In some ways, I had to work a little harder to write this review of Honda’s newest CR-V Touring because, even as I tried to find something surprising or unexpected, it was exactly as I had envisaged it and precisely how I remember the last CR-V I drove.
That’s not to say it hasn’t improved or that it’s not an immensely likeable compact SUV, but it sums up the consistency of Honda.
Subdued and under the radar, Honda doesn’t shout as loudly as its fans would like, yet it always delivers a quality product that does what it says on the tin. The CR-V Touring is no exception.
The Touring version is the flagship of the 12 CR-V models, and has all-wheel drive as standard along with additional features such as LED headlights, fog lamps, paddle shifters, a 7.0-inch nav screen, eight speakers, four USB ports, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, dual-zone AC and 18-inch alloy wheels above the long list of features on the models below.
Capable performance
While other markets get the 1.5-litre engine and its parallel hybrid system, the Middle East runs a more conventional, direct injection, 2.4-litre combustion engine.
Developing 181bhp at 6,400rpm and 244Nm of torque at 3,900rpm, it’s more powerful than its US and UK counterparts but keeps the same CVT transmission.
The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
The benefit of CVT is sensational fuel economy, but it comes at the expense of driver engagement. However, in this instance, Honda has done its best to give it more feel in Sport mode by adding seven torque bands to give the impression of running through a regular transmission.
Leave it in Drive and step on the accelerator to overtake and it will annoy the purists as its revs soar, only to remain pinned until you lift off again. For those who can blank out the engine noise, it’s a smooth, shift-free experience that leaves you counting the savings at the bowser.
Suspension is unsurprisingly soft given its urban-commuter mandate, but push it a bit harder and it will reward with nicely weighted steering that’s effortlessly compliant over most surfaces, taking speed bumps in its stride.
There is body roll, but it’s not wallowy and although there is some wind noise around the pillars, it’s not overly intrusive, either. Of course, the CR-V is not built for weekend blasts, but should you get going, it’s remarkably capable of giving you enough warning of the impending understeer on the way.
Convenience is king
Visibility is great, especially at intersections or while pulling out of driveways, thanks to the thin A-pillars that normally block your three-quarter view. The deep front-side windows and large door mirrors also make it easy to see out the sides.
Additionally, the CR-V Touring includes front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera as standard. Like the Civic, it has the brilliant LaneWatch camera that comes on with the indicators when changing lanes to cover the blind spot.
Finding the perfect driving position shouldn’t be an issue with an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and four-way powered lumbar support. There’s also a good range of adjustment for the steering column’s height and reach as you face a large, sensible and mostly digital instrument cluster.
It’s the same unit used in the Civic, with stowage spaces and places to plug in electronic gadgets around it, and is easy to read while the rest of the dash buttons are big and well placed.
Cabin comforts
Soft-touch plastics and leather on the upper areas of the CR-V’s interior give an air of quality throughout, with leather stitched door trims and gloss black panels.
The 7.0-inch touchscreen could be larger in line with its competition, but it does take Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to mirror off your phone and run through eight speakers.
Storage and internal space management is excellent, with a redesigned centre console that’s easier to use, a wireless phone charging pad and a decent-sized centre armrest in the front.
Underneath, there is a slidable tray offering enough space for a notebook computer. On the downside, the door bins are a bit narrow and the glovebox only big enough for, literally, the proverbial pair of gloves.
Even with a full-length sunroof, headroom is excellent for tall people. The rear offers loads of foot space under the front seats and shoulder room for adults to rival the best in class. There are more USB ports in the rear for the kids and the 60:40 split-fold seat folds flat for long loads.
The squabs drop into the footwell, so the seatbacks can drop flush with the cargo floor and as there’s no load lip at the rear, it’s perfect for sliding long boxes or a cupboard in easily.
Handy levers next to the powered tailgate make dropping the back seat a one-touch operation, while the powered tailgate has hands-free access and includes a button to set it to a lower opening height for low-clearance garages.
Other cool features in the cargo area are hooks on either side to tie loose items down and a 12v power outlet parked near the tailgate opening.
Safety features include vehicle stability assist, traction control, tyre pressure monitoring, hill start assist, electric brake force distribution, front, side and curtain airbags.
The Honda CR-V has always been dependable and this latest model brings it into line with the latest safety gear and comfort features mixed with practical touches that have always set the brand apart. It’s economical, roomy, comfortable and decent to drive. Just as I thought before I collected the keys.
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Multitasking pays off for money goals
Tackling money goals one at a time cost financial literacy expert Barbara O'Neill at least $1 million.
That's how much Ms O'Neill, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in the US, figures she lost by starting saving for retirement only after she had created an emergency fund, bought a car with cash and purchased a home.
"I tell students that eventually, 30 years later, I hit the million-dollar mark, but I could've had $2 million," Ms O'Neill says.
Too often, financial experts say, people want to attack their money goals one at a time: "As soon as I pay off my credit card debt, then I'll start saving for a home," or, "As soon as I pay off my student loan debt, then I'll start saving for retirement"."
People do not realise how costly the words "as soon as" can be. Paying off debt is a worthy goal, but it should not come at the expense of other goals, particularly saving for retirement. The sooner money is contributed, the longer it can benefit from compounded returns. Compounded returns are when your investment gains earn their own gains, which can dramatically increase your balances over time.
"By putting off saving for the future, you are really inhibiting yourself from benefiting from that wonderful magic," says Kimberly Zimmerman Rand , an accredited financial counsellor and principal at Dragonfly Financial Solutions in Boston. "If you can start saving today ... you are going to have a lot more five years from now than if you decide to pay off debt for three years and start saving in year four."
Roger Federer's 2018 record
Australian Open Champion
Rotterdam Champion
Indian Wells Runner-up
Miami Second round
Stuttgart Champion
Halle Runner-up
Wimbledon Quarter-finals
Cincinnati Runner-up
US Open Fourth round
Shanghai Semi-finals
Basel Champion
Paris Masters Semi-finals
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company%20profile
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Persuasion
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The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
65
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THURSDAY FIXTURES
4.15pm: Italy v Spain (Group A)
5.30pm: Egypt v Mexico (Group B)
6.45pm: UAE v Japan (Group A)
8pm: Iran v Russia (Group B)
Basquiat in Abu Dhabi
One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier.
It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.
“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October
SPEC SHEET
Display: 10.9" Liquid Retina IPS, 2360 x 1640, 264ppi, wide colour, True Tone, Apple Pencil support
Chip: Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 64/256GB storage; 8GB RAM
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, Smart HDR
Video: 4K @ 25/25/30/60fps, full HD @ 25/30/60fps, slo-mo @ 120/240fps
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR, Centre Stage; full HD @ 25/30/60fps
Audio: Stereo speakers
Biometrics: Touch ID
I/O: USB-C, smart connector (for folio/keyboard)
Battery: Up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi; up to 9 hours on cellular
Finish: Space grey, starlight, pink, purple, blue
Price: Wi-Fi – Dh2,499 (64GB) / Dh3,099 (256GB); cellular – Dh3,099 (64GB) / Dh3,699 (256GB)
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
