I've got to believe that is due to the new front end, and the European pedestrian crash standards... I can't see how the vehicle would be that much lower, overall...
Not that it would help you in six inches of snow...
Some people measure ground clearance from the ground to the bottom of the rear differential (8.1"). Others will measure it from the ground to the bottom of the control arms (5.12"). I believe Consumer Reports is one of the magazines which uses the second method.
So, until we know what is being measured, we don't know anything.
When you talk with a wheeler, they'll measure the distance from the ground to the lowest solid component outside a one foot radius from the wheel.
"Solid"? Yeah, they don't care about things like the muffler or exhaust tubing. If you break that off, you can still drive out of the woods. But if you snag a differential on a rock, you're not going anywhere.
"Radius from the wheel"? Yup. Because components at the end of the axles (brakes and such) move up and down when a wheel rolls over an obstacle. Very tough to whack your caliper on something.
With these considerations in mind, the most common low-point that is honestly at risk of getting damaged is the differential. So "most" of the time, ground clearance is measured from the ground to the diff.
With more and more vehicles using indy suspension, things get fuzzy. The lower control arms connect within the 1' radius, but at about half-way up the arm they are still pretty low to the ground. Consumer Reports eliminates the need for a judgement call by just going with the lowest point on the arms. Of course, that is probably the least likely place you'll ever damage a vehicle, but it is a common point where they can compare most any type of vehicle - regardless of suspension or design.
Then there are things like the front air dams stylists and engineers put on CUVs.
Furthermore, when it comes to wheeling, drivers are also concerned with things like breakover angles. These can vary greatly based on the wheelbase of the vehicle and the height of the floor pan from the ground. The consumer industry tends to stick with ground clearance because it's a single number that is easy to print and easy for readers to understand (or "believe" they understand).
For the purposes of most CUV buyers, I think the main clearance concern would be snow. For that, you need to pay attention to a few things.
1. Bumper shape. You want a bumper that will push snow down and off to the side. Something that isn't too low is another good idea.
2. Height to the floor pan. A muffler will cut through lose snow easily. There's not much surface area for the snow to grab hold of. But if your floor pan becomes even with the snow, you're stopping.
3. Control arms. This should probably be the least of your concerns. In most circumstances, control arms will cut through the snow just like your tires. But if the arms are especially thick or very low, they can "plow" a pile under the vehicle as it gets pushed forward.
Wait - It was a Kia Sportage - the profile & color looked a lot like the new CR-V pictures. I wonder if that green is one the actual colors. Anybody know? Seems like on edmunds somebody always knows the colors before they know anything else.
The colors are typically known early because dealers see them on ordering sheets. We've still got a few months to wait before they start ordering the 07's, though.
A surprise addition to the 07 CR-V lineup has now been confirmed. The new CR-V will have a Navigation option! Below is the model lineup for the 2007 model year.
do u think they will have bluetooth service for the 07 CR-V? can anyone tell me? i hve been looking for bluetooth service cheap suv w/ good mileage. i hope 2007 CR-V or 2007 Rav 4 will have this feature add on.
Well, it took me a while, but I figured out where yysyys got his ground clearance spec from.
Many of us reading his posts on several forums have been a little surprised/skeptical about a number like 5.12" of clearance for the CR-V. One of the more common exclamations has been, "But even the RDX has 6.25!"
Well, it does and it doesn't.
The RDX's published ground clearance is 6.25". However, the LOADED clearance is listed at 5.12".
Keep in mind, folks. The RDX uses SH-AWD, which is a fairly large AWD unit. When I was at the NY Auto Show, I brought along a tape measure. The floor pan of the RDX was approximately 12 inches off the ground. The reason for the low clearance is simply the large diff.
Well, the CR-V isn't going to use SH-AWD. In fact, we have no reason to suspect anything other than RT4WD (which is a relatively small unit). So, it is very likely the vehicle will not share exact dimensions with the RDX.
So 5.12" with the full payload in there, what's that, 900 lbs? Doubtful that you would ever have *that* much weight in there when there's a snow storm.
