I have owned my 1999 CRV LX for a year now and I love everything about it except I can't get comfortable in the seats. First, the seat cushion is too small - too narrow and not deep enough. I am 5 feet 8 inches and not 150 lbs, not fat, long legs, and I am almost spilling out over the side of the seats. The lack of depth means that only about 1/3 of my thigh rests on the seat and the rest of my leg in hanging in midair. Second, the seat is too flat, resulting in the feeling of being perched rather than ensconced in the seat. When I go around curves, I have to tighten various muscles to stay upright in the seat. Third, the height of the seat. It is inbetween the height of a regular chair and the height of a regular car seat, therefore having the comfort of neither. I have tried every adjustment in the seat and various pillow. I am actually thinking of selling the car because of this. I am hoping someone here has recognized and dealt successfully with this problem. For example, are there any replacement seats that can be installed? Would really appreciate any help.
True, I didn't say that houses didn't go up in value. And yes, the interest is deductible. However, out of a $1000 payment, say $900 goes towards interest - you might get about $200 back. So, there goes $700 to waste. Plus, any $$$ you pay in property taxes is gone as well and more than likely cancels out any refund you get back from the interest deduction.
If a car was not ANY kind of an investment, we might as well all go out and buy Kia Sportages and tell them that we don't want the "long haul" warranty. Heck, forget the car, why not just buy a bicycle? It's cheaper, no need for insurance premiums, and it's good exercise!
Reliability and resale are really important for some people. Those are long term issues that people place a high priority on, which insinuates that they're concerned about the future of their auto (ie. their future investment).
I agree with you that it's difficult to call something an "investment" when it continuously loses value. But I also see how other people would consider it an "investment"; reliability, resale, safety for your family (Windstar commercial), etc.
The seats on the CRV are very bad. The bottoms are too short, perhaps to make the car look roomier. I put some foam in the lower back for lumbar support. The seats are my number one complaint. My wife likes them because they are so uncomfortable, that it makes it harder to fall asleep at the wheel! There are after market seats available from places like Recaro that can probabably be fitted in, but do realize you are looking at over $1,000. Also, they can have an affect on the carsh safety of your CRV.
My only complaint is the padding is a bit firm. They do support me well and I have no back pain while on long trips. I could see where you would have a problem if your legs are longish. But it would be difficult to find a really long lower cushion in most vehicles. I'm 6' but have a longer torso. Liked the seats in the CR-V more than Soobs, Cherokee, and others. Seat comfort is truly subjective.
In #315, you said "I've read somewhere that American manufacturers use more expensive, higher quality parts than their Japanese counterparts. But, American cars have poor reliability and refinement from shoddy designs and assembly, while Japanese have great reliability and refinement from high quality control and excellent designs.... but do not last as long as the American cars. " What do you mean? Do you mean some American cars last longer than Japanese?
Ya know, this topic was oddly quiet before I left a few weeks ago (business travel). Now I come back and find all this activity. Was it something I said?
Daiwang - Dunno, my dealer attached the plates for us. They were already on when delivered. The only problem I've noted is that the brackets which hold the bottom of plate are not big enough to accommodate custom plate 'surrounds'.
Vstafford - When I first got my CR-V, I had mild issues with the seats. When I learned that the appropriate seating position is upright, rather than leaned back, things got much better. For reference, I'm 6'2" and 220 lbs. My wife doesn't like the passengers seat because it lacks tilt adjust for the cushion, but she's also fine with the driver's seat. Your mileage may vary. For example: Someone else noted that the seats are high off the floor. For me, this was one of the best parts about the CR-V. Finally a car where my knees don't block forward vision . That factor was one of the things that disturbed me about the Xterra and Forester. If you do decide to sell the CR-V try either of those vehicles as they may be more to your liking.
American cars, on average, are more expensive to produce than Japanese cars. This is due to them using more parts; more expensive, and higher quality parts. For example, my '90 Cavalier had intermitten wipers, velour lining and several other features missing in my '95 Acura Integra. These "shortcuts" aren't necessarily detrimental to the car, but it does diminish the look and feel of the car.
Plus, the sheet metal in American cars are thicker. For example, I once leaned against my Integra and it actually caved in.... it popped out but you could see a dent in it. You could never do that to the Cavalier. Thinner sheet metal is one reason why Japanese cars are more prone to rust damage than American cars.
The bottom line is that American car parts (i.e. sheetmetal, engine parts, etc.) will last longer than Japanese'. But, this does mean it's more reliable, just more durable.
I have a question for some of u who have shopped a "mid sized" SUV lately. My dad would like one with leather for less than $25K. He is particularly interested in the Mitsubishi Montero Sport, due to their 0%,0 down, 0 payment promotion, but the price with leather is well over $28K. He thinks CR-V and RAV-4 are too small for him. I've been trying to talk him in to buying a fully loaded '01 Accord EX V6 for $21,900, but he's smitten with SUV's...... anyone have any ideas?
Hmmmm, maybe he can buy the bottom of the line Nissan Pathfinder (240hp) and get aftermarket leather put in......
I am interested in the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape. However, I am not sure which one I should buy. As I named myself new driver, I did not drive so many car like you guys, I need some advise.
Just have a look at the interior materials on the American cars. GM/Ford/Chrysler. Honda/Toyota use a very high quality platics. Have MUCH MUCH better build Quality than American cars. Almost all import cars have all-aluminium engines(not sure though). Honda/Toyotas are more durable than any other manufacturar on the Earth. They last around 250K miles with just regular maintenance.
I think there is some error in you typing as Americans using better quality parts is not going well after all those rental Cavaliers / Tauruses/ Buicks etc...
You are talking about the features or value in American car being more than the imports..yes that is true but you get much better durability/ reliability/quality fit & finish with imports. U get what you pay.
My point is that the Japanese make more profit from their cars than Americans do with theirs. Why? It's because Japanese "decontent" and use cheaper parts. How do you explain that my '90 Cavalier had velour lining and my '95 Integra (much more expensive car) had plastic lining? How do also explain that the paper speaker cones in my Integra had to be replaced after only 2 years and that the ones in the Cavalier are going strong after 10 years? Plus, the Cavalier came with better stereo system; intermitten wipers (not available on Integra), to name a few.
Plus, my '90 Cavalier had aluminum block and but the '95 Integra didn't. Not even my '98 Accord had aluminum block.
