Why This £500 Honda CR-V Might Be My Favourite Car of 2023

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Today on the channel, a thoroughly pleasant surprise in the form of a Honda CR-V - purchased for the sum of just £500. Can it be good?
#Honda #CR-V #Cheapcar
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[@JayEmmOnCars]

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[@w203ck9]

I work for Honda and these are the sort of cars we hate. All the owners of them never want to get rid of them to upgrade and they never are into the workshop for anything other than an oil change!

[@SnickterP]

Hahaha sounds like a perfect product then!

[@RadosPL]

Hahaha :)

[@Stephanie-dl3ry]

Haha this is true. Owned my 2005 diesel for 16 years. Honda engineered a superb car!

[@chrismetcalfe7358]

I’ve owned a 2005 FRV with this engine for almost 10 years now. It’s been a fantastic family car and showing no signs of giving up yet. I love the 6 seat layout , it’s About to tick over 180k reliable miles this month .

[@forresttm]

Jay needs one of these to review. I also have one. But mines shit. not many reviews of these great 6 seat cars.

[@chrismetcalfe7358]

@@forresttmI agree , it’s so under the radar. The Multipla gets all the attention but the FRV is far better

[@Rawdil]

Honda seriously needs to release a new FRV.

[@25johnlowe]

I feel like a high mileage series may be a good watch to see how they fair when some of these are really used to a large degree?

[@roscoecoltrane6867]

Owned one of these cars for about 12 years, but with the 2.4L VTEC petrol motor. Absolutely brilliant it was. Never needed anything more than regular servicing and I clocked up nearly 300,000 kms (188,000 mls). With the rear seats down, the space is cavernous! There were many times it was filled up with junk for a trip to the local rubbish tip. And with a towbar added it hauled many a trailer-full. I finally gave the car to my daughter and said “just keep driving it till it breaks”. It took a few more years, but eventually it did break. She loved the car so much, she went and bought another one! The ultimate compliment!

[@CM-ls6fh]

That sounds great, how many KMs did it end up lasting? I just bought a 112k KM Accord 2006 2.0 VTEC one, I'm hopeful with regular servicing it will last a lifetime as I've always wanted to have that specific CL7 Accord

[@MartinPowderly]

They're absolutely brilliant.

[@markdance574]

I love the way despite many years of doing this Jay can still find excitement in most cars . £500 looks like a bargain .

[@NigelDeForrest-Pearce-cv6ek]

As An Old Honda Salesman in the USA, I can Tell You That The CRV is BULLETPROOF!!! A Brilliant Crossover IF IT IS 4WD!!! New or Used, a Car You Can Count On!!!

[@Anrirua]

Nice one Jay. I own one of these, a 2006, same colour and diesel, since Q4 2017 and have taken it from 170k miles to current 235k miles. Here in Ireland. Its simply the best car ever made. Period. And therefore the best CRV also. I have had this in 12" floods, 12" snow with Dunlop Grandtrek SJ6, pulling trailers, caravans and it will dispatch backroads with glee. Currently have BFG Urban Terrains on it and it will do more offroad than most people have the bottle for. Well done, proper kudos to a proper car. I considered a mkIII initially but the mk II has no DPF. And more space in the rear. And a rear spare tyre, and a picnic table! Button on key for rear hatch Jay

[@markdoyle6414]

My MK3 hasn't a dpf, same engine.

[@Anrirua]

@@markdoyle6414 Yes exactly. The earliest 07/08 only. Then Dtec. But the DTEc has a 2tonne tow rating as against 1500kg

[@eveythingthatsadam]

Best car ever made 😂

[@Anrirua]

@@eveythingthatsadam I've had my fair share in 30 years driving, repping etc. What would you suggest is the best car ever made? Based on real-world usage and value for money? An Aston Martin, a Tesla?

[@evokki0075]

​@@AnriruaC216 Mercedes CL

[@1971wizzard]

Fantastic car, I have had 3…. Best car on the road!!!

[@bakermrad1541]

I don't own a CRV, and I don't plan to buy one. But my friend has one, and its amazing. It is so reliable, economical, and spacious.

[@jamesscullion3162]

You never mentioned the picnic table - the plastic cover in the boot floor is removable and is fitted with fold away legs for picnics 😉

[@francis2811]

Drive a Honda, and feel rewarded every day! It's true!

[@tambarskelfir]

Had two CR-V Hondas, 2.0 petrol, 2003 and 2006, both went well over 400 thousand km. They're nice. Reliable. Charming. I know exactly how you feel.

[@davidarter6271]

These are wonderful cars. As far as SUV’s go, this was one of Honda’s best from a golden era from the firm. The owner is very lucky to have such a wonderful car. Good review once again thank you James.

[@TJ_into_the_wild]

I owned this exact model for around 4 years and loved the thing. It was entirely reliable, good to drive and superbly practical. The part-time AWD system got me out of trouble several times during snowy and icy weather and I really enjoyed the quirky bits and bobs to be found around the car such as the aforementioned handbrake (it was known in our house as the 'manbrake') and the picnic table hidden under the boot floor. I parted with it, full of regret, at around 220k miles, and I'm convinced it is still chugging around somewhere today. Absolute legend of a car!

[@matenagypal7322]

Check the number plate on gov uk these things are bulletproof so probably still is

[@jamesonslow]

I love your reviews of affordable cars. This is inspiring! So many good machines out there which might otherwise just go to waste.

[@graham104e]

Not a car I've ever given a second's thought to. Now you've got me interested. More of this sort of thing please. My outlook needs broadening!

[@stevenhunter5799]

They are very good! I borrowed my sister's to go camping in north Scotland and want one now. Just cruises along. And the fuel economy is as good as he says 👍

[@MartinPowderly]

They're not exciting but I'm a massive fan of them. You can just trust them to not cost you the earth. Just brilliant.

[@mantarayal]

Recently sold our mint pearl white 2006 here in NZ. Had a brown interior that was actually really bright and pleasant. 2.4 litre petrol iVtec that went great (liked a drink around town). Basically looked like a new car in and out. Towed our small boat. Had a button on the end of the shifter that dropped all auto gears down lower and was excellent for engine braking when towing. Loved the picnic table hidden away in the back. Rear window opened from key fob or from inside which was great when the boat was hooked as we couldn't open the swing door when it was. Handled well and right now we're trying to remember why we sold it!! It had only done 105000 kms.

[@heiner71]

I own a 2002 with the 2.4L gasoline engine and 202k miles on it. It's a good reliable car. CR-Vs from any generation are not cheap here in the US. At least in CA. 2nd Gen examples usually cost between $3k and $6k with generally quite a lot of miles. You forgot to mention the picnic table trunk floor and the rear seats that can be adjusted forward/backward and the backrest can be tilt adjusted too.

[@GMT439]

What kind of MPG's does the 2.4L get combined? I'm going to guess around 26. Which is fine in the U.S. but in the UK that wouldn't be acceptable. Current prices here are . Petrol - £1.55 a Litre & Diesel £1.62 a Litre.

[@heiner71]

@@GMT439 , MPG's are not great. I mainly drive the car around town and not getting more than 20-22 miles per gallon (US gallons).

[@GMT439]

@@heiner71As I suspected, that's why they wouldn't sell well with that engine in the UK. It would probably increase the road tax we have to pay as well.

[@austinado16]

You're on the money! After years of recommending them to people, I just purchased an '05. I held out for the 5spd manual transmission version, and found one in "Silver Moss Metallic" which I think is the color of the car in this video (a slightly warmer/darker silver than their bright silver color, but not with the blue cast that I think their "Cosmic Gray" has). Paid $1,200 for mine in non-running condition, because it needed a starter, a rear wheel bearing, a windshield, and had been sitting for so many years in the SF Bay Area, that the Catalytic Converter had been cut out and stolen. Nice, running, 5spd models are difficult to find, and are in the $6,500-$8,000 range. I've had it for a month, and it's been running/driving/registered/insured for about 2 weeks. It's fantastic, and I have no regrets. Just drove it to and from the Bay Area (3.5hrs each way) and it managed about 26mpg. It has 271,000mi on the clock, and is still on the original engine and transmission!