All indy rear suspensions are subject to this, the rear diff sags with the body when you add weight. A live axle does not, because the rear diff is not sprung.
Just another bit of info on the 2007 CR-V: The 60/40 rear seats will be in a fixed position when up. They will no longer recline or adjust fore/aft like the 2006. When folded down they will create a flat loading area. The styled steel wheels on the LX model will have 5 spokes not 6 like the 2006. They are similar to the 2002-2004 steel wheels in design. The Door Handles on the LX will be Black, the EX and EX-L will have Chrome Handles. The Chrome accents around the side window areas will be on all models. The rear tailgate is one piece and the temporary spare will be inside under the rear cargo floor on all models Lockable Front Center Console with Dual Level Storage, XM Satellite Radio with MP3/Auxiliary Input Jack, Auto Off Headlights, Overhead Maplights(Front and Rear), Hard Cargo Lid Cover, 12 Volt Power Outlets(Front and Center Console), Variable Intermittent Windshield Wipers, Tire Pressure Monitoring System(TPMS)with Location Indicators, Daytime Running Light(DRL), LATCH(Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children Child-Seat Mounting System), Advanced Compatibility Engineering(ACE)Body Structure, Breakaway Inside Rearview Mirror and Emergency Tailgate Opener! Expect the price from 22K for LX to 28K EX-L with Nav (not final).
Even at 6.25", it would only be marginally more than on a conventional sedan/wagon. So again it would beg the question, why not just go for a wagon, and get better mpg & handling, as well as a quieter ride, in all likelihood.
I don't know where you got this interior information, but is it accurate and are you certain about the center console? Is the drop down tray gone? If so, I will go for the 2006. That center space is one of the reasons we like this car. I tried to call Honda, but they won't say a word. All I wanted was a "buy now" or "wait," but not a word.
no longer recline or adjust fore/aft like the 2006
That's a bummer, I thought that was neat. The Forester lost the recline feature a few years ago. Must be the new rear-impact safety standards that are coming?
Donut, another bad trend in this segment that's spreading.
Those two and the lack of a manual option are downgrades IMO.
Lincoln calls that "Twilight Sentinel" IIRC. I find that a bit annoying. You always look back to make sure they turn off.
I used to valet park back when I was in college and we hated that feature. You never knew if you left the lights one. The owner got used to it, of course.
Yup, I can see how that might be a problem with valets. I guess a dead battery after dinner would not a happy customer make!
But for me personally, auto-off headlights has become almost an indispensible feature. I would hate to have to think about whether I've turned the lights off just as I'm about to settle down in the theatre with my popcorn and Coke!
The setup in our MINI is even worse. The headlights turn off with the ignition, but the parking lights and side markers remain on. What good is that?! :confuse:
Well the car is for my wife- she drove the 06 CRV today and didn't like the tight steering the gear shift on the dash- So guess what- she went to Subaru, drove the Forester, loved it, made due with the center console and bought it. Oh well- We have a 97 Outback which will go to our daughter and never had one problem with Subaru- so it's a Subaru again.
Tell her Congrats. Didn't want to wait to sample the 07 'V, eh?
We have a very active Subaru group here on Edmunds, the Subaru Crew. Tell her the Crew Chief and Founder (that's me) extends a personal invitation for her to join us. The Crew is a great resource.
Finally, something different from the RDX (passenger volume = 101.4 cubic ft).
The current CR-V is about 106/103 cu.ft.
These new numbers seem a little funky, though.
Max cargo volume was quoted at 61 cu.ft in several of your earlier posts. This is the same as the RDX. However, max passenger volume is up 4 ft (moonroof vs moonroof).
Given that the cargo capacity and passenger capacity share common space in the second row, I have to assume the difference making the CR-V larger is somewhere in the front seat.
That actually would make sense if Honda had removed the RDX's center console and allowed a pass-through like past generations of the CR-V. Getting rid of that console would gain 4-5 cu.ft. But you're saying that not only does the CR-V get a console, it's gets exactly the same unit (dual level storage) as the RDX.
