Honda fans won’t be surprised to find that this powertrain does best at high revs. The five-speed automatic transmission made gear changes smoothly, though we noticed some slight hesitation from time to time. The transmission is excellent at squeezing the power from the CR-V’s four-banger, the Honda’s Grade Logic works well for piloting the CR-V up hills. The CR-V’s ride is stiff and a bit harsh, and while many people in this market want a softer ride, if you’re a CR-V owner looking to upgrade, you know what to expect. If not, the CR-V’s stiffness is balanced by feeling more connected to the road and with slightly more performance-oriented handling than is common in a compact crossover.

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