[@nathant8951]

I ran a 700 quid Pug 205 d turbo for a few weeks, and it was far more fun than it had any right to be. There is definitely something to be said for cheap, care free motoring

[@jdmguy44]

Agree. There is a lot of fun (and satisfaction) to be had in the bargain basement end of the car market if you find something good.

[@847pm]

I got a 2003 Saxo years ago for £475, 56,000 miles and 2 owners from new. Body work was shit and it made it a gem to own. Cheap motoring is the way to go sometimes.

[@nicolasansom2681]

Just left a comment about my ancient Pug 406 which was exactly the same! ❤

[@hjuugoo4416]

please do more "regular" car stuff!

[@Lewis2710]

My parents had a 52 plate one of these back in 2005, my friends parents likes it so much they bought one identical soon after and they still use it today as the family car, over 250k miles on it and still runs brilliant, fantastic cars.

[@MCXL1140]

The second generation CRV is the best car Honda has ever made. It's insane. It's like the perfect car for all around use. It's still relatively fun to drive, it's great gas mileage, it's comfortable. It is tons of interior space gets great gas mileage. It's very easy to see out of, the engine roster is the standard Honda platform. It's amazing!

[@Mil-Keeway]

My parents have owned a 3rd gen (which is mostly a restyle with the same drivetrain and chassis) from new around 2010. It has the R20 engine (non-VTEC 2.0 petrol with ~145 HP), revs to almost 7k, still pretty fun to drive. The AWD system uses a torque-converter-like system that pushes torque to the rear when the fronts are spinning faster (like a Haldex). That converter is in the same housing as the rear diff and shares its oil. When it starts going bad, you get clunking on acceleration and on changes in driveline load (changes between throttle and engine braking). The manual recommends the oil change every 100'000 kms, but heavy use (off-roading, frequent low traction, etc.) will make the oil wear even more. It started clunking at ~120k after an official Honda dealer didn't replace it at the 100k service, though things don't really break quickly, you just lose rear drive. Otherwise it's typical SUV (should have bought a Golf) issues; high wear on tyres, brake pads and disks, shock absorbers, all stuff that comes with the weight.

[@fossilfish786]

Love these regular reviews. Great stuff

[@JWLZPLM]

I have the pleasure of owning a 2004 US spec CRV since brand new, and these things just DON'T QUIT. Very little maintenance on them apart from an oil change, and it's still kicking. I currently drive a 2010 Accord but every now and then I'll take our CRV out and reminisce my childhood in the car.

[@6820berlin]

And it’s surprisingly good enough off-road, had a rental of this in Cyprus and took it off-road in the mountains up a very steep off-road path and it surprisingly made it to the top

[@Christian---]

Had a very similar experience buying myself a 1999 Mazda 323F last year. I needed a car that will just go and be reliable, but after buying it, running around, my god what a car. Leather steering wheel and shifter in 'Special' trim, I learned that Mazda has been running 4WIS and passive rear steer in these for god knows how long, the engine is down of power sure but very economical, bomb proof and loves to rev. Really hope you one day pick up a 323 of any kind on the channel, but preferably, the BJ generation, last and probably the best.

[@shanerowe3069]

Yep ,had an Astina 323 as a work car and I could not kill it. A bit noisy but I wish I had bought it when company got rid of it.

[@ehughes8829]

I had a 1998 323f. The boring looking one but it was bulletproof.

[@irreversiblyhuman]

My late brother told me to get this car as my first banger - he said “even if you treat it bad, it won’t be mad” I kept my side of the bargain and this 2006 CRV took me to Scotland, Cornwall, Lake District and more. Now I have a much newer 2015 Exec CRV, but the old gen 2 is still a very special car for me.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

He was right :)

[@staffybullterrier7678]

Loving these reviews for the not so minority of poor Ness...!! More please, good on ya dude. Thanks

[@daltonsikhosana8275]

Brilliant cars remember my dad buying 2 to send to Zimbabwe for my grandparents in 2021 both for £995 was shocked you could still get working cars for that price

[@ln5747]

