X

2012 Honda CR-V (photos)

Honda updated its CR-V small SUV for 2012, giving it a new exterior look and including some convenient interior features. But the engine and transmission remain unchanged.

Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Wayne Cunningham
35137434_OVR.jpg
1 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
Honda gave its CR-V small SUV an update for 2012, refreshing the exterior and including some updated cabin tech.

Back to review.

35137434_FT.jpg
2 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
Honda does not have a set design language among its models, but the CR-V's floating grille is a nice cue that should be picked up on other cars bearing the H badge.

Back to review.

35137434_SS01.jpg
3 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
Unchanged is the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, mated to a five-speed transmission. Honda is developing more efficient engines, but the CR-V won't benefit until its next update.

Back to review.

35137434_SD.jpg
4 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
The CR-V is a very practical car, a five-seat SUV with easy access and plenty of headroom.

Back to review.

35137434_SS02.jpg
5 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
CNET's CR-V came with the all-wheel-drive option, which can shift torque to the rear wheels when the front wheels lose traction.

Back to review.

35137434_SS04.jpg
6 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
With the rear seats up, the CR-V boasts 37.2 cubic feet of cargo space, down slightly from the previous generation.

Back to review.

35137434_SS05.jpg
7 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
The rear seats fold flat very easily, opening up 70.9 cubic feet of cargo space.

Back to review.

35137434_SS07.jpg
8 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
In EX-L trim, the CR-V has leather seats with power adjustment for the driver.

Back to review.

35137434_SS06.jpg
9 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
The rear bench features adequate leg room.

Back to review.

35137434_INT.jpg
10 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
Many of the CR-V's udpates come in the form of slight cabin-tech advances.

Back to review.

35137434_SS09.jpg
11 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
Honda went to an electrically boosted power-steering system for this generation of CR-V, which helps its fuel economy.

Back to review.

35137434_SS11.jpg
12 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
The instrument cluster serves as an efficient driving coach, lighting up a green ring around the speedometer when you are driving economically.

Back to review.

35137434_SS10.jpg
13 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
The CR-V uses a five-speed automatic transmission. Rather than manual gear selection, it has two low ranges.

Back to review.

35137434_SS13.jpg
14 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
The new I-MID screen sits at the top of the dashboard, showing vehicle information with nice color graphics.

Back to review.

35137434_SS14.jpg
15 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
The navigation system has been somewhat improved, but still looks rough.

Back to review.

35137434_SS26.jpg
16 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
The CR-V gets its traffic data through satellite radio.

Back to review.

35137434_SS16.jpg
17 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
Honda provides a few different options for destination entry.

Back to review.

35137434_SS17.jpg
18 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
Predictive text on the onscreen keyboard shows only the next possible letters, making it easier to use while driving.

Back to review.

35137434_SS18.jpg
19 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
The phone system now includes the ability to receive text messages, but it only works with a handful of phones.

Back to review.

35137434_SS19.jpg
20 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
The Bluetooth audio streaming interface shows full track data.

Back to review.

35137434_SS20.jpg
21 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
The satellite radio interface puts its six presets right up front.

Back to review.

35137434_SS21.jpg
22 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
The iPod library interface shows the usual categories for album, artist, and genre. The USB drive interface only shows folder names.

Back to review.

35137434_SS22.jpg
23 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
The I-MID can show audio information, including album art, and uses a more attractive design.

Back to review.

35137434_SS23.jpg
24 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
The I-MID also shows the current track when Pandora is selected.

Back to review.

35137434_SS25.jpg
25 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
The audio system in the CR-V only has seven speakers, but it produces a pleasant, full sound.

Back to review.

35137434_SS27.jpg
26 of 26 Josh Miller/CNET
The rear-view camera includes some different options, such as wide-angle and top-down.

Back to review.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos