Used Honda CR-V 2012-2018 review

SUV might stand for ‘sport utility vehicle’, but this fourth-generation Honda CR-V very much traded the ‘sport’ part of that description for ‘comfort’. Honda engineered its family SUV with an emphasis on cosseting, so gave it more comfortable seats than previous-generation CR-Vs. But Honda didn't compromise on practicality, because it's also very spacious inside.

Engines in early examples consist of a 2.2-litre diesel or a 2.0-litre petrol. Both could be had as either an automatic or a manual, with the diesel being the better option because the additional torque makes for a more relaxing drive. The CR-V received a refresh for the 2015 model year, which tweaked the look of the car slightly but consisted mostly of a new 1.6 i-DTEC diesel, replacing the old 2.2-litre engine, to provide a useful decrease in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Honda also realised that some of its customers might not necessarily need four-wheel drive to tow a horse box out of a muddy field, so the CR-V can be had with two-wheel drive – indeed, many of the used examples you’ll find for sale today are so specified.

If you avoid the S spec CR-Vs and go for the SE, it'll come with useful features such as front and rear parking sensors and a back-up camera; essential on such a large car. SR comes with xenon headlights and a height-adjustable front passenger seat, while top-spec EX CR-Vs have full leather upholstery, a panoramic glass roof and a power tailgate.

As you can probably guess, the CR-V was primarily aimed at those who wished to remain on Tarmac rather than go rock-crawling. To that end, the CR-V has accurate steering and pretty decent levels of grip. But, like other more road-biased rivals such as the Ford Kuga, Toyota RAV4 and Hyundai Santa Fe, rather than the Land Rover Freelander, the ride can be a tad fidgety and there's a bit of body roll in corners due to the tall body.

The CR-V is quite a large car and this is reflected in the interior, which is one of the biggest in the SUV class. The boot is noticeably larger than most of its rivals, except for the five-seat version of the Hyundai Santa Fe (which can also be found in seven-seat form, unlike this generation of CR-V).

The rear seats in the CR-V can also be made to fold flat, although it is let down by the fact that you only get a 60/40 split, whereas the Volvo XC60 and Santa Fe get a more useful 40/20/40 arrangement. The Honda does at least have handles in the boot to drop the rear seats, meaning you don’t have to go into the vehicle to flatten them.

Downsides are mainly focused on the dashboard and infotainment system; it’s just not as easy to use as it is in rivals, blighted by many confusing buttons, with screens that should be clearer and have long-winded menus.

The CR-V ran from 2012 through to 2018, when it was replaced by an all-new fifth-generation version.

If you're interested in buying a used CR-V, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used car classified pages here.

Prices for a Honda CR-V start at £6000 for one with a higher mileage, but we'd look to spend between £7000 and £9000 on a car with an average mileage for the year, from 2013 or 2014. Spend between £9000 and £11,000 on a good one registered in either 2015 or 2016, and around £12,000 to £14,000 on a 2017 or 2018 model.

Front-wheel-drive versions offer the lowest fuel consumption, with the manual 1.6-litre diesel managing a combined figure of 64.2mpg (NEDC). However, early 2.2 i-DTEC cars still offer relatively good economy (50.4mpg) if your budget cannot stretch to a 2015 or newer model. Petrol cars struggle to achieve 40mpg, especially when paired with the old-fashioned five-speed automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive.

Road tax costs vary considerably; the 2.0-litre petrol is the worst culprit with emissions of 179g/km of CO2 if it comes with an automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive. The 1.6-litre diesel, on the other hand, emits only 115g/km. The 2.2-litre diesel falls somewhere in between with 149g/km, but beware that the automatic version pushes emissions up to 180g/km. If you're looking at an example registered after 1 April 2017, it'll fall under the current flat-rate system, rather than the CO2-based system that applies to older cars. To find out more about the current road tax costs, click here for further information, but the current rate stands at £150 a year.

Used Hondas that are older than three years of age can take advantage of fixed-price servicing costs. Prices for petrol cars range from £170 for a basic 12-month service to £275 for a more intensive one that replaces the air filter, pollen filter and brake fluid. Diesel models are a little more pricey at £190 for a basic 12-month service, or £295 for the more in-depth one. If you need to have the diesel fuel filter replaced as part of the service, budget for an extra £116 bill.

Entry-level Honda CR-V S models are poorly equipped and are best avoided because they come without basics such as Bluetooth. We would suggest that you go for at least an SE, as it comes with everything you’d expect, and unless you must have an abundance of gadgets, buying anything above this version is not worth doing unless it’s a very good deal.

We would also recommend buying a post-facelift model with the more efficient 1.6-litre diesel engine because it'll be cheaper to run than the earlier 2.2-litre diesel, and you won't have to thrash it quite as much as the 2.0-litre petrol in order to make swift progress.

Our favourite Honda CR-V: 1.6 i-DTEC SE 2WD

The Volkswagen Tiguan can’t quite match the Honda CR-V’s reputation for reliability, but its interior is more intuitively laid out and feels higher quality, too. The Tiguan is also more enjoyable to drive than the CR-V, although it’s similarly pricey to buy.

The Toyota RAV4 should be just as reliable as the Honda and has plenty of space inside for passengers. However, it also comes with a rather drab interior and its engines aren’t the most refined.

The Ford Kuga has a nice range of engines at an attractive price and it’s also quite agile for such a tall SUV. The cheap-feeling interior, slight deficit of space against competitors and an unsettled ride do count against it, though.

The Hyundai Santa Fe has a strong, economical diesel engine, the benefit of seven seats in some versions and generous standard equipment. However, it’s quite noisy and its interior feels a touch on the brittle side next to the Honda’s.

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