That's cool

[@Z-u-m-a]

Had to smile watching that as so many parallels here. Needed a family/dog load-lugger for the 2nd car and bought a mk3 version with the same engine. Only expected to keep it a couple of years but it's still here for all the reasons you say. Nice to drive, solid, no headaches, and just has a nice way of taking everything in its stride. Main thing to check is oil changes (SH)/timing chain. No DPF to worry about in that engine model (unlike its replacement). To clarify too it normally runs in front wheel drive but kicks a limited amounted of power to the rear wheels too if sensing slip - hydraulic system. It's actually really effective and pretty seamless. Has been useful in winter. You're right too re the ride.

[@teea3085]

Honda just build brilliant all round, perfectly engineered cars that you fall in love with, soulful and characterful. Love them.

[@jdmguy44]

Agree. Had a few. My parents had many more. Even if I won the lottery I would still have a Honda as one of the cars in my garage....

[@teea3085]

@@jdmguy44 Same here, would have a dedicated barn full of their cars.

[@GMT439]

Best Value for money car no doubt.. A bargain for £500

[@amanwithadog9110]

As an owner of two of these beauties (both diesels) they are simply delightful. If you're looking for something that gives comfort, power when you need it but doesn't drink all the time you can't really do better. As an aside the there are two buttons for the rear glass section - driver's door forward of the bottom storage and on the fob (the right one, you do need to hold it for 1 or 2 seconds before it actions). The tray between the front seats fold down from a handle at the front underside. The cruise control is golden and fairly responsive, especially considering the age it came from, but my only gripe with it is when engaged it only lights up a green warning light on the dash but doesn't tell you what speed the C.C. is getting you to (though i think the attitude is the speedo is clue enough given it WILL get you there). A lot of your comments are bang on and I could've split my head in two with how much I was smiling watching you discover the car's charms. Thanks

[@damilolaakanni]

I like this 2nd generation CR-Vs, but i'd rather have the K24 petrol engine with the automatic transmission. It's much easier to live with longterm, regardless of location.

[@Motorsportsgeek]

They are great, our 09 K24 CRV just crossed 500k with the original drivetrain and still going strong. Adjust those valves, change your oil and that engine will last forever.

[@RadosPL]

@@Motorsportsgeek Naahh you would fall in love with manual 2.4 iVtec

[@Motorsportsgeek]

​@@RadosPL I drive a manual yaris and manual corvette. Honda is good but the yaris is more reliable for my needs but I do wish it had a honda manual transmission. The Toyota manual transmission isn't the best feeling even with all the upgrades I did to it.

[@baronvonjo1929]

This is kinda why I will always prefer suvs over other cars. I drive a Honda Fit right now. Use to have a Toyota Camry. I hate how low these cars are. Automakers have just ignored how much of America has terrible roads or mountains. Older sedans had crazy amounts of ground clearance. These modern cars really cant cut it. You can get by most of the time. But after years and tens of thousands of miles mistakes will happen. A crossover aint normally going offroading but it can handle our crumbling roads better. I think that among many other reasons is why consumers keep moving in droves to the body shape.

[@25johnlowe]

Had one of these as a courtesy car for a bit. 225K miles on worth as much as a pair of decent shoes but ran perfectly and the kids loved it. Drove nicely and really couldnt fault it in any way.

[@davidk7262]

Have one as the family beater. Cracking car and having a banger for tip runs, dog walking and diy stuff is so useful. Our is a petrol with a nice automatic 4 speed slush box. The petrol isn't quick by any measure but it does the job. Done 40k in it now and only needed one ignition coil.

[@noisemunga7845]

I love your cheap car reviews. I knew these Hondas were good reliable work horses but I always thought they might be a bit boring. As it turns out, maybe not 😂. Living in the lanes in Devon as I do, one of these might make sense for winter.

[@chriscox5087]

Making me regret selling my 2.0 petrol. Brought it when I was between jobs over lockdown for £1500 and fell for it. Partly just because having a cheap car was liberating. But it was practical and yet quirky. Used to like dropping the tray so our dog could stand in between the front seats.