I suppose the roof over the head of the front passengers could be higher than the RDX, but according to the information you provided earlier, the CR-V's exterior roof should be .5" lower than the RDX.
Incidentally, those numbers (108/105) would match up well with what Jeff at TOV reports. He reports that interior space is about the same as the outgoing model, the space is just "moved around a bit".
I assumed he was referencing cargo volume at the time, but it's possible he was recalling the total passenger volume when he wrote about it.
"Just another bit of info on the 2007 CR-V: The 60/40 rear seats will be in a fixed position when up. They will no longer recline or adjust fore/aft like the 2006. When folded down they will create a flat loading area."
Just like the RDX.
"The styled steel wheels on the LX model will have 5 spokes not 6 like the 2006. They are similar to the 2002-2004 steel wheels in design. The Door Handles on the LX will be Black, the EX and EX-L will have Chrome Handles. The Chrome accents around the side window areas will be on all models."
This is new.
"The rear tailgate is one piece and the temporary spare will be inside under the rear cargo floor on all models."
Just like the RDX.
"Lockable Front Center Console with Dual Level Storage, XM Satellite Radio with MP3/Auxiliary Input Jack, Auto Off Headlights, Overhead Maplights(Front and Rear), Hard Cargo Lid Cover, 12 Volt Power Outlets(Front and Center Console), Variable Intermittent Windshield Wipers..."
Just like the RDX. Though, in an RDX the Tech Package allows you to set the length of time between when you turn off the ignition and when the headlights fade out. Cuteness. You can also set the delay for the auto-locking doors.
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the stereo upgrade for the CR-V will include a 360 watt 7 speaker system. (Just like the base RDX.)
Just like the RDX. (Because it's required by law.) Though, again, the RDX takes it a step further. The HID will display the actual pressure in each tire.
"...Daytime Running Light(DRL), LATCH(Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children Child-Seat Mounting System), Advanced Compatibility Engineering(ACE)Body Structure, Breakaway Inside Rearview Mirror and Emergency Tailgate Opener!"
Just like the RDX. Most of it required by law.
"Expect the price from 22K for LX to 28K EX-L with Nav (not final)."
Some are getting to obsessed with cu. ft. cargo cap. this is only good if you are going to haul air. Real tape measurements are the only way to go for usable space.
If what yysyys is posting is true, we're getting the same back seat as the RDX. That's technically a 5/55/35/5 arrangement. There is a portion of the seat (the outer side bolster) which does not fold, at all.
You can kinda see what I mean with the photo below. The cushion where the seatbelt is resting does not fold.
I've already done real tape measurements for the RDX. What I'm trying to do is use the information I'm being given (cu.ft.) to determine if the CR-V's cargo space is exactly the same as the RDX. If so, then the measurements I took for the RDX will probably be the same.
You all probably know by now that the Picnic Table in the CR-V is History! Honda has a new innovation for the cargo area! A Hard Cargo Lid serves a Dual Purpose in the cargo area! The Lid provides privacy for items in the cargo area by completely covering the entire space when it is on the top tier! When it is not needed, it can be conveniently stored on the cargo floor! The Lid may also be reversed to carry dirty objects on its' wipeable, easy-to-clean, surface! This feature is standard on the EX and EX-L! It will also be available as a dealer installed option on the LX!
Hello yysyys, sounds like they are designing this cargo lid like in the RDX ! Do you have any other innovations you would like to share with us since you are in the know how with regards to the new CR-V !
Acura doesn't have a good photo of the "shelf" in place, but if you look at this one, you can see the mounting points on the sides of the cargo area up above the wheel arches.
If you're wondering how tie downs are going to function when the floor is removable, notice the RDX doesn't have any. Those strings you see on the floor are used to attach the shelf to the lift gate - just like a hatchback.
The Equinox' shelf is a pain. It's not wide enough, and they made the shock towers rather huge, ate up half the cargo space, just so that the cover fit. Not at all space efficient. I swear the smaller Vue has more useable cargo space.
Acura nailed it. That looks much, much better. The cover is a lot more discrete, and almost the full width of the cargo area.
