Honda CR-V

– Cleveland, Ohio

I can’t remember a time when the Honda CR-V wasn’t great. It’s one of those rare vehicles about which I could say to anyone thinking of buying one, “Oh yeah, you’ll love it.” The all-new 2017 Honda CR-V is better than before across the board with more interior space, greater fuel efficiency, and access to more advanced safety features. This new version hasn’t improved enough in any one area, though, to justify saying, “Oh yeah, you have to get the new one.” Such is the curse of continued excellence.

Pros

Huge trunk! The CR-V has a massive cargo area thanks to the shape of its rear roofline. Rather than sloping downward after the first row of seats, it stays relatively flat until the very end of the vehicle. The result is a cavern facing you when the rear hatch opens. The load-in height also remains very low, which is a feat considering ground clearance has risen a full 1.5 inches. This cargo hold is a dream for new parents wondering how they’re going to fit a stroller, diaper bag, toys, and more in a compact crossover. You can fit everything in the CR-V and have room to spare.

Fuel economy champ. Meet the new most fuel-efficient crossover. Whether in front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive form, the new CR-V officially uses less fuel than any of its compact crossover competitors. Its official ratings are 30 miles per gallon combined for the FWD model and 29 mpg combined with AWD like my tester. With an average of 28.6 mpg over the course of a week, my own e...