Are you looking for a practical SUV that will allow you to transport all your family members and their gear without any trouble? If so, the Honda CR-V is a great choice. Although it’s a compact SUV, the CR-V is a standout when it comes to space. Whether you’re a single adult transporting friends and sports gear, or a parent with rear-facing child seats and strollers, the Honda CR-V offers plenty of space to make everyone comfortable.
Its space and comfort sets the Honda CR-V apart, but the CR-V has other perks as well. It has an above-average reliability rating and outstanding gas mileage. Available all-wheel drive makes the CR-V a good vehicle for people in snowy and icy climates, while available tech features and driver-assist technologies help drivers stay safe and connected while on the road.
Are you considering purchasing a 2019 Honda CR-V or a used model? If so, here’s everything you should know.
Price and Value
The 2019 Honda CR-V has starting price of $24,350. A top-of-the-line CR-V will cost about $33,000 new. That’s comparable to other compact SUVs, but less than larger SUVs that have similar cargo space.
You can save money by shopping for a used CR-V. The most recent generation of the Honda CR-V launched in 2017, and there have been few updates since then, so a slightly used model delivers great value. The previous generation (model years 2016 and earlier) had slightly less space and did not offer a turbo-charged engine option. However, you can save even more money by buying a CR-V from the previous generation.

Size and Capabilities
The Honda CR-V is much more roomy than many compact SUVs. The rear seat has 40 inches of legroom, which means that adults can ride back there comfortably, and there’s plenty of space to install rear-facing car seats without cramping the front passengers.
The CR-V really shines when it comes to cargo space. With the rear-seat in use, the CR-V has more than 39 cubic feet of cargo space, more than almost any other compact SUV. That increases to a whopping 106 cu-ft of cargo space when the rear seats are folded flat. The rear row has a 60/40 split, allowing you to divide the cabin between cargo and passengers. If you need a small SUV with plenty of storage options, the CR-V just can’t be beat.
The CR-V has an optional tow option that equips the vehicle to tow up to 1,500 pounds. That’s enough to move a jet ski, small boat, or small yard trailer.
Engine Options and Fuel Economy
The most recent generation of the CR-V (model years 2017 and later) comes standard with a 184-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. With that engine, the CR-V gets an EPA-estimated 28 mpg combined fuel economy for front-wheel drive, dropping to 27 for all-wheel drive.
All but the base trim level come with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produce 190 horsepower. With that engine, the CR-V gets 30 mpg combined fuel economy in front-wheel drive, and 29 mpg combined in all-wheel drive.
Features and Trims:
The Honda CR-V comes in four trims: LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring. All CR-Vs come with Bluetooth connectivity, daytime running lights, and a rear-view camera. Here are the features you can expect with each trim:
- LX: 184-horsepower engine; cloth seats; 5-inch display screen
- EX: 190-horsepower engine; remote start; moonroof; blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist and other driver-assist features; 7-inch display screen; heated front seats
- EX-L: leather seats; navigation becomes available; power lift-gate
- Touring: roof racks; hands-free lift-gate; standard navigation and high-definition radio; premium nine-speaker audio system.

Safety
The Honda CR-V is a very safe car. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave it an overall five-star crash-test rating, and The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the 2019 CR-V the highest rating of “good.”
Although the base level CR-V doesn’t have many standard safety features (other than a rear-new camera), the three other trim levels all come with Honda Sensing® suite of driver assist features. That means you’ll have access to adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, cross-traffic monitors, forward collision detection and emergency braking. That set of features will give even the most nervous drivers peace of mind. In addition, available all-wheel drive will help drivers in snowy or icy climates reach their destinations safely.
Reliability
The Honda CR-V is a reliable vehicle. Model years 2013 and 2014 are the most reliable, with a four out of five reliability rating from J.D. Power and Associates. Model years 2016, 2017 and 2019 have a 3.5 out of 5 rating, while the 2018 model has an average reliability rating, of just 3 out of 5.
There are currently three open recalls on the 2019 Honda CR-V. They relate to airbags and the fuel tank. If you are considering buying a used Honda CR-V, check your vehicle’s VIN to see if it is subject to recall, and if the necessary repairs have been completed.
Rankings
The Honda CR-V is a highly ranked SUV. For example, U.S. News and World Report named the 2019 Honda CR-V the #1 Compact SUV, #1 Crossover SUV, #1 SUV With Two Rows and #1 Compact SUV for the money. The CR-V’s abundant space, great gas mileage and affordable price point make it a popular choice.
The Takeaway
The Honda CR-V is an excellent choice for drivers who are looking for a practical, comfortable, and spacious vehicle. The CR-V gets great gas mileage (up to 30 mpg combined) and has cargo space that rivals that of large SUVs like the Chevy Suburban, on a much smaller platform.
The base-level CR-V doesn’t come with many standard features. However, if you choose one of the other three trims you’ll have access to tech and driver-assist features. The highest two trims offer luxury touches like leather seats and an upgraded stereo system. Overall, the CR-V has many perks that increases its appeal to a variety of drivers.