How do u also explain that the sheet metal on the Integra was easily dented? I could literally dent it with my hand. Also, look under the car, you'll notice that American cars use far better steel bumpers (behind the plastic outer bumpers), some Japanese cars only use plastic/styrofoam bumpers. My family used to tell me how weak and flimsy the Integra felt compared to the Cavalier, even though both were similar "sports" coupes.
Also, how about the brake pads in our Hondas, they lasted only 15-20K miles before "squealing"... while the Cavalier's lasted 40K.
No one is disputing that Japanese cars are more reliable and well built. What I'm saying is that they use cheaper & less parts to maximize profit. Think of it this way... Jaguar uses a lot of expensive parts... but is it more reliable than a Civic? No. But will the Jaguar's body, parts (i.e. door handle, buttons/switches, engine parts) last longer than a Civic? Of course. Even my Cavalier has had zero engine problems.... still going strong with 150K miles.... on the other hand, my Integra's engine block developed a leak and needed repairs after only 35K miles.
I'm no psychic, but I suspect about 99% of advice u get here will be in favor of CR-V.
I've never driven the Ford Escape, so I'm not too familiar with it. I've read Edmund's review and it seems like a good value ($21K with V6 200hp engine). I guess my only reservation would be that it's a Ford. And you know how reliable they are! (sarcasm)
Although I'm not a Ford fan, the relatively low price makes it worthy of a look. If you can, you should rent both and run it through your own obstacle course for a whole day. The final decision may come down to the Uphill climb test.....
You should check out Mazda's version of Escape. It comes with a better warranty and looks slightly better.
I am 5'10" and 180lb. and I find the seats fine, (no pains from sitting on them for short or long periods of time). I agree that seat comfort is very subjective, and thus a blanket statement like "Honda makes poor seats" is not a just comment. I especially like the kitchen chair seating position of the seats rather than feeling like I'm sitting on the floor of the vehicle.
I also disagree with Hondabro2000, (as do most automotive journalists that I have read). The Japanese engines, body assembly etc. benefit from closer tolerances than has normally been used in American cars, (thus insuring better fit and durability/reliability).
I am hoping that rust will not be a problem on CRV's. Have any owners of earlier CRV's, (such as '97s) noticed any? (and if so, what parts should we keep an eye on?)
Here in Erie, PA, we just received 12-14 inches of heavy, wet snow last night (we're <60 miles from Buffalo, NY).
Before I could get out my snow blower, I needed to pull my 6 mo old 2000 CRV EX Auto out of the garage (poor planning on my part with placement of the snow blower).
Today was my first experience with the CRV and significant snowfall. Before any plows had come along, my CRV cut through the foot of snow like a warm knife through butter. Once or twice I found some packed, icy snow and the anti lock brakes did a great job. Never felt like I was out of control!
The vehicle performed above my expectations, so I would recommend it to anyone who's looking for reliable transportation in unreliable weather.
Whether you're talking about your business or personal records, any auto loan is considered a "liability".
Once you have any equity built up (i.e., you could sell it for more than you owe), that equity becomes an "asset". The "depreciation", or steady loss of market value of the asset, tends to be a sharp drop initially for autos, with a gradual leveling as the car ages, presuming it's still in good condition.
In any case, there is a point at which you begin to build equity once the "liability" is paid off. When comparing a car to a house, there is almost always a greater growth and acceleration of that equity (through "appreciation" in value), making a house a better "investment" of your resources than a car. Over the long term, however, houses rarely deliver as good a return as mutual funds, making the stock market a better "investment" than a house, and even better than a car.
Don't believe me? Take your new CRV and drive it into your house. When it's totalled, are you more likely to get enough money to repair the house, or to pay off the car loan when the vehicle is "totalled"????
I am sure the Japanese car have a weaker sheet metal than the America. Also, the equipments in the America is much better than the Japanese. You guys can compare the same class of car (such as: Focus and Civic), the interior look much better and comfort in the Focus. Please don't get me wrong, I am not saying the Japanese cars are cheap. I do believe Japanese have better reliability. However, I am not sure about the durable on both Japanese and American
I currently own a Chevy Impala SS and a VW Fox. I have also owned an Audi, Hyundai, and a first gen Civic (they were junk!) I think u.s cars are made with better, more durable parts. The japanese use less robust parts, but do a better job of putting them together. Let's compare paint- Chevy uses a thick (within specs) layer of primer and paint.It is chip resistant and and can be polished, even wet sanded. The japanese use just enough paint to cover the metal. My CRv (Marino Red) uses red primer, red paint, red tinted clear coat. It is super thin and chips easily. Yet, it was applied better than the Chevy, mainly the amount of orange peel. Airconditioning- Chevy uses a large compressor with a large condensor for super cold. Even in stop and go driving in Vegas (111 degrees!) I was comfy. The Honda A/C is useless at those temps. Chevy came from factory out of aligned. Honda has good alignment. Chevy seats are better. Wider, softer, more support. My opinion of the Honda seats is not subjective, they are BAD! They lack adequate thigh support. Sit down and you will see that the seat bootom ends at mid thigh. The backs are too flat.My brother has a '99 CRV and he agrees. In fact, everyone that I met with a CRV has agreed on the poor seats. I drove 12 hours in it and was squirming for my dear life. Chevy stitch gear feels kind of clunky. Honda switch gear is smooth. Everything has the same feel,on my '98, the stereo has the same feel as other controls, very nice. Battery- Chevy has heavy duty one, Honda has something not much bigger than the one in my motorcycle. Chevy uses lead terminal connectors, Honda uses cheap thin metal ones. Engine- Chevy uses hydraulic valves that never need adjusting, along with a lifetime timing chain. Honda uses screw tappets which should be checked every 30K miles and rubber timing belt which should be replaced every 80K miles. Metal- Chevy uses 18g steel which is more durable and will give better long term rigidity. Honda uses 22 g steel. BTW, if you want an idea of how rigid your car really is, simply jack up one side and open and close a door. Check for binding. For the long term, I would choose american over japanese. Honda and the rest know that most people will trade them in anyhow after three years, so that is more pressing. Check out the maintenance intervals in the Honda CRV and compare them to other CRV sold around the world. It is amazing how different they are. It is all marketing. You see a lot more old U.S. cars from the 70's driving around than japanese. Remember all those Honda Civic CVCC cars that were hot in the 70's? They are all in the junk yard now. Am I bashing Honda? No,I am not. Hey, I own a '98 CRV, have 51K miles on it and this is the most trouble free car I have ever had! I also know that that 60K-70K is a good time to sell it to get another new one. I could also go into the differences with VW. Overall, I think they are better than either american or japanese (for example, my VW came with steel braided fuel injection hoses, whereas the japanese use cheap rubber hoses). My VW Fox is still running strong, despite over 300k miles! So,go ahead and make your choices. A GM SUV will be more comfortable, and longer lasting.It will suck down more gas and be at the dealer more often. Around here, I see trucks as old as 50 years still trolling about. I will say this, I don't think the paint on my wife's Honda CRV will survive another 50K miles.