Reverse engineering at its best. Take a good idea that wasn't done so well, and do it better.
"Take a good idea that wasn't done so well, and do it better."
That's always been the Japanese's M.O. They rarely invent something new, but they sure can take an existing idea and perfect it, especially when it comes to cars!
Here are the only color combinations available for the 2007 CR-V (exterior/interior):
Borrego Beige Metallic / Ivory Glacier Blue Metallic / Gray Green Tea Metallic / Ivory Nighthawk Black Pearl / Black or Ivory Royal Blue Pearl / Black Taffeta White / Gray Tango Red Pearl / Gray Whistler Silver Metallic / Black or Gray
Wow, three interior colors. The CR-V really is moving up scale (and unfortunately off of my radar). As a shareholder in HMC I don't like this. Adds complexity in manufacturing. That used to be one of the hallmark's of the imports, simplicity, but now they might as well be a domestic. I guess I should expect option packages too.
....that's exactly what I thought when I saw those pix... RDX's (and by default, the CRV's) cargo space is way bigger & more useable than the Equinox's....they took a good idea and implemented it in a far more useful way. Not much real news here in the last few weeks (been on vacation). Saw tractor trailers of 2006 CR-V's being delivered in California, so I guess they've still got lots of the old ones to get rid of first. Would be nice to get some official pix & interior shots/info. Maybe Honda's a little gun-shy after all the criticism of the '07's looks & less utility.
Comments
Pretty major change, if true.
Not that it would help you in six inches of snow...
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
Edmunds Moderator
So, until we know what is being measured, we don't know anything.
When you talk with a wheeler, they'll measure the distance from the ground to the lowest solid component outside a one foot radius from the wheel.
"Solid"? Yeah, they don't care about things like the muffler or exhaust tubing. If you break that off, you can still drive out of the woods. But if you snag a differential on a rock, you're not going anywhere.
"Radius from the wheel"? Yup. Because components at the end of the axles (brakes and such) move up and down when a wheel rolls over an obstacle. Very tough to whack your caliper on something.
With these considerations in mind, the most common low-point that is honestly at risk of getting damaged is the differential. So "most" of the time, ground clearance is measured from the ground to the diff.
With more and more vehicles using indy suspension, things get fuzzy. The lower control arms connect within the 1' radius, but at about half-way up the arm they are still pretty low to the ground. Consumer Reports eliminates the need for a judgement call by just going with the lowest point on the arms. Of course, that is probably the least likely place you'll ever damage a vehicle, but it is a common point where they can compare most any type of vehicle - regardless of suspension or design.
Then there are things like the front air dams stylists and engineers put on CUVs.
Furthermore, when it comes to wheeling, drivers are also concerned with things like breakover angles. These can vary greatly based on the wheelbase of the vehicle and the height of the floor pan from the ground. The consumer industry tends to stick with ground clearance because it's a single number that is easy to print and easy for readers to understand (or "believe" they understand).
For the purposes of most CUV buyers, I think the main clearance concern would be snow. For that, you need to pay attention to a few things.
1. Bumper shape. You want a bumper that will push snow down and off to the side. Something that isn't too low is another good idea.
2. Height to the floor pan. A muffler will cut through lose snow easily. There's not much surface area for the snow to grab hold of. But if your floor pan becomes even with the snow, you're stopping.
3. Control arms. This should probably be the least of your concerns. In most circumstances, control arms will cut through the snow just like your tires. But if the arms are especially thick or very low, they can "plow" a pile under the vehicle as it gets pushed forward.
Model Year Description Transmission Emission
RE3837EW 2007 CR-V 5DR 2WD LX 5AT FED EMISSION STD
RE3857JW 2007 CR-V 5DR 2WD EX 5AT FED EMISSION STD
RE3877JNW 2007 CR-V 5DR 2WD EX-L 5AT FED EMISSION STD
RE3877KNW 2007 CR-V 5DR 2WD EX-L NAVI 5AT FED EMISSION STD
RE4837EW 2007 CR-V 5DR 4WD LX 5AT FED EMISSION STD
RE4857JW 2007 CR-V 5DR 4WD EX 5AT FED EMISSION STD
RE4877JNW 2007 CR-V 5DR 4WD EX-L 5AT FED EMISSION STD
RE4877KNW 2007 CR-V 5DR 4WD EX-L NAVI 5AT FED EMISSION STD
Anyone who skimmed over that should read it again, it summarizes the concept well.
