The 2016 Honda CR-V Touring that could… and did

When we got 2016 Honda CR-V Touring, we knew we’d be heading out on a car-enthusiast drive later that weekend. At first, the idea of bringing a small SUV to a meet with Porsche, Nissan GT-Rs, Jaguars, and other manner of sport and fast cars was idiotic, then laughable, then eagerly anticipated.

Let me tell you: Driving the 2016 Honda CR-V Touring at the Seattle Cars & Coffee ended up being the most awesome thing ever. No, seriously.

First of all, it was relaxing to be in and filled with creature comforts.

The seats were leather-trimmed and well-heated (no wuss-heaters here), the driver had a 10-way power seat (boon for me), and the steering wheel and shift knob were both leather-wrapped. Bolstering in the seats kept both of us planted firmly while laughing raucously around some pretty body roll-alicious corners.

We used the in-car navigation to get to our first destination of the day (Peet’s Coffee near Whole Foods just off highway 520 in Redmond), but we used my phone’s Google Maps app loaded with the route for the rest of the day (don’t ask me how we got lost, we weren’t the one in front!). It was connected via Bluetooth to the CR-V Touring’s 7-speaker premium audio system seemlessly giving streamed navigation cues well before needed.

The test-mule 2016 Honda CR-V Touring came with a 7-inch touchscreen display with Honda’s satellite-linked Navigation, voice recognition, rear-view camera, USB ports and AUX inputs, and AM/FM/XM radio. Other amenities included a power moon roof, Honda’s LaneWatch, push-button start, HomeLink system, dual-zone climate, a power tailgate, and more!

Split folding rear seats could fold all the way down for greater cargo space; 37.2 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 70.9 cu.ft. with the rear seats down (though there was no cargo rolling around during the drive).

The rear seating area had heating ducts to the rear seats to ensure they stayed warm and a fold-down arm rest with cup holders. Entertainment for rear-seat passengers would have to come from conversing with other occupants or looking at ancillary devices.

The second reason it was the best car to take to Seattle Cars & Coffee is that it was a surprise. To me, to you, to others in the road who had no idea this innocuous sleeper was part of the Tour DeFast.

As we left Peet’s Coffee, the leather-wrapped shift knob on the 2016 Honda CR-V Touring was put into S Mode, which I can only surmise means ‘sport’, and unleashed all the horsepower the SUV could make. While cars around me were pushing 300, 400… 500 horsepower, we weren’t.

The 2016 Honda CR-V Touring comes with the 2.4L DOHC Earth Dreams 4-cylinder engine and kept up with much more powerful vehicles while having 185 horsepower. And, yes, were bouncing off the CVT’s RPM red band pretty quickly and often, and there weren’t any ‘manual’ inputs to the CVT, either. Our driving was all automatic transmission, baby. The AWD kept us on the road extremely well, sometimes to the displeasure of the tires, while the 2016 CR-V’s slew of traction and stability controls did their best around some very nice hairpins and longer curves.

However, we weren’t really using the 2016 CR-V as Honda intended, so take that as it is… How often are you going to be driving your Honda CR-V Touring in a spirited fashion with exotics, hundred thousand dollar luxuries, and sports cars? Probably about as often as you get to say ‘We followed the wrong Ferrari’ (which we also did).

For all the lack of power compared to those in front, for lack of a sport suspension, for lack of turbos or superchargers, the group of sports cars we were driving with weren’t losing the 2016 Honda CR-V Touring anytime soon.

Get us all out to the track and they’d be doing laps around the 2016 CR-V Touring. Nay, they’d be doing doughnuts while doing laps around it (imagine the skill and gumption!), but this wasn’t a track. It was a road. Just a normal road (with curves).

And the 2016 Honda CR-V Touring performed magnificently. Pure and simple.

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Which leads me to the third and final reason why I loved driving the 2016 Honda CR-V Touring on the Seattle Cars & Coffee.

Not only did we enjoy the 2016 Honda CR-V Touring, so did the others who were there. While some walked off depressed when I told them my days’ ride, others got the humor. There were cat calls while waiting to leave the original meetup, there were comments of shock and wonder at the first stop, there were laughing fits within the car while en-route to lunch, and there were pictures of victory prior to parting ways.

Put another way: there were good memories made with the 2016 Honda CR-V. The key to a good road trip and a good vehicle.

When we were done having fun with the big boys and finished with the quick lunch stop in Duvall, we traveled home in comfort after setting the adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist. While one kept the throttle steady, the other kept the CR-V Touring in the center of the lane and even started around corners (though, it does eventually flash a ‘steering required’ warning if it thinks there aren’t steering inputs).

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All in all, the 2016 Honda CR-V is an impressive machine with capabilities far beyond what I’d expected from the small SUV featuring all-wheel drive. With an MRSP $33,245 ($34,145 as driven), the 2016 Honda CR-V is a strong contender for vehicles twice its price.

To test drive a 2016 Honda CR-V Touring, please visit your local Honda dealership!