Honda CR-V 4th Generation 2012-2016 (RM1-RM4, RE5-RE6) Review

The fourth gen Honda CR-V received quite a substantial facelift for the 2015 model year with a restyled front end and revised fascias front and rear, as well as a new trim.

The 2015 CR-V features a slimmer two-layer grille with a lower chrome garnish¹ that runs into narrower projector headlights that incorporate LED daytime running-light strips for the first time². A refreshed bumper pairs with a new lower fascia incorporating a plastic skid-plate-style panel³ and new rectangular fog lights with chrome bezels replacing the old round units⁴. The updated look is significantly more modern and dynamic.

The rear changes are not as numerous, but the new model can be distinguished from the old one easily enough. The black trim at the base of the rear window is replaced with a full-width piece of chrome on top trims¹. Although the taillights retain their shape, their lenses are redesigned and they gain jewel-like reflectors². The rear lower reflectors are moved from the lower fascia higher up into the new bumper, either side of the tailgate's lower edge³. The bumper has horizontal creases and the lower fascia is redesigned, mirroring the front skid-plate-style panel⁴.

From the side, the cleaned-up front and rear ends and revised head¹- and taillights² can be clearly seen but other than that - and new wheel designs³- the profile remains essentially unchanged.

The interior undergoes no wholesale changes but is refined and updated nonetheless. The sun visors receive sliding elements, a center-console armrest is added¹, and rear air-conditioning vents appear. The most noticeable change is the addition of a standard seven-inch infotainment touchscreen in the center of the CR-V's dashboard² from the EX trim.

The Honda CR-V fourth generation was launched with a 2.4-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with 185 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque, transmitting its power to the front wheels via a five-speed automatic transmission with a torque converter. AWD is optional. This drivetrain is good for EPA-estimated fuel consumption of 23/30/26 mpg on the city/highway/combined cycles for the FWD models and 22/29/25 for AWD trims. The 2013 Honda CR-V gas tank measures 15.3 gallons. The 2015 facelift introduced a direct-injection Earth Dreams version of the 2.4-liter engine with the power staying unchanged at 185 hp but torque increasing to 181 lb-ft. The old five-speed automatic transmission is replaced by a continuously variable transmission and together, the new engine and gearbox improved responsiveness, low-end torque delivery, and fuel economy. The latter improved to 27/33/29 mpg for the FWDs and 26/32/28 for the AWDs.

Regardless of what their official EPA figures might be, some cars don't perform as well in the real world. After a vehicle has been on the market for a few years, the EPA publishes the mpg figures submitted by drivers for comparison's sake. The CR-V generally performs well and its real-world consumption figures mostly correspond to the EPA's estimates. In fact, the pre-facelift FWD CR-V boasts a real-world figure of 27 mpg combined, compared to its 25-mpg EPA estimate. The AWD is close too, with 24.4 and 25 mpg, respectively. The facelifted model's fuel consumption improves, but real-world figures suggest it's not by as much as Honda claims and the EPA estimates. Still, a real-world figure of 28.5 mpg combined vs the EPA figure of 29 mpg for the FWD model is very good. Strangely, the direct-injection AWD model beats its predecessor, but its real-world figure of 24.7 mpg is some way off the EPA figure of 28 mpg.

* Real-world mpg and MPGe figures are provided by the EPA. Once a car has been on sale for a significant period of time, the EPA gets real-world figures directly from the customer base. These figures are then provided on the EPA website. Real-world figures are not available for certain models due to a lack of sales, or not enough people partaking in this after-sales survey.

The 2012 4th gen Honda CR-V achieved an excellent five stars overall in the NHTSA's round of crash tests, with only the rollover test scoring four - typical for a high-riding vehicle. The IIHS scored it "Good" in all the crashworthiness criteria except for the driver-side small-overlap frontal impact, for which it only scored "Marginal". Honda took the criticism to heart and reinforced the car's structure for the 2015 facelift, bagging it a "Good" score for all the IIHS' tests and a 2015 Top Safety Pick+ award from the agency. Standard safety fare at launch included six airbags, stability control, hill-start assist, brake assist, automatic halogen headlights, and a backup camera on the base model. Extra safety equipment was added from the base model as the years went by, such as rear parking sensors from the 2014 model year. The 2015 facelift saw the addition of LED daytime running lights, as well as a suite of optionally available safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, and lane-departure warning. The latter two are standard on top trims.

At launch, the 2012 Honda CR-V lineup consisted of five trims: LX, EX, EX-L, EX-L with Navigation, and EX-L with Rear Seat Entertainment System. For the 2015 facelift, EX-L with Rear Seat Entertainment System trim was replaced with the Touring trim. For 2016, an SE trim was added between the LX and EX.

The interior of the fourth generation CR-V is extremely spacious, practical, and family-friendly. Leg- and headroom are generous all around and the rear-seat occupants benefit from a nearly flat floor. The rear seats can easily be folded flat from either the wide-opening rear doors or the trunk to expand the already generous cargo area - which measures 37.2 cubic inches with the seats up and 70.9 cubes with them down.

The basic trims are LE, EX, and EX-L, with the latter available with either navigation or a rear-seat entertainment system (but not both) for the first few model years. The Touring trim joins the lineup for the 2015 model year and is essentially an EX-L with Navigation trim with a few extra features. Second-hand, you might want to consider one of the trims that came with navigation as standard, because that's the only way to have infotainment-based navigation in your fourth generation CR-V. The only other option is physically mounting your smartphone in the windshield because no trims ever came with smartphone integration.