-juice
Many of us reading his posts on several forums have been a little surprised/skeptical about a number like 5.12" of clearance for the CR-V. One of the more common exclamations has been, "But even the RDX has 6.25!"
Well, it does and it doesn't.
The RDX's published ground clearance is 6.25". However, the LOADED clearance is listed at 5.12".
Keep in mind, folks. The RDX uses SH-AWD, which is a fairly large AWD unit. When I was at the NY Auto Show, I brought along a tape measure. The floor pan of the RDX was approximately 12 inches off the ground. The reason for the low clearance is simply the large diff.
Well, the CR-V isn't going to use SH-AWD. In fact, we have no reason to suspect anything other than RT4WD (which is a relatively small unit). So, it is very likely the vehicle will not share exact dimensions with the RDX.
All indy rear suspensions are subject to this, the rear diff sags with the body when you add weight. A live axle does not, because the rear diff is not sprung.
-juice
Lockable Front Center Console with Dual Level Storage, XM Satellite Radio with MP3/Auxiliary Input Jack, Auto Off Headlights, Overhead Maplights(Front and Rear), Hard Cargo Lid Cover, 12 Volt Power Outlets(Front and Center Console), Variable Intermittent Windshield Wipers, Tire Pressure Monitoring System(TPMS)with Location Indicators, Daytime Running Light(DRL), LATCH(Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children Child-Seat Mounting System), Advanced Compatibility Engineering(ACE)Body Structure, Breakaway Inside Rearview Mirror and Emergency Tailgate Opener!
Expect the price from 22K for LX to 28K EX-L with Nav (not final).
Finally!! :shades:
But then the RAV4 has that too, so I still don't see any compelling reason to buy the new CR-V.
That's a bummer, I thought that was neat. The Forester lost the recline feature a few years ago. Must be the new rear-impact safety standards that are coming?
Donut, another bad trend in this segment that's spreading.
Those two and the lack of a manual option are downgrades IMO.
-juice
They're great. It's like DRLs but you have the control. Just leave them on all the time, and they turn off with the ignition. Or don't.
-juice
I used to valet park back when I was in college and we hated that feature. You never knew if you left the lights one. The owner got used to it, of course.
-juice
But for me personally, auto-off headlights has become almost an indispensible feature. I would hate to have to think about whether I've turned the lights off just as I'm about to settle down in the theatre with my popcorn and Coke!
The setup in our MINI is even worse. The headlights turn off with the ignition, but the parking lights and side markers remain on. What good is that?! :confuse:
thx
We have a very active Subaru group here on Edmunds, the Subaru Crew. Tell her the Crew Chief and Founder (that's me) extends a personal invitation for her to join us. The Crew is a great resource.
-juice
The current CR-V is about 106/103 cu.ft.
These new numbers seem a little funky, though.
Max cargo volume was quoted at 61 cu.ft in several of your earlier posts. This is the same as the RDX. However, max passenger volume is up 4 ft (moonroof vs moonroof).
Given that the cargo capacity and passenger capacity share common space in the second row, I have to assume the difference making the CR-V larger is somewhere in the front seat.
That actually would make sense if Honda had removed the RDX's center console and allowed a pass-through like past generations of the CR-V. Getting rid of that console would gain 4-5 cu.ft. But you're saying that not only does the CR-V get a console, it's gets exactly the same unit (dual level storage) as the RDX.
I suppose the roof over the head of the front passengers could be higher than the RDX, but according to the information you provided earlier, the CR-V's exterior roof should be .5" lower than the RDX.
I am perplexed.
I assumed he was referencing cargo volume at the time, but it's possible he was recalling the total passenger volume when he wrote about it.