Good job explaining it in detail. Now that u mention it, I do remember that my '98 Accord had a flimsy paint job. I barely scarped my car on a wall and about an inch of paint chipped off. But, my Cavalier still has original paint and it's as glossy as the first day I lay my eyes on it, 10 years ago! The paint job is absolutely amazing! On the other hand, the paint on my brother's Ford was the worst. It literally bled when it was washed. Ford SUX!
I definately agree about Honda's having weak a/c units. I could never get cool enough in my CR-V. Not that Cavalier was that much better, but it was slightly colder. It could have something to do with the Cav using Freon.... but then, my Lexus uses R-134 and is freezing cold. My '98 Accord was colder too.... I guess Honda neglected to use better/expensive compressors.
I also agree that Honda's are more "disposable" than domestics. Most are traded in after 3-5 years. Kinda makes u wonder why Honda changes designs every 4 year or so.... I've driven domestics like Explorer, Expedition, Cherokee, and Blazer... and they feel so much more solid and safer than my CR-V. I am sure my CR-V will last over 10 years, but everytime I sit in it, I can't get over how cheap & disposable everything looks in it. From the "amber" dashlight to paper linings to the super thin/stiff seats..... I'm not saying I regret buying it, but couldn't they use better parts? I mean, the Accord is similarly priced and it looks and feels so much better.
Thanks for all the informations above. How do you feel the quality of Ford compare to GM and Chrysler? Is Ford a good company or just a Found On Road Dead company?
I currently have a '99 CR-V ex and a '95 Chevy s-10. I have owned a '73 Ford Torino, '83 Ford Fairmont, '88 VW Fox and a '95 Honda Civic. By far the worst was the '83 Ford. Threw a rod at 75k. Really bad fit and finish. Poor quality paint that oxidized no matter what you did to it. The '73 Ford went 173k on the original mill. Rusted through in 8 years. Well built (tank like). The VW started rusting in 5 years. Very solid car, felt like it was machined from a solid block, but expensive to fix and liked to be fixed often. Nickle and dimed me all the time. Sold it with 140k on the clock. The '95 Civic si gave me 0 trouble for 4 years and 54k. Traded it in on the CR-V. Drove and felt like a well oiled machine. The S-10 is actually my wife's, but I get to fix it when it breaks. Paint is thick and hard to damage. Rattles like a mofo. Is on it's fourth recall now. But it does work. Seats are too soft to be supportive on long rides and the amount of noise and vibration in the cabin make the CR-V sound like a library. The brakes are had to modulate and the steering is vague, with a huge dead spot on center. But hey, it's a truck. We load it up and haul stuff with it. The CR-V feels much tighter in contrast. The suspension isn't floaty, the steering is tight and the seats are firm but supportive. The paint is thin though so you need to keep touch up paint handy. The plastics used are of a better quality than in the S-10. Very solid vehicle.
If your dad can get an '01 Accord EX V6 for 21900, he should go for it. That is quite a bit under invoice (which is 22774 I believe with destination). Are you sure that price is real?
In three years he can sell the Accord (holds it's value tremendously which is one reason Japanese cars are traded in more frequently, how much do you think a three year old Malibu would be worth?) and get Honda's new SUV, which will be their version of the MDX.
Not everyone you have met is complaining about the seats. I'm fine with them. I've been reading on-lines boards for about a year and a half and have found as many positive reviews for them as I've found negatives.
As for comparing a performance coupe like the Integra to an economy car like the Cavalier, you are missing their intended missions. The Integra may very well have thinner sheetmetal than a domestic compact BECAUSE it needs to be light for performance reasons. In general, Honda uses lighter weight parts because their corporate mission is to provide cars that are "driver oriented". This has been bastardized by the American market and forced Honda to do things like ruin the weight distribution of the Accord by dropping in a V-6, or removing the double wishbone suspension from the Civic to make room in the cabin.
On the other hand, how many US manufacturers offer double wishbone suspension, variable valve timing and lift in their "family" cars? How many offer AWD in their entry level cars like Subaru does? Of course there are going to be tradeoffs for these features. If any manufacturer used nothing but the best parts, their cars would cost twice the amount of their competitors.
As for personal experience... My 86 Cavalier Z24 died several rusty, sputtering, clunking deaths before I couldn't afford to repair it anymore and junked it at tens years old. My father's 85 Accord is still on the road with faded paint, a few mufflers, and it had well over 250K on it when he sold it (to someone who still drives it).
Lastly, what good will quality paint, AC, or cruise control buttons do you when the car is in the shop?
Hey Beatfarmer - I had a '78 Ford Fairmont with the straight six. While it was nick-named "the rolling symphony" for all the noises it made, the engine was actually hard to kill. It would stall on the highway or when making a left turn, but it refused to give up the ghost.
Newdriver - Which mini-SUV you should get depends on how you are going to use it. Right now the CR-V is rated as the most reliable SUV (any class) on the US market, followed by the old RAV4. With six or seven recalls already, it's doubtful that the Tribute/Escape will be nearly as solid. But if you really want V-6 power and towing with a good amount of space, the Ford/Mazda is probably the best bet.
the '83 had the six too. No power, no torque, no guts. Would top out at 85mph on a good day if it was empty and you had a tail wind. I was sitting at a red light on day when all of a sudden "boom" and the whole car shook.
Hey. I'm ready to buy my CRV this Friday in Sacramento, California. Probably at Mel Rapton Honda (which is where our family has purchased ALL of our Hondas). I want the EX model for sure. I'm hoping to get a 2000 model, if possible (lower cost & insurance, I would think), but 2001 ok.
I did a Carsdirect.com quote, but they said a lot of things were standard that the Honda site doesn't which worries me. Plus, Carsdirect will only give me a quote on a 2001 model. It came up with about $21K which is higher than I think it should be.