[@kenncansino9513]

The hand brake was placed there because there's a couch variant for the passenger seat that can seat 3 people in front

[@gabrielmuriithi7897]

It has a picnic table at the trunk. I have a 05 CRV, really love it

[@AUCHTERMUCHTYZZ]

I’ve owned marks 1 , 2 & 3 the best cars I’ve ever owned! brill for the roads round Aberdeen!

[@ba2724]

Jay, this was a highly enjoyable vid for me to watch! Brilliant idea to sprinkle in some 'everyday' vehicles from time to time. And I'm glad to see you can enjoy a 'cheap' CR-V about as much as you can enjoy a Ferrari. Boggles my mind to think about that. Thanks again!

[@blackriflerepublic8174]

I just picked up a 2006 2.4L with only 84k miles for $5600 usd. I owned a 2004 about 10 years ago and missed owning it so much I had to go and find another! Great car!

[@btownballer27]

I've owned a 1st and 2nd gen CRV. The 2nd was awd manual 5spd. Lifted 2 inches on 29in tires. It would get down on some off road trails and surprised many.

[@brityn6514]

Had a 54 plate petrol CRV for 9 years, super car, I totally ignored all maintenance and and it kept going, clutch master went eventually but no other major issues, like you say Jay a great first car.

[@snbala]

I used to be around Honda dealerships when the original Mk1 CR-V was released and they couldn’t sell them fast enough, it really kicked off the SUV trend. These are good cars, offer a lot of space and solid engines. They don’t show rust as bad but underneath they do. Petrol ones still command some money at their age which shows their popularity.

[@mdo]

And for good reason. The petrol one is a bit thirsty but pretty much bulletproof.

[@GF-mf7ml]

The engine is B20B block same as B18 integra. It sound very nice when rev.

[@sputumtube]

Nice antidote to the usual Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Aston Martin stuff that none of us can afford. Thanks for the return to realism.

[@padorukurumi6572]

My dad had one of these and its the memorable car I have. Apart from the only moments per year that we've spent on it as a child, its quirks got me hooked into it. It had a bench seat on the front that makes it a 10 seater and its A/T shifter is just beside the gauges which was really interesting for me even today. I also got my first driving experience on it and it was really beginner-friendly despite its size. I really wish my dad would hand me down that car as my first car.

[@bvc100]

Your laughter and enjoyment of the car brings back a fond memory of owning a cheap, old early 2000s car. Worked like a charm, less faults due to less electronics, but a laugh to drive.

[@thetartanwesty]

I have the 2 litre 2006 se petrol and can confirm it has adequate power if you stretch the v tec into the top revs and handles well with Mitchelin Crossclimates 🙂 Just watch for rust underneath and on lower body panels,sills, arches and all underneath that's it's downfall, I use lanogaurd to keep mine at bay mechanically there bulletproof and very reliable have had ours since 2019 with 90k fsh and still going strong at 114k.

[@Empirehog]

I own a 2005 2.2 i-CDTi Sport, 165k miles. I've had to sped a fair bit on a few bits and pieces, alternator, brakes, tires, tracking rod ends, alignments... Otherwise, I'm loving it!

[@Lee_Pitcher]

Love these. Bought one and within a week of owning drove it to Valencia Spain, then to Malta and then all the way to Galway Ireland and then to the sunny climes of East Anglia UK. Dragging a trailer with all our possensions and an unhappy cat. Didn't miss a single beat. Slept in it several times along the journey too. Cool car.

[@arnoldhennessy5099]

Built in Swindon, yes. Mid life facelift brought in the diesel. Brought back great memories. Bought one now and got 230k miles out of it. I have regretted selling it ever since. Even had the Labrador!!!!

[@GloveBag]

I had a 164k mile 2.0 petrol crv for six months a few years ago. One of those cars that does everything and really easy to live with. Drove lovely and was a solid horse for me. The mpg was rubbish though being a high up awd

[@stephenhall3515]

It is always a good sign when Jay enthuses in his very British way. In this instance, a friends who has driven Mitsubishi SUVs for some years said that the video gave her much to think about. Why? Because Mitsubishi Automotive is leaving the US and Europe and because my friend's latest one has been troublesome and is badly made. I think that many people here in rural Ireland will be chasing these like mad. Farmers will probably buy them by the pair -- one for fields and the other for long, comfy trips.

