Category: Small 4x4s 
Price Range: £19,030 to £25,130
Handling, functional appearance, reliability, punchy diesel engine
A bit plain to look at, low-rent interior
A good family purchase, though Toyota's RAV-4 range is more stylish and comes with a wider choice of variants
The second generation of Honda's CR-V incorporates a number of small, but effective, improvements. Honda doesn't pretend that the CR-V is a particularly rugged off-roader, deeming it a grass 'n' gravel machine rather than an all-out mudplugger or snowplough, but it is quite accomplished enough to meet most 4x4 buyers' needs, performs adeptly on the road, and is a practical, easy-to-own all-rounder. Front-wheel drive in normal conditions, it automatically engages all-wheel drive when slippage is detected, in both manual and automatic form. Two engines are offered, a 2.0-litre petrol and the 2.2-litre diesel as found in the Accord.
