2001 - 2006 Honda CR-Vs

varmit · September 2001

There is one other posted so far. You'll just have to wait for the article. Give the guy a chance to write it!

scname · September 2001

http://mag-x.com/scoop/forester0109/index.html

Looks boring as ever

diploid · September 2001

But look at the scoop in the hood. there's probably a turbo resting under it.

varmit · September 2001

Anybody seen those fenders before? How about those fog lamps?

I used to think that the Highlander looked like a raised Forester. If that's the new Forester, then it looks even more like the Highlander. Still, it looks much better than the current Forester. I like the flat front bumpers and the new grill is an improvement.

diploid · September 2001

But it still looks boring. Even Honda's new CR-V (with Honda being world renowned for bland styling) manages to stir up some emotions.

And as always, looks are subjective.

kmh · September 2001

Looks like a low-rider station wagon more so than any other SUV... Yep, in the looks department I think the '02 CR-V got it over the the Forester...

robertsmx · September 2001

Looks like CR-V also gets the rear glass imprinted antenna with this new release, or is it something like that on MDX?

varmit · September 2001

Robertmx - Nope. The radio antenna is mounted on the hood in front of the passenger's side rear view mirror. In the pic above, the antenna is pushed down, but you can still see the housing.

varmit · September 2001

BTW, that second comparison pic of the old and new CR-Vs shows how little difference there really is between the rear bumpers. It's just the cladding on the door that makes it look smaller.

dudka · September 2001

for $21K, did you get the a/c power windows/locks, any kind of a stere system or at least a radio, cruise? just wondering what exactly you got for $21K.

suvshopper4 · September 2001

For $50 under US$21k (not counting Tax and Tags, of course), I got the '01 RAV with 4WD, auto trans, and the QO package: air, power windows and locks, an AM/FM/CD/Cassette unit (I use all four!), and cruise control. Plus locking lugs (5), a cargo mat and floor mats. Everything I need. Plus a roof rack, which I sold to another RAVer (and bought his tonneau cover - both these items are about impossible to come by so far, even via the dealer). Sticker was $21,850, I paid $20,950, invoice was around $19,600.

Base price has gone up twice since Jan '01, I think a total of about $300 (including the '02 hike).

Apologies to all you CR-Vers for posting this here, but this question was asked here.

I did consider a CR-V, but I looked at one when the dealership was closed (a Sunday), and was scared off by the high price sticker of a used model sitting on the lot. Around $23k+, if I recall correctly.

robertsmx · September 2001

I do notice the antenna now. BTW, the rear license plate has moved down to the bumper AND the rear bumper is now part of the rear 'swing' gate.

ateixeira · September 2001

No fair, varmit, the Highlander copied the Forester, not the other way around. Mine has those same fender blisters, since way back in 1997. The new Forester looks more like the original Forester.

And yes, I've seen those fog lamps before - on the Subaru Impreza.

Remember, it's just a sketch. Though the CR-V sketches turned out to be accurate. I like it. Looks like it'll stay on the Impreza platform, remaining small and light (read: sporty).

The hood scoop is available currently in Japan, along with 240hp. Rumors have a 2004 turbo appearing in the US, but we're not sure if it'll be 2.0T or 2.5LPT (light pressure turbo). The BRAT may hint at the powertrain.

Robert: the Forester has had the in-glass antennae for years. And in a hilarious reversal, it look like the Forester moves its license plate from the bumper to the hatch (opposite of the CR-V). Guess is just had to be different! ;-)

Eric: did you get ABS? I heard there was a problem with availability, and the previous generation I tested at Edmunds Live got a little sideways in emergency braking.

-juice

ateixeira · September 2001

As I was saying...

beatfarmer · September 2001

You do have a certain "flare".

ateixeira · September 2001

:-)

The flare from the sketch is exactly the same. In fact, I'd say the profile did not change at all, not a bit. Then again, it's just a sketch, nothing concrete.

-juice

varmit · September 2001

Juice - I think you misunderstood my comment.
It looks like the Highlander copied and updated the styling of the original Forester, but the new Forester (based on that sketch) seems to have copied the Highlander. IOW, they made the same types of changes; broad and flatter surfaces, rounded edges, updated lights, etc...

Re: The fog lights. It's the flat surface (common on Hondas) and location that struck me as similar, not necessarily the round shape of the lights.

There aren't many changes to the profile. Based on those pics, there might be more sheetmetal on the sides and less glass. Possibly to help earn a better side crash test rating or help with the overal structure of the vehicle. It's difficult to say, but it looks to me like the rear doors are longer than the current model. If true, that may mean more space in the back.

ateixeira · September 2001

I agree, actually. Toyota punched, Subaru counter-punched. ;-)

Specifically, the headlights look just like the Highlander, and that was probably the main (only?) difference before. Except scale.