[@ecc206]

I love my CR-V, my uncle bought in new back in 2003 and it has been in the family since. I drive a 230i most of the time but it’s nice to have something I don’t need to care too much about and has the ability to deal with a little snow. Plus I feel it has a certain charm to it, everyone who drives it seems to love it.

[@timelwell7002]

I concur - the ride quality on these is superb. So much so that I'd seriously consideer getting one..! Thanks for another great review.

[@abcbcd1834]

Got this engine myself in an Accord. Rock solid so far

[@jameshogg601]

Engine great but the rust wrote an 80,000 mile one off which is depressing.

[@ericzmusic]

The first gen CRV is really underrated as well. Lightweight, underpowered, easy to work on, bulletproof and surprisingly capable off-road.

[@stiglinneberg751]

Many thanks for a great Review! I had one for 8 years. It was fantastic! The 140bhp diesel, considered to be one of the best diesel engines ever and this was Hondas first Diesel! Maybe not so strange that it was good, it was the same engineer who constructed the S2000 in witch was awarded the best engine in the world! I had my first Crv in 97, also a great car. Now I drive 2015 Crv diesel with auto. Almost just as good! Low maintainance and milage cost, very practical and drives superbly. I love Honda Crv.

[@AnonymousAndy2]

I had a 2006 2.0 vetec mk2 11 years ago and it was fabulous. Started doing more miles and so changed to a 2009 mk3 diesel that I had for 7 years & this was also simply brilliant. I used it as a van during the week & family car at weekends. I’ve had some nice cars over my 35+ years of motoring including several mk2 golf gtis, Corrado VR6 & M140i yet the CRVS both are up there for reliability & simple ease of use. I wish I’d kept the MK3 as a winter wagon as it wasn’t bothered by the crap pot holed Surrey roads. The diesel does like to eat duel mass flywheels though, but that’s a fault of many diesels, not just these.

[@rachelweston2169]

Great review, just got one today

[@NH00531]

Had a rental one of these for a weekend in my younger days, generally horrible but my gf at the time and I thoroughly ‘reviewed’ the boot and rear seat space, impressive. 😘

[@marmaladebrah]

Love these cheap car reviews, thanks Jay

[@stevegreene9149]

I bought my daughter an '05 2.4i petrol CRV over here in Australia and it is a great car, completeky exceeded my expectations. Such a reliable, friendly and dependable car! We moved from near Swindon to Australia 10 years go. Interesting that you decided that a Swindon accent is Australian: "G'day mate!" @ 8:20 😂

[@matthewwoodhead6161]

Owned 2 of these, just excellent car. Only fault was a front window regulator. Great for towing and altogether a very well put together vehicle

[@shiridenovo]

I just had one of these for this winter down under. Friend was trying to sell it but had issues and lent it to me to try and fix. Absolutely loved it, but the engine block had developed a crack and the car had to be written off a few weeks ago. I loveddddd the handbrake. I've had some sports and luxury cars in my time, but something about beating this thing to death was lovely.

[@4pevans]

My dog wagon is a 2002 2.4 AWD Automatic with 250k miles and could be a good car with the 6 speed but too sluggish with the auto. Best part is the turning circle that competes with zero turn mowers.

[@baker6928]

Had the same engine in an Accord. Was so smooth, quick too. Lots of upgrades available now that wasn't then including hybrid turbos

[@nicolasansom2681]

My Peugeot 406 HDi was an A-to-B shed that I fell in love with. Now a pampered 2nd car!

[@TeaVR]

I have a Mk3 CRV. It's awesome and better screwed together than my Lexus LC500! Go Swindon!!!!

[@machidaman]

These are the reviews i come for - cracking piece. We're moving to Scotland next year from Sussex and looking for a decent AWD motor to replace one of current cars. Mainly looking at Forrester's as a classic STi owner, but they come in pricey. Something like this could be just the ticket and i hadn't even considered one.

