Honda CR-V EX - 2006 Review

My 2006 Honda Cr-V is a 4 speed standard transmission.  I really enjoy driving this and even in traffic, it doesn't become annoying to shift.   The view ahead is fabulous with small blind spots at the edges of the windshield.  The dash is comfortably laid out and easy to understand.  The seats are firm but not stiff and are comfortable for local trips.  I have experienced back fatigue on longer trips as lumbar support could be better.   Side view mirrors are nice and large and easy to adjust.

The further back you go in the car, however, the bigger the blind spots become.  I find backing up very difficult.  The rear window is set rather high and I am short: a bad mix when trying to back out of a parking space without incident.   Part of the reason for the high back window is the spare tire being mounted there and I am very glad to see that's changed for the 2007 model. 

I am thoroughly disgusted with the lights in this car.  I've replaced the headlight bulbs twice already.  The dome light is broken ~ I haven't had it looked at yet.  When the dome light did work, it automatically dimmed and went off way too soon.  30 seconds is not long enough to put a toddler into a carseat and buckle up in under 30 seconds.  The rear barn style door is poorly balanced and hard to close tight.  The sensor for that door needs to be replaced again.  Any time I don't slam the door, the sensor thinks it's still open and the rear interior light comes on.   If I ignore the warning signal that my headlights are left on, they do not shut off after a period of time resulting in a dead battery.  I expected much better from Honda but I am disappointed.

One quick mention about the anchors for carseats.  They are located on the roof in the cargo area in back.  Initially, I had a hard time properly securing my child's Britax Marathon carseat.  Once I figured that if I stood on the back bumper and pulled on the carseat anchor strap, I could get it properly snug.  A little practice made perfect for me.  And it definitely removes any seat wiggling around, properly protecting my precious cargo.  I had to remove the headrest to place the carseat in but it is nicely and quietly stowed in the space below the table in the cargo area. 

The cargo area in this car is very spacious.  Mine has the optional rubber tray that goes on top of the carpet.  It's a wonderful option as it has contained a few wet and dry spills already.  Under the carpet is a card table that comes with this car and under that table is a cavernous storage space.  A little bit tough to get at in a hurry as you have several layers to lift.  It holds TONS of stuff.

One feature of this car I've grown to hate is the interior color of solid black.  Every single grain of sand, bit of dust or any other kind of dirt shows.  The nooks and crannies all over this vehicle make it next to impossible to give it a quick vaccuum and have it look clean again.  Cleaning the interior of this car is a major project.  Do not buy a solid black interior Cr-V, or a Honda for that matter, if you want your car to look clean with minimal effort on your part. 

Another problem with this car is road noise.  With the windows up and the radio off I have a hard time conversing with my 4 year old.  I am tired of saying to him. "Speak up, Mommy can't hear you."  I am not deaf but the road noise is deafening!

This car has 4 wheel disc brakes which stop on half a dime.  Love them.  Side curtain airbage protect the rear passengers and since I have kids was very important to me.  2nd generation airbags in front are another added safety feature I'm happy to have.  The steering wheel adjusted perfectly to suit me, all 5'3" of me and at the proper distance from my body.  That's a tough order because of my stature.

All in all, would I recommend this car?  Mechanically I would say yes.  Comfort related yes again.  But while the things that have gone wrong with this car are relatively minor issues, all combined have annoyed me to no end.   It's not safe to hit the unlock button on my fob and not have a light come on (security) before I enter the car when leaving a shopping center at night. Safety is huge in my book and that was one of the major reasons I bought this car in the first place.So overall, I do not recommend a 2006 Cr-v.