I think the sketch underestimates the amount of changes, but we'll see. The sketch looks small (still Impreza based). Some rumors had the Forester moving to a Legacy platform now, though I doubt it.

What that might mean is a hybrid with an Impreza platform and the rear suspension from the Legacy. That would free up cargo and rear seat space.

-juice

diploid · September 2001

On the Subaru BRAT.

But then again, aren't all bumpers relatively the same? That's like saying car A copied the rear hatch of car B.

zircon · September 2001

diploid · September 2001

Oral B, or GUM- don't know if you have either brands in Canada. Oh wait, that's dental floss, thought I saw that mint green thread somewhere before...

varmit · September 2001

Sorry Zircon, we have to stop and see what the competition is up to every now and then. Even when it isn't pretty.

<<<duck>>>

Back on track... Here's an article from the sales and marketing side of the new CR-V. This was found by CR-V Lurker over at the CR-V IX.

beatfarmer · September 2001

Wouldn't it be nifty to post some of these cross comparisions in, say, a VS topic, like CR-V vs Forester?

<<<cover>>>

wink, wink, nudge, nudge,
Say no more.

stever · September 2001

Subaru Forester vs Honda CR-V

Honda CR-V vs Saturn VUE

Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

varmit · September 2001

Beat - You're not looking to start up old rivalries are you? ;-)
BTW, are you joining us at the CR-V scrub in St. Augustine?

ateixeira · September 2001

I checked around, and you guys don't seem to be taking advantage of the CR-V Owners topics the way we Subie owners do. That's a shame.

I'd left that alone as the owner-exclusive topic you seem to long for, while this one was more for public discussion.

But I know when I'm not wanted...

J/K. Besides, gotta add some perspective to keep things intersting. You think Honda would have gone to 2.4l if they only had to compete with Toyota? ;-)

-juice

dudka · September 2001

didn't mean to put you in hot water. but that was a good price indeed.

varmit · September 2001

Juice - Understand that Edmunds was a little late to the game with the CR-V Owners topic. Edmunds has a high profile on the web, which makes the Owner's pages a great idea. Lots of people start out here. However, the CR-V IX has been established for a long, long time and provides articles that are indexed and easily referenced. With the sequential nature of postings here, information often gets burried.

If Toyota were the only competition, then I'd expect that we'd have the unmodified 2.0L 154 HP 142 lb-ft engine from the Stream. This is the same way it's sold in other markets. I also suspect that it would not have grown in size.

suvshopper4 · September 2001

I would have paid sticker (shhh, don't tell anyone).

And I forgot that the QO pkg (non-L) included power mirrors.

Avoid the bells and whistles (hard spare cover, tinted windows, 6-CD changer, etc) and you can get away very reasonably, I think.

ejp

ateixeira · September 2001

That's what I suspected. We have a similar "i Club" (North American Impreza Owner's Club), but it's a younger demographic that mainly focuses on the Impreza line.

Our Edmunds Subaru Crew is a big hit. We have 22 topics with over 5000 posts on the main one, plus a weekly live chat (a dozen members at the chat last night). That may be because we were the 2nd group to be established (Cougar Support Group was first), and because our member own all kinds of Subies. Subaru is a niche player so owners stick together.

CRV IX sounds more like i Club, but such sights can be a good reference. I much prefer chatting with the folks at Edmunds, though.

-juice

varmit · September 2001

SUVShopper - Sticker price is blasphemy!

At least you got what you want. Good job. How much you are willing to pay for that is your business.

Juice - The CR-V IX is great because it's CR-V specific and we don't get the flamers that we used to get around here. It has also developed a group "culture" which is rather entertaining. OTOH, it's also less diverse because it's CR-V specific. We don't often compare technologies, ideas, or news unless it relates to Honda or Acura. So I still like reading what's going on here. I'm as much an auto enthusiast as I am a fan of the CR-V. There are a number of us who "cross post" for these and other reasons.

ateixeira · September 2001

That's exactly what I do.

I'll usually hop into other topics after test driving a certain model. My wife is into getting these test drive certificates, where you get paid for it (usually a gift certificate). So I jump in and share my impressions.

I tested a couple of the original CR-Vs and look forward to testing the new one when it comes out, primarily out of curiosity.

I also love events like Edmunds Live, the Mercedes-Benz Power Trip, and the BMW Ultimate Driving Experience, where you get to sample a group of cars for free. It's a hoot!

