The Essentials

• Price from £21,395
• What Car? says:
• Fuel economy: up to 50.4mpg
• What is it? The Honda CR-V is a spacious and user-friendly SUV that's pleasant to drive and won't break the bank.

• Drive

  Plucky enough and fairly comfortable but nothing particularly special

• Inside

  It's easy to get comfortable but the dash could be easier to use and rear visibility is pretty poor

• Safety

  Plenty of airbags and stability control as standard; top-spec cars get even more electronic aids

• Reliability

  Honda has a superb reliability record and the CR-V feels built to last

• Space

  Loads of space throughout including a massive boot, and the seats are a cinch to fold

• Standard and extras

  All cars are well equipped although top-spec vehicles are expensive

• What's it like to drive?

  There are two engines to choose from, both of which are smooth and civilised. The 2.2 diesel is strong across most gears. The 2.0-litre petrol is willing enough but hasnt the oomph of the diesel. Both engines come with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, which is slightly smoother in the front-wheel-drive cars than in the 4x4s. There's an optional five-speed automatic but its rather clunky shifts make it feels a bit dated compared with the latest offerings from rival manufacturers. The suspension is good at soaking up big bumps but the car is a bit jiggly on rough surfaces. The steering is a little slow and vague but the handling is responsive enough although the car does lean a fair bit on bends. The engines can be a little noisy when worked hard but on the whole the CR-V is pretty quiet.

• What's it like inside?

  The cabin plastics and materials seem a tiny bit cheap and the many buttons could be more clearly marked. Still, there's a good range of seat and steering wheel adjustment and the view forward is excellent. Unfortunately, over-the-shoulder visibility is compromised by thick rear pillars. The CR-Vs flat rear floor and ample head- and legroom make it excellent family transport, and it's easy to get in and out of all the seats. The boot is immense, at 589 litres even with the seats in place; pull on a lever mounted on either side of the boot and the rear seats instantly flip down to produce a mammoth 1648 litres of load space. Even entry-level S trim comes with alloys, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, a USB port, the one-touch folding rear seats and hill-start assist, though you'll need to upgrade to SE to add Bluetooth, parking sensors and a rear-view reversing camera. SR trim adds heated, part-leather seats and a DAB radio, while EX trim brings full leather, a panoramic glass roof and a high-grade sat nav system. There are Isofix points on all three rear seats and while there's not enough space to fit three child seats in a row, this does give you some flexibility about where you fix your child seats; fitting them on the centre and one outer seat will also make access easier for an adult sitting with the kids.

• How reliable is it?

  The CR-V feels solid and well built, in line with Honda's generally excellent reliability record; the CR-V also consistently performs well in the annual JD Power customer satisfaction survey. All CR-Vs include six airbags including curtain 'bags that extend to the rear seats, and you can deactivate the front passenger airbag to allow you to fit a Group 0+ baby seat here. The stability control system not only counteracts mid-corner slides but also sideways movement if you're towing a caravan or horsebox. The expensive Advanced Safety models help you stay in your motorway lane and apply the brakes before an imminent collision.

• Should I buy one?

  The CR-V is easy to live with and reassuringly reliable; it also holds its value extremely well. However, both its fuel consumption and CO2 output are higher than some rivals, and choosing the automatic version will add to your running costs.