The 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 Honda CR-Vs might be more reliable than average, but they're not the best Honda can do. There were various known issues, but as long as you buy smartly, they can be very reliable and the K24 engine is notably tough and durable. During its time on the market, the 4th gen CR-V was America's top-selling CUV and there are still many of them on the road. Your CR-V's Maintenance Minder should tell you when to service your vehicle, but generally, a vehicle's oil and oil filter should be replaced every 5,000 to 10,000 miles, with the lower limit applying under severe operating conditions such as dusty roads, extended idling (like taxi service), or in freezing temperatures. If you have not had a Maintenance Minder 'A' notification within a year, service your Honda every year anyway, regardless of what the minder says - an oil change and tire rotation at least. If you see a 2012+ Honda CR-V "A12" service code, it means there is 15 percent oil life left and a lubrication service is due. A 2012, 2013, 2014, or 2015 Honda CR-V "B16" service code is applicable to 2016 models as well and indicates that a change of the engine and differential fluid is due, as well as tire rotation.

The Maintenance Minder 'B' notification requires that more systems be checked, including the braking system and friction surfaces, suspension, driveline, all fluid levels, exhaust system, steering system, and fuel lines. The 2012-2016 facelift CR-V with either the five-speed automatic or the continuously variable transmission should have its oil changed every 30,000 miles to ensure the maximum longevity of the transmission. Thankfully, even the CVT uses a torque converter to pull away, so there is no clutch pack that can wear out in start-stop traffic.

Technical Service Bulletins according to the NHTSA. Check service book for:

The fourth generation CR-V generally upholds Honda's reputation for reliability, but is has more issues than other generations. The basics are sound and if given fresh oil at the stipulated intervals, the engine and transmission should last well. The engine uses a timing chain and not a belt and is, therefore, not subject to frequent timing-gear maintenance. Most 2012-2016 Honda CR-V problems revolve around the transmission, HVAC system, and engine. Some other problem areas have been identified over the years, but they are not commonplace enough to dedicate a section to. A such, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 Honda CR-V AWD, rearview/backup camera, VSA, antenna, Bluetooth, electrical, rear-seat fold-down, sunroof, lock, windshield wiper, heated seats, push button start, USB, and navigation problems are quite rare. Some of the facelifted models came with brand-new vibration problems courtesy of their direct-injection engine, but are reliable by and large. 2015 and 2016 Honda CR-V rear brake problems are rare; however, here and there, a few front-wheel 2015/16 brake problems such as seized calipers and failed rotors have been reported. Other features unique to the facelifted models appear to hold up well - with proper maintenance and frequent oil changes, 2015 and 2016 Honda CR-V CVT transmission problems are quite rare, but a few failures have occurred. On these models, the infotainment system is also new, but few 2015/2016 Honda CR-V touchscreen/navigation problems are noted.

There are a few 2012-2016 Honda CR-V recalls to take note of. The 2012 Honda CR-V door problem recall fixes faulty door latches that may cause doors to open by themselves or in a crash in more than 172,000 vehicles. The 2012 and 2013 Honda CR-V transmission recall fixes a fault in more than 204,000 CR-Vs that may cause them to roll away, even with the transmission in park. A 2015 and 2016 Honda CR-V engine recall was related to a problem with the wrong pistons installed in the engines and affected only 16 cars. In terms of the Takata airbag recall, there was no Honda CR-V passenger-side airbag recall in 2016 but there was one to replace the driver's airbag. There was not one 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, or 2016 Honda CR-V heater core, starter, VTC actuator, wheel bearing, compass calibration, low-rpm vibration, loose fuse box, or rear brake recall, despite a problem reported here and there on all of these systems. There was also no 2012, 2013, 2014, or 2015 Honda CR-V airbags on recall, as the only affected airbags were in the 2016 model, nor were there a 2015 or 2016 Honda CR-V transmission recall, as the earlier transmission recall only affects the five-speed transmission and not the CVT.

As is usually the case, earlier models have more problems than later ones. In terms of complicated technology, the facelifted model might be more of a risk, but should still be reliable if maintained properly. Beware of vast mileages, because direct-injection engines are prone to carbon buildup on the intake valves, so if a vehicle hesitates or misfires, best to avoid it. The CVT also requires strict fluid changes according to schedule to remain reliable. The facelift might be as robust as the pre-facelift in the long run, but it still has to prove itself. If in-car navigation is important to you, keep in mind that you have two choices only: buy a CR-V with built-in navigation, or mount your phone in the windscreen and use that. No 4th gen CR-V has smartphone integration, so avoid the trims without built-in navigation if you do a lot of traveling. Also avoid the ones with transmissions that shudder or don't shift smoothly. As for the trim, we would avoid the low-rent LX and go for no lower than the EX.

The EX-L with Navigation is the nicest model from the pre-facelift range, but go for a late 2014 one with all its recall work done and a smooth and seamless engine and transmission. You get no smartphone integration, but at least you get navigation. The last of the 2016 facelifted models will be the most sorted, but beware of that engine vibration and be sure that the more high-tech driveline has had all its services and fluid changes on time. The Touring is a great buy if you can find one at a fair price, with an excellent specification for its vintage, a luxurious interior, and navigation built in. The facelifted models are also a lot more driveable thanks to significantly more low-end torque from the engine, and are also more fuel-efficient. Their extra sound deadening also significantly reduces road noise when cruising.

The 4th gen Honda CR-V falters occasionally in terms of Honda's usually rock-solid reliability record but, to be fair, some of its gripes are irritations more than terminal failure. As long as the vehicle has a full service history and drives well, with no vibrations, clunks, and shudders emanating from either its engine or transmission, it can last you a long time. It's spacious and comfortable and handles remarkably like a car and not a big lumbering SUV. It might not have a lot of power, but it ticks all the other CUV boxes.