Since I'm a young lady, I'm taking along my step-father, so the car guys won't see fresh meat, but I'd love to know what some folks out there have recently paid for a CRV EX Automatic. Espeically in Sacramento (or California). Thanks.
spycygrl, got my 2001 ex, auto, at the $20800 which included the destination fee. I did some homework b4 I went, they gave me the deal. Honda has a 2% holdback for 2001 models, so even if the dealer sell the car at the invoice, they still make 2% profit. Good luck.
In a unibody car, strength comes from the whole car.Fenders, trunk, roof, even the windshield (up to 1/3 of the cars' rigidity comes from the windshield!). The japanese use thin metal because it is light and cheaper. However, there is a price to pay, and that is rigidity. Constant stress weakens it sooner to the point where there is a lot flex. Now, I have heard of many important owners swear that this is not true, yet they lack a clue. Merely jacking up the car reveals it. My buddies' Porsche 968 uses 16 g steel and it super rigid as a result.American cars fall in the middle as thickness goes. Remember though, all else being equal, the thicker metal adds to long term strenght. As for variable valves and all that other stuff, well, US cars lack that, yet they have other things in the favor. For example, a LS6 V8 can put out over 360 hp, 400+lbs of tq, yet get 28 mpg! Sure, it doesn't use an expensive head design, but it puts out better power and mpg than "high tech" japanese designs. The same applies to suspensions; rather than be enamoured with the design, look to see how it performs. Despite weighing two tons and being "handicapped" with a suspension design with roots to the '50's, my Impala can easily out handle any Lexus/Infinity 4dr with a fully independent suspension, and outbrake them as well. Go figure. Back to the CRV, there is a lot of marketing in there, so be careful. For example, when I got mine, the manual said first oil cahnge wasn't needed until 7500miles. In England, it is 6000 miles. In Austalia, it is 600 miles! See what I mean? The manual says valve adj. not required until 100K (unless necessary?). The local dealer wrench said that they are high! The motor is an old Acura motor and in the Acura, called for 30K mile adj. BTW, I got my CRV valves' adjusted at 50K miles and it no longer sounds like a diesel in the morning. It is a lot smoother and quieter, and has better pickup.
My wife says a sunroof is mandatory. I am really reluctant to buy one for the $1200 price tag. Seems like a bunch of cash especially comparing to other manufactuers and what the charge (I belive the roof for a Tribute is around $600 and my Mazda Protege was $700). I doubt the dealership does the work so if I can save some cash, I can go aftermarket on my own. I realize there may be some extra risk but is it worth it --I'm not sure.
No, dealerships don't install the sunroofs themselves, they merely outsource the work to aftermarket stores. It'll definately be cheaper to get rid of the "middle man" and find a store on your own. But, expect to pay at least $1000 for an electric one. If that's too much, you can get a "pop-up" one for less than $400.
Aftermarket costs are higher probably due to several factors. Higher wages; higher part costs; lower profits; etc. Factories probably get a large discount from sunroof makers and isn't as labor intensive. Plus, their profit come from selling cars, not sunroofs.
Never really disappeared, just keeping an eye on you Honda folks, . Checked out some of the CR-V's new competition at the Boston Auto Show. Santa Fe was nice, people were suprised with the quality and quantity for the price. Will be a big seller for them and if the quality is there, you'll certainly see the resale value shoot up for the whole line over the next 5 or so years.
The RAV4 looks decent from the outside, but Toyota is into that cheesy silver painted plastic, first scene in the Celica. Looks horrible. One would think with the success of VW with its high-quality interiors would spur some competition from at least the Asian imports, seems Toyota is going the opposite way.
Greetings. I'm a relatively new (and very happy) Honda CRV owner (Aug 00'/2000 Model). I spent a number of hours reviewing responses here before making my (informed) purchase. Now I'm looking for a little help.
I purchased my CRV from Lute Riley just outside of Dallas. Overall a very good experience. I called them and asked about getting a luggage rack installed. They quoted $499 without tax; part alone $$292.74.
I did my homework. Past posts #95 and #176 address the topic and suggested sites for lower cost parts (honda-accessories.com $196 for the rack), which I found. Problem: I hate to admit that I'm not comfortable doing the installation myself.
$300 seems very pricy for what seems to be 1-2 hours of labor. Any suggestions?
Mind you, my wife had a crappy '89 Hyundai Excel, and she currently drives a '98 CRV EX auto. Out of curiosity, I checked out the Snata Fe and took it for a drive.For about the same or a little more than a CRV, it blew it away.It is built with better quality parts, equal workmanship and is way, way nicer! Sit in it and the seat is bigger, softer, more adjustable with better quality fabric. The steering wheel is leather (honda is cheap plastic). It was 48 degrees so I couldn't test the A/C, but the S.F. a/c condensor is a lot bigger than the one in the CRV, so that gives the promise of better cooling.Pickup from stop was better. SF is much quieter than the CRV. The ride is also much smoother. It has four channel abs four disc brakes, superior to what the CRV has. Inside, it is roomier and the materials (plastic,carpet, sitch gear, etc) is equal or better than Honda. The warranty is also superior The Honda does have plusses. For example, changing the spark plugs on the back three cyclinders on the SF looks hard. THe SF has larger tires which cost more to replace. It gets slightly less mpg.Still, if this was available back in '98, I would've bought it instead of my CRV. it is hard to believe that Hyundai has made a better, more refined suv than Honda!One caveat- the Santa Fe is in strong demand. The demo I drove today was the only Santa Fe on the lot and it is not for sale, just for demoes.The dealer said they are getting only a couple a week and there is a waiting list. Bargaining won't be easy. So....wait about six months, or buy what they have now, or just buy a CRV!
hondabro2000, u fuling yoself if u think a cav or for that matter any american car has a better engine than a honda...silly dude...the stats n results speak for themselves...
Dear Hondabro....the Ford Escape is a perfect example of bad Mazda engineering combined with Ford production snafus. It has transmission and a host of other serious defects. I'd stongly suggest you check out BlueOval.com and get a behind the scenes look at this problem on wheels. I've had my CRV-EX for four months and can't imagine driving anything else. Like other Ford products the quality is just not there
So I bought my CRV today as I said I was gonna. Went to Mel Rapton in Sacramento (where the family has purchases 3 other Hondas previously). They only even had about 8 2001 CRVs on the lot AT ALL. Only 2 2000 models & both were LX models.