Just like the RDX.
"The styled steel wheels on the LX model will have 5 spokes not 6 like the 2006. They are similar to the 2002-2004 steel wheels in design. The Door Handles on the LX will be Black, the EX and EX-L will have Chrome Handles. The Chrome accents around the side window areas will be on all models."
This is new.
"The rear tailgate is one piece and the temporary spare will be inside under the rear cargo floor on all models."
Just like the RDX.
"Lockable Front Center Console with Dual Level Storage, XM Satellite Radio with MP3/Auxiliary Input Jack, Auto Off Headlights, Overhead Maplights(Front and Rear), Hard Cargo Lid Cover, 12 Volt Power Outlets(Front and Center Console), Variable Intermittent Windshield Wipers..."
Just like the RDX. Though, in an RDX the Tech Package allows you to set the length of time between when you turn off the ignition and when the headlights fade out. Cuteness. You can also set the delay for the auto-locking doors.
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the stereo upgrade for the CR-V will include a 360 watt 7 speaker system. (Just like the base RDX.)
"...Tire Pressure Monitoring System(TPMS)with Location Indicators..."
Just like the RDX. (Because it's required by law.) Though, again, the RDX takes it a step further. The HID will display the actual pressure in each tire.
"...Daytime Running Light(DRL), LATCH(Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children Child-Seat Mounting System), Advanced Compatibility Engineering(ACE)Body Structure, Breakaway Inside Rearview Mirror and Emergency Tailgate Opener!"
Just like the RDX. Most of it required by law.
"Expect the price from 22K for LX to 28K EX-L with Nav (not final)."
This is news. But not terribly surprising
this is only good if you are going to haul air.
Real tape measurements are the only way to go for usable space.
You can kinda see what I mean with the photo below. The cushion where the seatbelt is resting does not fold.
http://us.tnpv.net/pv/2006/04/12/HON2006041230816_pv.jpg
http://tomstrongman.com/RoadTests/Equinox/Images/IMG_8065.jpg
Acura doesn't have a good photo of the "shelf" in place, but if you look at this one, you can see the mounting points on the sides of the cargo area up above the wheel arches.
http://hondanews.com/CatID3094?mid=2006041234090&mime=JPG
If you're wondering how tie downs are going to function when the floor is removable, notice the RDX doesn't have any. Those strings you see on the floor are used to attach the shelf to the lift gate - just like a hatchback.
:confuse:
That wouldn't bother me the least bit. We never took the thing out once in the 5 years we had our CR-V. :P
The Equinox' shelf is a pain. It's not wide enough, and they made the shock towers rather huge, ate up half the cargo space, just so that the cover fit. Not at all space efficient. I swear the smaller Vue has more useable cargo space.
Acura nailed it. That looks much, much better. The cover is a lot more discrete, and almost the full width of the cargo area.
Reverse engineering at its best. Take a good idea that wasn't done so well, and do it better.
-juice
That's always been the Japanese's M.O. They rarely invent something new, but they sure can take an existing idea and perfect it, especially when it comes to cars!
The Equinox' seem to eat up HALF the width of the cargo bay.
-juice
Borrego Beige Metallic / Ivory
Glacier Blue Metallic / Gray
Green Tea Metallic / Ivory
Nighthawk Black Pearl / Black or Ivory
Royal Blue Pearl / Black
Taffeta White / Gray
Tango Red Pearl / Gray
Whistler Silver Metallic / Black or Gray
Borrego Beige Metallic? Reminds me of the Chevy concept car:
OK, some Trivia - what mechanicals did that vehicle use?
-juice
RDX's (and by default, the CRV's) cargo space is way bigger & more useable than the Equinox's....they took a good idea and implemented it in a far more useful way.
Not much real news here in the last few weeks (been on vacation).
Saw tractor trailers of 2006 CR-V's being delivered in California, so I guess they've still got lots of the old ones to get rid of first. Would be nice to get some official pix & interior shots/info. Maybe Honda's a little gun-shy after all the criticism of the '07's looks & less utility.
-juice