Faults:

Buying it was about as much fun as being strapped to your chair and being forced to listen to Rush Limbaugh.

Instrument panel died 2 miles on the way home. Found to be a loose wire.

General Comments:

I would say dealership service is world-class, if you're only including third-world and nonexistent countries, which you might as well be from, as our Honda Dealer (Riverside Honda) seems to think I have no concept of money.

I wanted my CR-V Loaded, and told the "kind" salesman I would pay Sticker. He claimed he was unable to do so, due to the high demand for the CR-V, I would have to pay an extra $1,000. Upon kindly informing him there is no way in hell I am going to pay more-than-sticker for a HONDA, he reluctantly gave in.

After signing the papers, I was charged additionally for their "plus" preparation service, and a "convenience charge." That's $200.00 out of my pocket. I don't know what kind of business, but it's every bit as honest as Enron.

Furthermore, they refuse to honor the warranty at this dealership unless I service the car ONLY at the Honda dealership... INCLUDING Oil Changes, etc. (And of course, they're priced competitively, providing everyone else raised their prices by 200%.)

So how is the CR-V Ownership experience WITHOUT the dealer? Mediocre. It's a Mediocre tall station wagon with a few clever touches.

I love all of the storage nooks and crannies, and the Picnic table gets my thumbs up.

The entire vehicle is pretty comfortable, especially for long trips. My kids don't fight at all in the Back seat.

The rear seatback is very high though, making the rear window next to useless for my height.

It has enough power, but not a lot. The manual tranny is the way to go, otherwise you may need a lot of room to pass.

The vehicle itself is nice, but not spectacular, and certainly doesn't warranty the snotty dealer. If your Honda dealer is a good one, then this would be a logical vehicle to own.

Faults:

Engine needed to have a tune-up. (Probably a small isolated issue though)

Parking brake handle cracked due to extreme force needed.

General Comments:

When the lease was up on our Explorer, my wife wanted something a little more economical. We were considering getting a Ford Escape, but the Ford Dealer was too far away (it was always a pain in the Explorer to drive accross town to change the oil), and the Honda Dealer was nearby. Her sister owned a 1999 CR-V, and said she loved it, so it ended up being her choice.

The new 2002 CR-V has more power, something it most certainly needs. But it's still sluggish with the Automatic transmission. It's got "just enough" power for all of your basic needs, but when you need to STEP ON IT, it takes its own time.

I wish this thing had a V6. The advantage to having a 4 cylinder engine however is fuel economy, which is good, but not great. It doesn't guzzle as much as the Explorer did, but it's kind of dismal for a 4 cylinder. If you live where it is flat, than you'll probably be experiencing the benefits of this SUV more than we are.

The CR-V is crammed with clever goodies. The kids love the picnic table. It's reasonably roomy in the back, too, every bit as much as the Explorer.

So what's not to like? Other than the shortage of power, the dashboard. My wife says she doesn't mind it, but I can't stand it. The radio is around a foot above the HVAC controls, which are positioned absurdly low. And the parking brake, which has cracked under its own recalcitrance. Also the cheap-o plastic interior gets my thumbs down.

I should also mention that one of my kids gets real car-sick in this car. His friend's drive a Tribute, and he's fine in that. I suspect the seating position.

And on a personal note, I find the styling of this SUV... well... mommy-ish. It's just NOT a guy vehicle. And on the inside... well, let's just say the inside is neither contemporary, timeless, or attractive.

The only real problem came from an Engine that needed to be tuned up rather early. The dealer was rude at first, but became jovial after realizing we were right.

It's an OK vehicle. Mediocre. Blah. Mommy-ish. We're giving it another six months, otherwise we might end our lease early. If so, we may buy an Escape or Liberty (both of which we have test-driven now and like very much.) I'd strongly reccomend shopping around before buying this SUV. I think there are better alternatives, but then again, the CR-V just isn't my vehicle.