I ended up getting the 2001 SE in Silver. They wanted $23.3K & after haggling some, we finally agreed on $22.3K. I tried offering only $21.5K, but since there was only 2 SE's even on the lot, I apparently didn't have much room to haggle. Oh, well....still love the car & the SE has leather interior, tinted windows, hard spare cover & matching trim moldings & bumpers plus both a CD & cassette. I'm very happy & thanks to those who advised me. This board was very helpful in my purchase.
Darryl my friend, I think you are confusing this board. This is the HONDA board, not the Hyundai Board. On this board we only talk about quality vehicles - Honda's. You need to go post at the Hyundai board (if they have one). If you bought a Santa Fe, good for you! Just don't come here to express your opinions for the mistake that deep inside you know you made...only time will tell! If you are so insecure about yourself that you feel like you need to do this, then that's fine. Continue to express your insecurities here. We'll listen and feel for you. Have fun with what you drive and stop blaming yourself for buying a Santa Fe, when what you really wanted was a CRV! Drive it to the end, (could be sooner than what you think!)
Everyone on this board seems to throw out some good info, so I thought I would contribute as well. If you want some pricing tips, here you go.
St. Louis, Mo. Bought a 2000 SE for $21.3. Couple of minor add-ons added up to an extra 300 bucks. Dealer showed me the invoice. Sold it to me for exactly what the cost was after some minor negotiations. Feel like it was a fair deal since their only profit will be holdback.
Looks like the best rate I could have gotten on a 2001 EX or LX was about 500 - 600 bucks over invoice. Just a great car and they don't have to give them away for less than that.
Looked at the Sante Fe. Nice SUV. Just can't take a leap of faith for "22 Thousand Dollars." I took the safe, long term bet.
Ro Gonzo- I made an objective statememnt advising those considering the CRV to consider the Santa Fe. What is so wrong with that? These things cost over $20K, so a prospective buyer should have ALL available information, don't you think? I have owned an CRV EX for almost 3 years, have put over 50K miles on it, driven it for up to 12 ours non stop, and have taken it often in snow. I know this car like the back of my hand.I doubt there is anyone on this board with experience equal to mine. In fact most don't even have one! Perhaps you just recently purchased a CRV and my post has made YOU question you purchase. I don't feel I made a made a mistake purchasing the crv; if you read my post, back in early '98, there were few choices (Forester,/Sportage/Tracker/RAV4). Now there are more.Some are better.An open eye and mind go a long way.
I understand your point, but the point I'm trying to make is that I come here for information about CRV's. If I want information about other vehicles, I go to their boards instead. A Honda CRV board should be about that. That's all.
Babbling about other vehicles in a particular thread is reasonable from the I perspective as long as it doesn't drown out the thread topic completly. In the case of the Santa Fe, many folks, especially those in the Honda/Toyota crowd, don't even bother to check out domestics or other other imports because of their perceived "quality" concerns.
Hence, yammering about the fact that it really does deserve a second look is reasonable.
If you go out shopping for a car, but only study up on one car, by golly, right or wrong, that will be the one you get! Before I BOUGHT my CRV (see how I can keep this topic relevent?) I considered the legacy OB. In fact, I nearly signed my name on the dotted line to buy it! I liked it better than the CRV. It had better handling and a lot more power. But...those are things near and dear to me. I bought it for my wife and she like the cheaper price of the CRV. She also liked the minivan like interior and that flip up tray that both hides her purse and holds the fast food she eats on the way home from work.I will say that CRV is way better in quality than the Sube, but the sube still is a great car. A salesman will only want you to look at the car he is selling. I think it is good to look at everything to make an informed decision on an expensive purchase. FWIW, if you have the means, that Acura SUV is pretty sweet and it will be a few years before a cheaper Honda labeled model is available for sale. Also, I saw some pics of the 2nd gen CRV and it looks, uh, interesting.
Don't even know why I'm browsing these posts, perhaps because there is nothing new for ESC/TRIB/
You have got to be kidding about the CRV, had my Trib for 3000 miles now, it certainly has less problems then my 1997 CRV. Fuses kept blowing, mileage was not that great. It did okay in the snow. acceration and handling were so so. It was okay in the snow. Waited 4 hrs to have the center tray installed, said it would be 2. And the picnic table, who needs it. More so it is a girly car. Traded it on a manly Explorer. All in all the Trib and Escape are far superior, their only problem is that they are made here in the States by Ford rather then in Japan by Mazda. If you don't like them check out the Santa Fe, since I trade every year or so it might just be my next vehicle. It's like comparing Bush to Gore (Bush the better of course!}
I looked at the Mazda Tribute and the Ford Escape. Cute, but in the showroom for a few month and they already have a recall. The 4-cyl is a joke, the 6 cyl much better, but the torque is achieved at very high rpm's making daily stop and go traffic a slow chore. Firestone tires (?). Nice car, but unproven as of yet. Let's give it a few more years (same with the Santa Fe). The '97 CRV had the original smaller engine, and it was somewhat slow! Was that also the first year they made it? I never buy a first year car, they always have some problems to be worked out. With the CRV, they had to increase the hp on the engine. I traded in a '98 Accord EX (4-cyl) for a '01 CRV-SE. Honestly, can't find no difference in power (150 vs 146hp), since the CRV is not as heavy. Actually, I find that the CRV has a better ride and overall handling.
newdriver2 - I've seen a dozen pics of the so called "next gen CR-V". None have been the real deal.
One was an artist's rendition of a concept car once named the CM-V. This pic showed up at Hondasuv.com, then was published in Motor Trend about a year later. It was about the size of the old RAV4.
Another pic was a current CR-V with a few thousand dollars worth of add on accessories (custom bumpers, grill, paint,...).
There's even been talk about the upcoming "Stream" being the next Honda SUV. Basically that one is a minivan very similar to the original Odyssey, but based on the new Civic platform. It may be a replacement for the "Step Wagon" that is only sold in Honda's native market.
Also some folks have confused the new five door HR-V with the next generation CR-V. The HR-V is a smaller hatchback sized mini-ute about the size of a Samurai. It has the same high-mounted tail lights as the CR-V, so the two can be confused easily unless you have a reference to help show how small the HR-V is.
Honda tends to be very secretive about new models. Not more than six months before the release of the Acura MDX, they were showing a 7/8ths sized concept version of it as a "smokescreen" for the public. So even IF Darry110's pic does display a version of the CR-V, I doubt that the production model will look the same.
Comments
If a car was not ANY kind of an investment, we might as well all go out and buy Kia Sportages and tell them that we don't want the "long haul" warranty. Heck, forget the car, why not just buy a bicycle? It's cheaper, no need for insurance premiums, and it's good exercise!