[@junggyuszko]

These cars are indestructible! I had a pre 2.0 facelift one with 190k miles with original clutch. The only enemy is....drum roll: rust! Who would have thought, right? Also rear springs prone to squeak and sag even after replacing them. Mind blowing value for money, as you said to take the dogs out, go camping, cycling tours and anything in between.

[@captgutter]

I had one of these on a 52 plate. My company suddenly cut £1000 from my car budget so having to change down a little from the X-Trail I'd had on a 24hour test drive. My CRV was a base model petrol with none colour coded bumpers (so chose black to help hide the fact). In the drive from Aston Abbotts to Nottingham my disappointment evaporated and I quickly fell for it. Responsive, peppy motor, great handling and generally just fun to hustle.

[@alexmcewen]

CRV 2001. So mine is a petrol...had it for 10 years...now on 225k.. changed tyres..pads and oil...other than that nothing..it has never let me down..its incredible..I love it...going for 1million miles.

[@janstaes2172]

my uncle had one of these from new. he liked it a lot. the toyota rav 4 of the period is also a very good car, my dad had one.

[@94JReedy]

My dad had one if these when I was a kid and manged to roll one on the m62 and fully write it off and I loved it for leaving him without a scratch and also my grandads comment of how the he'll do you write one if those off 😂

[@bentullett6068]

My dad has the MK2 CRV (one with the odd looking front) on a 10 plate. Its now done over 11,000 miles and it gets used for towing a trailer on occasions and at this time of year it gets used to transport himself and spaniels around muddy rutted tracks on a pheasant shoot. Surprisingly being whats considered a tarmac off roader, the CRV is pretty good when things get a little wet and muddy and my dad has put the wealthier types at the shoots in a embarrassing situation where their Range Rover on low profile wheels gets stuck in the field and his just drives out with no difficulty.

[@MrRhay900]

I have a 2003 petrol which I bought 8 years ago when I needed a load lugger for a few years. I liked is so much I still have it... Air conditioning is the only real weak spot I'm aware of. AC compressor may be different on diesel but on petrol they are known to self destruct without warning after about 10 years and in doing so fill the AC system with aluminium filings. That means complete new system. Most wouldn't bother - especially in UK!

[@MegaSkypes]

Drove a 2006 2.4 for years the tray in the middle actually folds down! It would overtake well flat out in 3rd 140kmh the VTEc was like a powerband ! The seat just needed to go back a little more in my opinion for my 6’1 build Oh and in the boot hidden was picnic table! And it was used to train 3 young drivers to the driving tests each one passing first time!

[@DisjointedR]

I owned a 2.0l petrol '56 plate from 2009 until the end of 2022. It served as a totally reliable workhorse for my property maintenance business. The petrol engine was nowhere near as fuel efficient. I was getting about 28mpg, mostly because it was mainly used for lots of short journeys. On a longer run I got about 36mpg. I traded it in last December and thought it would be scrapped as it needed brakes, tyres, suspension work etc, but several months later I discovered it was MOTd and back on the road. It was a brilliant vehicle that never let me down. Not something that can be said about the new Volvo XC40 I replaced it with. Note, the boot floor of the CR-V is a picnic table with fold out legs.

[@sheelotastic]

I’ve recently bought a 2.2 diesel Honda CRV 2009 for £1700. It had done 130k miles and in great condition. Really pleased with it.

[@megapangolin1093]

Give me anything other than a 986 Boxster S gearbox and I am sold. Fantastic review of a great car. Always wanted that model of CRV, the perfect car for country living. All works, reliable, cheap to run, and going beyond any speed limit just isn't worth it anymore. Well done, James. These are the reviews we need to get people to get real about motoring today. I am impressed by your enthusiasm for this car.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

It's a great car, I can't help it!

[@sprattbooks]

My wife had one of these with the 2.4. We gave it to her niece with 280,000 miles on it, and last we heard it's still going strong. Great little cars.

[@mountainsandmagic645]

I love my CRV going strong at 250,000 miles . Love the picnic table in the back .

