see the above video link, and that was just a bit of snow). NO STRUCTURAL STRENGTH. I wouldn't want to do that to your vehicle unless there was a signed legal document absolving me of ANY responsibility of damage to your vehicle, and I wouldn't trust the insurance companies to clear me of liability for damage to your vehicle if I did pull you out and damaged your vehicle in the process. Hell, I've seen snatches that have resulted in chassis being bent in larger 4WD's...

Happy to push and shove as far as possible, but no snatching.

Valid point about not snatching out.
With an engineer's cert you can get recovery points mounted to the chasis rails.
EDIT: even a rated hitch style towbar on the rear.

Ummm, just a question, do you understand how the CRV and other soft roaders are built. THERE IS NO SEPERATE CHASSIS!!!!!! for the love of god. If you put a hook on one, due to the crumple zones, it will suffer damage!!!!! Anything less than major structural re-engineering (or buying a real 4wd) will not fix this. And that is the reason that many 4wd's will not snatch a soft roader (myself included).

Layto....

Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Location: Mel-bourbon

Just thought i should clear up something: monocorque bodies aren't all the same! although, i doubt these softroaders make them strong enough, Jeep have been using them for years (since the 80s) in XJ, KJ and Grand Cherokees (not wranglers), however the design is strong and comparable (but "probably" not as durable in theory) to a ladder chasis and does support rated recovery points. (and yes can be used for hardcore 4x4). there are chassis type rails but cannot be detached from the cabin (ie body lift) and is based on aeronautical engineering ie. aeroplanes and space shuttles (which also have monocorque bodies). the only advantage i can think of is 1/3-1/2 less weight and better power:weight ratio. Now with the poweful engines Jeep use already in a lighter vehicle, is why they hammer!