Reliability and resale are really important for some people. Those are long term issues that people place a high priority on, which insinuates that they're concerned about the future of their auto (ie. their future investment).
I agree with you that it's difficult to call something an "investment" when it continuously loses value. But I also see how other people would consider it an "investment"; reliability, resale, safety for your family (Windstar commercial), etc.
Daiwang - Dunno, my dealer attached the plates for us. They were already on when delivered. The only problem I've noted is that the brackets which hold the bottom of plate are not big enough to accommodate custom plate 'surrounds'.
Vstafford - When I first got my CR-V, I had mild issues with the seats. When I learned that the appropriate seating position is upright, rather than leaned back, things got much better. For reference, I'm 6'2" and 220 lbs. My wife doesn't like the passengers seat because it lacks tilt adjust for the cushion, but she's also fine with the driver's seat. Your mileage may vary. For example: Someone else noted that the seats are high off the floor. For me, this was one of the best parts about the CR-V. Finally a car where my knees don't block forward vision
American cars, on average, are more expensive to produce than Japanese cars. This is due to them using more parts; more expensive, and higher quality parts. For example, my '90 Cavalier had intermitten wipers, velour lining and several other features missing in my '95 Acura Integra. These "shortcuts" aren't necessarily detrimental to the car, but it does diminish the look and feel of the car.
Plus, the sheet metal in American cars are thicker. For example, I once leaned against my Integra and it actually caved in.... it popped out but you could see a dent in it. You could never do that to the Cavalier. Thinner sheet metal is one reason why Japanese cars are more prone to rust damage than American cars.
The bottom line is that American car parts (i.e. sheetmetal, engine parts, etc.) will last longer than Japanese'. But, this does mean it's more reliable, just more durable.
Hmmmm, maybe he can buy the bottom of the line Nissan Pathfinder (240hp) and get aftermarket leather put in......
I think there is some error in you typing as Americans using better quality parts is not going well after all those rental Cavaliers / Tauruses/ Buicks etc...
You are talking about the features or value in American car being more than the imports..yes that is true but you get much better durability/ reliability/quality fit & finish with imports. U get what you pay.
My point is that the Japanese make more profit from their cars than Americans do with theirs. Why? It's because Japanese "decontent" and use cheaper parts. How do you explain that my '90 Cavalier had velour lining and my '95 Integra (much more expensive car) had plastic lining? How do also explain that the paper speaker cones in my Integra had to be replaced after only 2 years and that the ones in the Cavalier are going strong after 10 years? Plus, the Cavalier came with better stereo system; intermitten wipers (not available on Integra), to name a few.
Plus, my '90 Cavalier had aluminum block and but the '95 Integra didn't. Not even my '98 Accord had aluminum block.
How do u also explain that the sheet metal on the Integra was easily dented? I could literally dent it with my hand. Also, look under the car, you'll notice that American cars use far better steel bumpers (behind the plastic outer bumpers), some Japanese cars only use plastic/styrofoam bumpers. My family used to tell me how weak and flimsy the Integra felt compared to the Cavalier, even though both were similar "sports" coupes.
Also, how about the brake pads in our Hondas, they lasted only 15-20K miles before "squealing"... while the Cavalier's lasted 40K.
No one is disputing that Japanese cars are more reliable and well built. What I'm saying is that they use cheaper & less parts to maximize profit. Think of it this way... Jaguar uses a lot of expensive parts... but is it more reliable than a Civic? No. But will the Jaguar's body, parts (i.e. door handle, buttons/switches, engine parts) last longer than a Civic? Of course. Even my Cavalier has had zero engine problems.... still going strong with 150K miles.... on the other hand, my Integra's engine block developed a leak and needed repairs after only 35K miles.
I'm no psychic, but I suspect about 99% of advice u get here will be in favor of CR-V.
I've never driven the Ford Escape, so I'm not too familiar with it. I've read Edmund's review and it seems like a good value ($21K with V6 200hp engine). I guess my only reservation would be that it's a Ford. And you know how reliable they are! (sarcasm)
Although I'm not a Ford fan, the relatively low price makes it worthy of a look. If you can, you should rent both and run it through your own obstacle course for a whole day. The final decision may come down to the Uphill climb test.....
You should check out Mazda's version of Escape. It comes with a better warranty and looks slightly better.
(no pains from sitting on them for short or long
periods of time). I agree that seat comfort is
very subjective, and thus a blanket statement like "Honda makes poor seats" is not a just comment. I
especially like the kitchen chair seating position of the seats rather than feeling like I'm sitting on the floor of the vehicle.
I also disagree with Hondabro2000, (as do most automotive journalists that I have read). The Japanese engines, body assembly etc. benefit
from closer tolerances than has normally been used in American cars, (thus insuring better fit
and durability/reliability).
I am hoping that rust will not be a problem on
CRV's. Have any owners of earlier CRV's, (such
as '97s) noticed any? (and if so, what parts should we keep an eye on?)
Before I could get out my snow blower, I needed to pull my 6 mo old 2000 CRV EX Auto out of the garage (poor planning on my part with placement of the snow blower).
Today was my first experience with the CRV and significant snowfall. Before any plows had come along, my CRV cut through the foot of snow like a warm knife through butter. Once or twice I found some packed, icy snow and the anti lock brakes did a great job. Never felt like I was out of control!
The vehicle performed above my expectations, so I would recommend it to anyone who's looking for reliable transportation in unreliable weather.
Mark
Whether you're talking about your business or personal records, any auto loan is considered a "liability".
Once you have any equity built up (i.e., you could sell it for more than you owe), that equity becomes an "asset". The "depreciation", or steady loss of market value of the asset, tends to be a sharp drop initially for autos, with a gradual leveling as the car ages, presuming it's still in good condition.
In any case, there is a point at which you begin to build equity once the "liability" is paid off. When comparing a car to a house, there is almost always a greater growth and acceleration of that equity (through "appreciation" in value), making a house a better "investment" of your resources than a car. Over the long term, however, houses rarely deliver as good a return as mutual funds, making the stock market a better "investment" than a house, and even better than a car.
Don't believe me? Take your new CRV and drive it into your house. When it's totalled, are you more likely to get enough money to repair the house, or to pay off the car loan when the vehicle is "totalled"????
Any questions???