[@rv9990]

Saw one on Ebay motors a couple of weeks ago with a K20 (or K24) and a turbo pushing around 300HP!! Looked like a cool sleeper.

[@richardharrold9736]

A built K24 turbo can make well into four figures of power even at the wheels. Plus there's a huge aftermarket for them - billet blocks, billet stroker cranks, you name it...

[@sweeney125]

Amazing, I'm in the market for one of these right now!! Must be a gen.2 auto (so petrol only) for dog duties. JayEmm you read my mind :)

[@flacjacket]

When I met my wife in college she had a 2004 CRV (K24, US market). It was a good car, though it always felt a little unstable on the highway.

[@santosh911]

This is the first car review Jayemm has done that has me reaching for the classifieds. The face-lift model had a few visual changes (the smaller headlight bezels within the lens offer better focus if you add leds). But the big change is the 5 speed auto box. Of course, the sample here is manual, but that is a rare beast in my country, so the 5 speed auto is important enough for me to not consider the pre-facelift model. The ease of entry and exit and the excellent view, make this feel like my Sportage of similar vintage except with better handling, economy and quality.

[@bluebrakes]

Bella the Lab is gorgeous. She deserves a thumbs up alone!

[@leeholden8658]

I’ve owned a pre-facelift 2003 and the only difference In the facelift mk2 Is Handsfree,cruise control,leather seats and no Orange Indicators In the headlights. At the age of 53 It’s our first car and bought It during the 2nd hand price hike so cost £3,000 for a 2.0 petrol auto. It had 113,170 on the clock and It now has over 131,500 and we love it.

[@5ebra1]

Really enjoy your tests of these ‘Beater’ cars.

[@rickjones8883]

The cool box also doubles as a "warm box" and is great for transporting a Big Mac home without it going cold!

[@fartknockers]

Clutch + DMF replacement if like the Civic MK8 can be relatively expensive to change as I believe it is the same 2.2 Diesel the MK8 used so looking at £800 or so at a Honda independent. Watch out for underbody rust on these as that can write them off. I think with a decent clutch/DMF you can stage 1 this and get 180BHP+, but that's unlikely you'd do that :) For me though this is the perfect cheap practical car which you could use for tip runs and general usage and you won't care if you scratch it a bit or someone else does. I really do like a 'beater' car and this engine maintained well is good for 300K+ miles easily. Definitely agree that this is much more trust worthy than a same period German, Volvo or Land Rover which you'd need a couple of grand spare just to look after it when it breaks. This is very unlikely to cost you a fortune in repairs as those brands almost certainly would. Civinfo is a decent forum for general chat and maintenance help with Hondas so I'd recommend signing up there if you get one.

[@stuartgibson9755]

I bought my 2005 petrol Mk2 9 years ago, now at 110,000 miles, and will be keeping it until it dies. The best car I have ever owned (notwithstanding the 25mpg fuel consumption). One thing to look out for is the rear brake calipers have a tendency to bind/sieze, so if they start making funny noises, get them looked at straight away.

[@jameshaines6529]

Thanks for reviewing the car James, it failed the mot today, however only little bits, something to keep me busy!

[@mrquad777]

Had lots of experience with these vehicles and they are great. Will say the petrols are bulletproof engines. But aren’t good on fuel. Probably max of 25MPG on a run. Surprisingly plenty of power Diesels, things to look out for are injectors leaking because of failed seals. There’s a solenoid that can fail for the turbo if I remember right of the top of my head, but can be bought readily available. When clutches fail they can be quite expensive. Alternator clutch pulleys can fail and a pain to replace and a little costly Things to look out for on both petrol and diesel. Rear diffs can judder. Easy fix, flush of the rear diff using right Honda oil. Rear springs like to snap and shocks can rust and rarely you’ll see the spring cup fail. But the big killer is rust. Seen quite a few rot out. Some need some patch repairs and others too far gone. That’s the main thing to watch out for To open rear glass there’s a button on the key. There’s also a picnic table under the boot floor

[@jeffallinson8089]

My brother in law had a 2L version from 2005 and he loved it, was very sad when he had to part company. He said it was a car that although being utilitarian, pretty much did it all.