![]() (The LX trim comes with a 184-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder without turbo.) I wouldn’t say power is abundant, but it does the job. Once the CR-V does get going it’s more than serviceable, especially with the 190-horsepower, turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder that comes on higher trim levels and provides better mileage as well as more power. Just as I had to learn not to even try passing in my old diesel-powered Mercedes, I learned in the CR-V not to try diving into small gaps in traffic or - heaven forbid - turning left in front of oncoming vehicles. You won’t notice it in normal driving, but stomp on the pedal and the CR-V does practically nothing for two or three seconds, traversing just a car-length or two. What’s been the CR-V’s greatest flaw (among many, many strengths) since its 2017 redesign is that it’s remarkably poky when accelerating from a standstill. Though the CR-V wasn’t the shortest model in terms of overall length, it did have the shortest wheelbase, which can result in more body motion, all other factors being equal. I checked twice expecting to find oversized wheels, but they were just 18-inchers with Hankook Kinergy GT all-season tires. The suspension doesn’t feel unsophisticated, but it’s firmer than I want. It’s possible the CR-V’s handling benefits from a firm suspension, but the firmness also proved a liability in the Chicago area: Driving back-to-back on the same roads, the CR-V had a busier, bumpier ride than every competitor but the sloppy 2019 Nissan Rogue, with noticeable pitching motions. Such perks were notably absent in the freshly redesigned 2019 Subaru Forester, even though it has a grounded feel and excellent body control. ![]() None of the compact SUVs feel exceptionally sporty to me, partly because of their higher center of gravity, but I appreciated the CR-V’s steering feedback and precision. ![]() ![]() That’s not to say there aren’t differences that might sway you toward or away from the CR-V, so I’ll lay out what stood out most - good and bad. We rank the vehicles based on their point totals, but I and the other two judges agreed that these seven vehicles are very close in fundamental ways. The Tiguan took first place again, but it’s been updated somewhat - and none of the other models stayed still, either. What changed? Well, a lot - including some different models entirely, how all the contestants were equipped and even the judges involved - but ultimately what’s changed most is the competition in this, the heart of the U.S. This time around, the CR-V ended up in fourth place. In our past Challenge, the CR-V came in second to the Volkswagen Tiguan. We tested a CR-V Touring with all-wheel drive back-to-back against six direct competitors for our 2019 Compact SUV Challenge. The 2019 CR-V comes in four trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L and Touring, where L represents the incorporation of leather. It’s missing a few popular features, though, in an extraordinarily competitive class. Versus the competition: The Volkswagen Tiguan is more enjoyable to drive, the Jeep Cherokee has off-road capability and the Hyundai Tucson is value-packed, but the CR-V is a balanced competitor with exceptional cargo space. The verdict: An efficient, versatile SUV with a surprising appetite for cargo, it would benefit from more off-the-line power, ride comfort and an agreeable multimedia system.
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