Mark
I think u.s cars are made with better, more durable parts. The japanese use less robust parts, but do a better job of putting them together. Let's compare paint- Chevy uses a thick (within specs) layer of primer and paint.It is chip resistant and and can be polished, even wet sanded. The japanese use just enough paint to cover the metal. My CRv (Marino Red) uses red primer, red paint, red tinted clear coat. It is super thin and chips easily. Yet, it was applied better than the Chevy, mainly the amount of orange peel. Airconditioning- Chevy uses a large compressor with a large condensor for super cold. Even in stop and go driving in Vegas (111 degrees!) I was comfy. The Honda A/C is useless at those temps. Chevy came from factory out of aligned. Honda has good alignment. Chevy seats are better. Wider, softer, more support. My opinion of the Honda seats is not subjective, they are BAD! They lack adequate thigh support. Sit down and you will see that the seat bootom ends at mid thigh. The backs are too flat.My brother has a '99 CRV and he agrees. In fact, everyone that I met with a CRV has agreed on the poor seats. I drove 12 hours in it and was squirming for my dear life. Chevy stitch gear feels kind of clunky. Honda switch gear is smooth. Everything has the same feel,on my '98, the stereo has the same feel as other controls, very nice. Battery- Chevy has heavy duty one, Honda has something not much bigger than the one in my motorcycle. Chevy uses lead terminal connectors, Honda uses cheap thin metal ones. Engine- Chevy uses hydraulic valves that never need adjusting, along with a lifetime timing chain. Honda uses screw tappets which should be checked every 30K miles and rubber timing belt which should be replaced every 80K miles. Metal- Chevy uses 18g steel which is more durable and will give better long term rigidity. Honda uses 22 g steel. BTW, if you want an idea of how rigid your car really is, simply jack up one side and open and close a door. Check for binding. For the long term, I would choose american over japanese. Honda and the rest know that most people will trade them in anyhow after three years, so that is more pressing. Check out the maintenance intervals in the Honda CRV and compare them to other CRV sold around the world. It is amazing how different they are. It is all marketing. You see a lot more old U.S. cars from the 70's driving around than japanese. Remember all those Honda Civic CVCC cars that were hot in the 70's? They are all in the junk yard now. Am I bashing Honda? No,I am not. Hey, I own a '98 CRV, have 51K miles on it and this is the most trouble free car I have ever had! I also know that that 60K-70K is a good time to sell it to get another new one. I could also go into the differences with VW. Overall, I think they are better than either american or japanese (for example, my VW came with steel braided fuel injection hoses, whereas the japanese use cheap rubber hoses). My VW Fox is still running strong, despite over 300k miles! So,go ahead and make your choices. A GM SUV will be more comfortable, and longer lasting.It will suck down more gas and be at the dealer more often. Around here, I see trucks as old as 50 years still trolling about. I will say this, I don't think the paint on my wife's Honda CRV will survive another 50K miles.
Good job explaining it in detail. Now that u mention it, I do remember that my '98 Accord had a flimsy paint job. I barely scarped my car on a wall and about an inch of paint chipped off. But, my Cavalier still has original paint and it's as glossy as the first day I lay my eyes on it, 10 years ago! The paint job is absolutely amazing! On the other hand, the paint on my brother's Ford was the worst. It literally bled when it was washed. Ford SUX!
I definately agree about Honda's having weak a/c units. I could never get cool enough in my CR-V. Not that Cavalier was that much better, but it was slightly colder. It could have something to do with the Cav using Freon.... but then, my Lexus uses R-134 and is freezing cold. My '98 Accord was colder too.... I guess Honda neglected to use better/expensive compressors.
I also agree that Honda's are more "disposable" than domestics. Most are traded in after 3-5 years. Kinda makes u wonder why Honda changes designs every 4 year or so.... I've driven domestics like Explorer, Expedition, Cherokee, and Blazer... and they feel so much more solid and safer than my CR-V. I am sure my CR-V will last over 10 years, but everytime I sit in it, I can't get over how cheap & disposable everything looks in it. From the "amber" dashlight to paper linings to the super thin/stiff seats..... I'm not saying I regret buying it, but couldn't they use better parts? I mean, the Accord is similarly priced and it looks and feels so much better.
In three years he can sell the Accord (holds it's value tremendously which is one reason Japanese cars are traded in more frequently, how much do you think a three year old Malibu would be worth?) and get Honda's new SUV, which will be their version of the MDX.
As for comparing a performance coupe like the Integra to an economy car like the Cavalier, you are missing their intended missions. The Integra may very well have thinner sheetmetal than a domestic compact BECAUSE it needs to be light for performance reasons. In general, Honda uses lighter weight parts because their corporate mission is to provide cars that are "driver oriented". This has been bastardized by the American market and forced Honda to do things like ruin the weight distribution of the Accord by dropping in a V-6, or removing the double wishbone suspension from the Civic to make room in the cabin.
On the other hand, how many US manufacturers offer double wishbone suspension, variable valve timing and lift in their "family" cars? How many offer AWD in their entry level cars like Subaru does? Of course there are going to be tradeoffs for these features. If any manufacturer used nothing but the best parts, their cars would cost twice the amount of their competitors.
As for personal experience... My 86 Cavalier Z24 died several rusty, sputtering, clunking deaths before I couldn't afford to repair it anymore and junked it at tens years old. My father's 85 Accord is still on the road with faded paint, a few mufflers, and it had well over 250K on it when he sold it (to someone who still drives it).
Lastly, what good will quality paint, AC, or cruise control buttons do you when the car is in the shop?
Newdriver - Which mini-SUV you should get depends on how you are going to use it. Right now the CR-V is rated as the most reliable SUV (any class) on the US market, followed by the old RAV4. With six or seven recalls already, it's doubtful that the Tribute/Escape will be nearly as solid. But if you really want V-6 power and towing with a good amount of space, the Ford/Mazda is probably the best bet.
I did a Carsdirect.com quote, but they said a lot of things were standard that the Honda site doesn't which worries me. Plus, Carsdirect will only give me a quote on a 2001 model. It came up with about $21K which is higher than I think it should be.
Since I'm a young lady, I'm taking along my step-father, so the car guys won't see fresh meat, but I'd love to know what some folks out there have recently paid for a CRV EX Automatic. Espeically in Sacramento (or California). Thanks.
got my 2001 ex, auto, at the $20800 which included the destination fee. I did some homework b4 I went, they gave me the deal. Honda has a 2% holdback for 2001 models, so even if the dealer sell the car at the invoice, they still make 2% profit. Good luck.
