I Really Want A First-Gen Honda CR-V, And You Should Too

A drive in Honda UK's heritage fleet Mk1 CR-V unexpectedly left me wanting one quite badly
I Really Want A First-Gen Honda CR-V, And You Should Too

Last summer, I spent a whole day driving as much of Honda UK’s heritage fleet as I could possibly squeeze in. Over the following months, I reported back my about the crushing disappointment that was an automatic NSX, my confirmation that yes, the DC2 Integra deserves its heroic status, and finally that the hybrid CR-Z is criminally underrated.

What I never did, however, was talk about the biggest surprise of the day. And that’s something which I’m going to rectify now, but you may well be baffled to learn that it was a first-generation CR-V.

The CR-V rubbed shoulders with legends at the heritage driving event, but its driving experience still stood out
The CR-V rubbed shoulders with legends at the heritage driving event, but…

Fear not, though CTzens: I still have full control of all of my faculties because the CR-V is properly lovely to drive.

It rides beautifully, and yet it doesn’t turn into a wallowy mess the first time you show it a corner. The damping is very well judged, going nicely with the surprisingly feelsome steering.

Honda UK's heritage CR-V has just 38,000 miles on the clock
Honda UK's heritage CR-V has just 38,000 miles on the clock

The 2.0-litre B20B produces just 126bhp, this particular CR-V having been born just before Honda updated the car with the 147bhp B20Z. You might expect it to be horribly sluggish, but the CR-V is remarkably light given its size, tipping the scales at around 1500kg. And it’s all down to simplicity.

At the time of the vehicle’s inception, then-Honda CEO Nobuhiko Kawamoto noticed that the CR-V’s intended market was dominated by cars stuffed full of heavy off-road features buyers seldom used. The CR-V would go without, which may not seem dramatic today with our roads dominated by ‘soft-roaders’ like the Nissan Qashqai, but it was radical thinking back then.

I Really Want A First-Gen Honda CR-V, And You Should Too

0-62mph happens in a thoroughly reasonable 10.5 seconds, and performance is on the whole more than adequate. Crucially, it’s a smooth and satisfying engine to work hard, and it even makes a pretty good noise. With turbocharged engines becoming the norm, you just forget what a joy a simple, low-powered N/A can be, especially when hooked up to a manual gearbox like this one is.

I Really Want A First-Gen Honda CR-V, And You Should Too

The CR-V is also a genuine lifestyle vehicle. Forget all the ridiculous marketing around today’s luxury crossovers - if you want to actually go camping/canoeing/mountain biking or whatever, an old CR-V is the car to do it in.

This is because it places practicality above pretty much everything else. It has tough black bumpers either end, the interior is disarmingly simple and sturdy, the floor is almost entirely flat throughout, and there’s a handy little fold-out hook in the boot; if you lift the carpet, you’ll find a hidden picnic table, too.

I Really Want A First-Gen Honda CR-V, And You Should Too

The best part is that these cars are stupidly cheap. A tatty one can be picked up for around £500, and if you increase your budget to more like £1000 - £1500, it’s possible to snag a tidy example. The only issue is there aren’t a whole lot around still - the CR-V isn’t exactly a car people are willing to preserve.

It’s worth persevering, though. The CR-V is an endlessly practical, surprisingly dependable vehicle that’ll surprise you with just how nice it is to drive. I want one. And so should you.

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Comments

SirJamjaxIsGoingAgain-PeaceOutChaps

One of my uncles had a mk1 CR-V when I was younger, and me and my cousin loved going in out of the car over the rear seats. Surprisingly fun when you’re like 6. Sadly they sold it for a Prius like 12 years ago. Thankfully, they bought an X1 under my recommendation last year.

01/05/2019 - 12:16 |
16 | 2
Freddie Skeates

Pretty high-tier shed material aye (although not this heritage fleet car)

01/05/2019 - 12:48 |
0 | 0
Metrickzcz (Prelude Squad)

I hope you drove that Prelude. You better have …

01/05/2019 - 12:50 |
78 | 0
Anonymous

At the time, the only other company taking this approach was Subaru. The Mk1 Forester is much the same in many ways and I’ve experienced firsthand the reliability, practicality, and especially the capabilities off-road. As a kid, I remember my parents purposely taking the the routes full of deep snow because it was so fun to use this car that way. This article gets a big thumbs up from me.

01/05/2019 - 12:53 |
48 | 0
Martin Burns

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Will always miss the old CR-V… especially when it came winter it was just a dime of a car

01/05/2019 - 15:53 |
16 | 0
Can Erdem 1

i have looked for a first gen CR-V for about a year now in Turkey. I was looking for a manual one with of course NO LPG. But nope, there has been none of them popping up. Every single CR-V has a LPG tank in the back and messed up here in Turkey. They might even become a future classic imo.

01/05/2019 - 13:08 |
2 | 0

Also, no manual as i know.All the CRVs imported here are automatic.

01/05/2019 - 19:22 |
0 | 0

Most of the ones imported in Bulgaria are without LPG so you could pick one up from around here if you’re willing to travel

01/05/2019 - 22:32 |
0 | 0

i think you can look for them in Gurcistan, but majority is imported from Japan so they are RHD cars. try myauto.ge it is biggest auto website in here

01/06/2019 - 04:43 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

[DELETED]

01/05/2019 - 13:28 |
0 | 0
I Really Want A First-Gen Honda CR-V, And You Should Too
HF_Martini6

it’s just a stupid wannabe SUV so, NO!
the first time i had to Service a CRV i almost laughed my ass off when i saw how deep down the Engine is mounted, you get almost no ground clearance and there is almost no Suspension travel.

01/05/2019 - 13:39 |
2 | 12

Thats the point, isn’t it? People were driving offroad aimed cars on road, without ever going offroad. So Honda built a vehicle that is more affordable and does what the people were using it for. Thats why it was such a success

01/05/2019 - 15:08 |
0 | 0

To be fair the crv engines are absolutes massive compared to their lineup of other vehicles. Both the first and second gen crv’s came with the biggest Honda b series/ k series engines that Honda ever offered. Lots of people fiddle with the engines and produce big horsepower numbers

01/06/2019 - 02:16 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

There’s always the mk1 Freelander in either xdi, TD4 k series 1.8 or kv6 2.5 V6 with 175bhp

01/05/2019 - 16:17 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

too much reliability issues on that

01/06/2019 - 04:46 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

I really enjoy the articles where you talk about vehicles outside the typical carguy fandom. There are a lot of hidden gems out there

01/05/2019 - 16:53 |
12 | 0
Basith Penna-Hakkim

People count out how good the first gen CRV was especially with a manual
A B18C or a K20A swap would be amazing that would definitely make this thing a Subie killer

01/05/2019 - 18:24 |
0 | 0