Even at the high-end, you see features you like and then can ask for product planning to incorporate into future models. A Subaru of America rep said that 8 things the Subaru Crew asked for will be incorporated into the next Forester. Not bad!

-juicd

varmit · September 2001

Honda hasn't offered us anything like that. The best we've done is befriended a Honda Engineer. He brought an MDX to a CR-V off-road event in Cali, back before the MDX was readily available. He also provided CR-V IX creator, Bing Chen, with a recent test drive of the 2002 CR-V (pics above). But this is all done out of the kindness of the Engineer's heart and has little to do with Honda corporate.

suvshopper4 · September 2001

You are quoted in an SUV haiku.
Please consider it an honor.

Humbly yours, ejp

ateixeira · September 2001

That's great. I love grass-roots stuff like that. I'm sure seeing the MDX early was a great privilege. That engineer is smart, too.

For the Philly Auto Show, that same SoA rep got us all free passes, a bag full of freebies, and even got the guy to start up a pre-production WRX inside the convention center! I'm sure they broke lots of rules for that little teaser, and we appreciated it.

So that's who Bing Chen is. I'd heard the name referenced. Some of the i Club founders got to drive a WRX early, too. Good stuff.

-juice

PS Subaru knows better than to let me preview anything, I have a big mouth! :-)

varmit · September 2001

LOL! I haven't read that thread in a while.

That's almost as good as when someone defined an "SUV" as a Super Utility Varmit. People thought it was a set up.

suvshopper4 · September 2001

Super Utility Varmit?
Now THAT'S blasphemy!

ateixeira · September 2001

We did an off road trip recently, and a big Monty with mud tires was used to tow a BRAT out of a mud pit. It was christened:

Subaru Unsticking Vehicle

-juice

varmit · September 2001

I think that blasphemy was best illustrated this way. Someone at the CR-V IX posted a pic of a CR-V sitting on a used car lot with a a Kia license plate on the front. I still wake up at night...

suvshopper4 · September 2001

In Cherry Hill, NJ (home of Subaru of America), the Subaru dealer is also a Jeep and, ta-da, Kia dealer.

The Yellow Pages ad is subtly funny; it pictures the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Subaru Forester together, with a line separating them from a picture of the Kia Sportage. [Possibly separate lots and showrooms, but same phone number.]

beatfarmer · September 2001

My names is Rob and I am a crossposter. There, I feel much better.

I used to spend much more time over at the IX, back in the days of Uncle George, Peanut and others. I was one of the key players in the Great ABS Debate. There is still a great community there.

I find I spend more time on Edmunds now because of the comparision talk. I find it a bit more lively than the dude, what's the biggest exhaust you can put on the CR-V questions that litter the IX

ateixeira · September 2001

We can laugh at Kia now, but Hyundai has made great strides and that means Kia won't be far behind. They're not there yet, but they are up and coming.

See, then the IX is more like i Club. ;-)

-juice

varmit · September 2001

Beat - You mean the same ABS debate that I used to lull the pygmies to sleep?

I miss Uncle George. I still need to send him a letter about replacing my GoongalaGoonga sticker. It sacrificed itself to save my 'V from a wayward ice scraper. :-(

suvshopper4 · September 2001

But would you seriously consider buying one?

varmit · September 2001

Kias and Hyundais are good ways to get into a car that has features you might not be able to afford in another brand. But you get what you pay for and have to suffer with the possibility of poor quality or reliability. If either marque significantly improves the quality of the vehicles, I doubt that they will still be priced as they are now. It costs money to make a good solid car.

thorn · September 2001

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2001/09/28/030274.html

wellresearched · September 2001

Okay, I'm ready for an "owner's" forum. The "fine wine" about spare tire, and back door etc. seems to have run its course. How do I get there?

varmit · September 2001

Hmmm... That's the same story as linked in post # 2826, but on a different page. The line, "We think this sets a new industry benchmark for entry-level SUVs", prompted a bit of a "donnybrook" over at the CR-V IX. Some of us agree while others can't get past the 2 missing cylinders and English production.

drew_ · September 2001

We have a CR-V owner's club area here in Town Hall. You can check it out here:

/direct/view/.ef026bb

Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards

varmit · September 2001

Wellresearched - The CR-V IX can be found at http://www.honasuv.com. E-mail me at lmacrae@mediaone.net and I'll get you a password for the forum. There's been a problem with the automated password system for a while.

This month's issue is a little thin. Bing had troubles with the Code Red virus and he recently went to Australia. Next month's should be good as Bing has promised to post his review of the '02 CR-V.
But as Juice pointed out, the Owner's Club here could use more activity.

2001 - 2006 Honda CR-Vs

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