As for variable valves and all that other stuff, well, US cars lack that, yet they have other things in the favor. For example, a LS6 V8 can put out over 360 hp, 400+lbs of tq, yet get 28 mpg! Sure, it doesn't use an expensive head design, but it puts out better power and mpg than "high tech" japanese designs. The same applies to suspensions; rather than be enamoured with the design, look to see how it performs. Despite weighing two tons and being "handicapped" with a suspension design with roots to the '50's, my Impala can easily out handle any Lexus/Infinity 4dr with a fully independent suspension, and outbrake them as well. Go figure. Back to the CRV, there is a lot of marketing in there, so be careful. For example, when I got mine, the manual said first oil cahnge wasn't needed until 7500miles. In England, it is 6000 miles. In Austalia, it is 600 miles! See what I mean? The manual says valve adj. not required until 100K (unless necessary?). The local dealer wrench said that they are high! The motor is an old Acura motor and in the Acura, called for 30K mile adj. BTW, I got my CRV valves' adjusted at 50K miles and it no longer sounds like a diesel in the morning. It is a lot smoother and quieter, and has better pickup.
It has all the scoop on future models/redesigns/restyling.
===========================
acuradude,
I hope u have a full tank of gas, the cops are right behind u!
Thoughts from anyone?
No, dealerships don't install the sunroofs themselves, they merely outsource the work to aftermarket stores. It'll definately be cheaper to get rid of the "middle man" and find a store on your own. But, expect to pay at least $1000 for an electric one. If that's too much, you can get a "pop-up" one for less than $400.
Aftermarket costs are higher probably due to several factors. Higher wages; higher part costs; lower profits; etc. Factories probably get a large discount from sunroof makers and isn't as labor intensive. Plus, their profit come from selling cars, not sunroofs.
The RAV4 looks decent from the outside, but Toyota is into that cheesy silver painted plastic, first scene in the Celica. Looks horrible. One would think with the success of VW with its high-quality interiors would spur some competition from at least the Asian imports, seems Toyota is going the opposite way.
-B
I purchased my CRV from Lute Riley just outside of Dallas. Overall a very good experience. I called them and asked about getting a luggage rack installed. They quoted $499 without tax; part alone $$292.74.
I did my homework. Past posts #95 and #176 address the topic and suggested sites for lower cost parts (honda-accessories.com $196 for the rack), which I found. Problem: I hate to admit that I'm not comfortable doing the installation myself.
$300 seems very pricy for what seems to be 1-2 hours of labor. Any suggestions?
I would buy the rack from the internet, then take it to a Honda dealer for installation. Probably won't cost more than $75 for an hour labor.
I ended up getting the 2001 SE in Silver. They wanted $23.3K & after haggling some, we finally agreed on $22.3K. I tried offering only $21.5K, but since there was only 2 SE's even on the lot, I apparently didn't have much room to haggle. Oh, well....still love the car & the SE has leather interior, tinted windows, hard spare cover & matching trim moldings & bumpers plus both a CD & cassette. I'm very happy & thanks to those who advised me. This board was very helpful in my purchase.
--C
If you are so insecure about yourself that you feel like you need to do this, then that's fine. Continue to express your insecurities here. We'll listen and feel for you. Have fun with what you drive and stop blaming yourself for buying a Santa Fe, when what you really wanted was a CRV!
Drive it to the end, (could be sooner than what you think!)
St. Louis, Mo. Bought a 2000 SE for $21.3. Couple of minor add-ons added up to an extra 300 bucks. Dealer showed me the invoice. Sold it to me for exactly what the cost was after some minor negotiations. Feel like it was a fair deal since their only profit will be holdback.
Looks like the best rate I could have gotten on a 2001 EX or LX was about 500 - 600 bucks over invoice. Just a great car and they don't have to give them away for less than that.
Looked at the Sante Fe. Nice SUV. Just can't take a leap of faith for "22 Thousand Dollars."
I took the safe, long term bet.
Babbling about other vehicles in a particular thread is reasonable from the I perspective as long as it doesn't drown out the thread topic completly. In the case of the Santa Fe, many folks, especially those in the Honda/Toyota crowd, don't even bother to check out domestics or other other imports because of their perceived "quality" concerns.
Hence, yammering about the fact that it really does deserve a second look is reasonable.
-Beanboy
Soobie wanna-be
You have got to be kidding about the CRV, had my Trib for 3000 miles now, it certainly has less problems then my 1997 CRV. Fuses kept blowing, mileage was not that great. It did okay in the snow. acceration and handling were so so. It was okay in the snow. Waited 4 hrs to have the center tray installed, said it would be 2. And the picnic table, who needs it.
More so it is a girly car. Traded it on a manly Explorer. All in all the Trib and Escape are far superior, their only problem is that they are made here in the States by Ford rather then in Japan by Mazda. If you don't like them check out the Santa Fe, since I trade every year or so it might just be my next vehicle. It's like comparing Bush to Gore (Bush the better of course!}
The '97 CRV had the original smaller engine, and it was somewhat slow! Was that also the first year they made it? I never buy a first year car, they always have some problems to be worked out. With the CRV, they had to increase the hp on the engine. I traded in a '98 Accord EX (4-cyl) for a '01 CRV-SE. Honestly, can't find no difference in power (150 vs 146hp), since the CRV is not as heavy. Actually, I find that the CRV has a better ride and overall handling.
One was an artist's rendition of a concept car once named the CM-V. This pic showed up at Hondasuv.com, then was published in Motor Trend about a year later. It was about the size of the old RAV4.
Another pic was a current CR-V with a few thousand dollars worth of add on accessories (custom bumpers, grill, paint,...).
There's even been talk about the upcoming "Stream" being the next Honda SUV. Basically that one is a minivan very similar to the original Odyssey, but based on the new Civic platform. It may be a replacement for the "Step Wagon" that is only sold in Honda's native market.
Also some folks have confused the new five door HR-V with the next generation CR-V. The HR-V is a smaller hatchback sized mini-ute about the size of a Samurai. It has the same high-mounted tail lights as the CR-V, so the two can be confused easily unless you have a reference to help show how small the HR-V is.
Honda tends to be very secretive about new models. Not more than six months before the release of the Acura MDX, they were showing a 7/8ths sized concept version of it as a "smokescreen" for the public. So even IF Darry110's pic does display a version of the CR-V, I doubt that the production model will look the same.