[hwaki]

I was searching for 2015 CR-V review, and was surprised see this test for 2012-2014 CR-V AWD.

"Attention All Honda Owners: Your 4x4 CR-V Might Not Be A 4x4 After All"
http://www.carthrottle.com/attention-all-honda-owners-your-4x4-crv-might-not-be-a-4x4-after-all/

My first thought was they tested with FWD CR-V and saying CR-V's AWD don't perform as it should be.

I am looking forward to buy a 2015 CR-V Touring AWD (in Canada all non-LX only comes with AWD anyway) - but looking at this AWD test I am wondering why pay $2k more for the AWD.

All 2012-2014 CR-V AWD owner - what is your experience with the AWD when really needed?

 

[hwaki]

Just noticed the other post on the same test report.
Moderator can you please delete this thread or merge to the other thread. Thanks.

 

[ktownbobski]

Hhmmm . . interesting. Here's something that Subaru put together presumably as a sales tool.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0_MXK2nzt2Y

Obviously the issue the OP points out seems to apply to ALL AWD type vehicles and is not anything unique to the CRV. It seems to me that the carthrottle.com test and the Subaru video (both predicated on the vehicles being stopped on an incline) simulate situations akin to plowing through mud or snow from a standing start. I understand Subaru's motivation, not so sure about carthrottle.com's? I don't think any of these vehicles are really designed for that application and owners should not expect those capabilities. For that a true 4WD (either full or part time) is the right system. Having said that . . and granted I'm not a CR-V owner (yet) . . I suspect the CR-V AWD system works perfectly fine, and as described in all the product information, under typical rolling driving conditions . . as I suspect it is designed for . . and is likely the primary and most important application for the vast majority of owners. Just sayin'.

 

[hwaki]

In the http://www.carthrottle.com/attention-all-honda-owners-your-4x4-crv-might-not-be-a-4x4-after-all/ test, CR-V was compared with a Ford Escape/Kuga ( @ 1:17, which was able to pass the test). And it was not Subaru.

 

[streetmechanix]

this testing is flawed it is not testing the way honda's awd system operates

 

[ktownbobski]

In the http://www.carthrottle.com/attention-all-honda-owners-your-4x4-crv-might-not-be-a-4x4-after-all/ test, CR-V was compared with a Ford Escape/Kuga ( @ 1:17, which was able to pass the test). And it was not Subaru.

Yes I know the carthrottle.com video does that, but the video I pointed out in my post above is one done by Subaru comparing their vehicles against several other AWD vehicles 'including the CR-V' and they all functioned the same way as the CR-V . . that is my point. I suppose there might be something different about the Escape, I don't know or really even care but if so great, but the Subaru video shows all the other AWD vehicles in that video as operating the same as the CR-V. Is that clearer?

 

[hwaki]

^^ @ ktownbobski, yes it is clear.
I have seen few other youtube videos today (as suggested/related to above videos) - in all praising Subaru's AWD. Those are basically Subaru's paid ads.

@ streetmechanix, agree with you.
In general most CUV's AWD should be adequate for 95% of the owners, who will never take their CUV off-road - just for better handling in paved road in snow/ice/rain...

 

[ktownbobski]

^^ @ ktownbobski, yes it is clear.
I have seen few other youtube videos today (as suggested/related to above videos) - in all praising Subaru's AWD. Those are basically Subaru's paid ads.

@ streetmechanix, agree with you.
In general most CUV's AWD should be adequate for 95% of the owners, who will never take their CUV off-road - just for better handling in paved road in snow/ice/rain...

+1 . . because I don't knowhow to make the 'thumbs-up' emoticon lol

 

[13CRVEXLKC]

this testing is flawed it is not testing the way honda's awd system operates

Are you referring tho the video you posted?

If that is the case, do you have a video showing the Honda system working as it is supposed to work?

 

[13CRVEXLKC]

I was searching for 2015 CR-V review, and was surprised see this test for 2012-2014 CR-V AWD.

"Attention All Honda Owners: Your 4x4 CR-V Might Not Be A 4x4 After All"
http://www.carthrottle.com/attention-all-honda-owners-your-4x4-crv-might-not-be-a-4x4-after-all/

My first thought was they tested with FWD CR-V and saying CR-V's AWD don't perform as it should be.

I am looking forward to buy a 2015 CR-V Touring AWD (in Canada all non-LX only comes with AWD anyway) - but looking at this AWD test I am wondering why pay $2k more for the AWD.

All 2012-2014 CR-V AWD owner - what is your experience with the AWD when really needed?

My experience with the 07 I had, was the system was just Ok nothing to brag about, the 13 I currently have is, or appeared to be worse than the 07. I put dedicated snow tires on the 13 after the first snow we had last winter, even with the dedicated snow tires the performance was less than ideal.

After watching the Swedish video, I will be checking my 13 at the first snow. The performance after installing the winter tires last season was still less than I expected, maybe this thing is operating in the same mode, primarily FWD even when there is slippage from the front wheels.

 

[ktownbobski]

M

My experience with the 07 I had, was the system was just Ok nothing to brag about, the 13 I currently have is, or appeared to be worse than the 07. I put dedicated snow tires on the 13 after the first snow we had last winter, even with the dedicated snow tires the performance was less than ideal.

After watching the Swedish video, I will be checking my 13 at the first snow. The performance after installing the winter tires last season was still less than I expected, maybe this thing is operating in the same mode, primarily FWD even when there is slippage from the front wheels.

See post #8 in the "how to test the AWD in the 4th Gen" thread.

 

[ehsieh]

Are you referring tho the video you posted?

If that is the case, do you have a video showing the Honda system working as it is supposed to work?

This one?
2014 Honda CR-V SNOWY Off-Road Review on Everyman Driver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6O85Bm62Cw

 

[13CRVEXLKC]

This one?
2014 Honda CR-V SNOWY Off-Road Review on Everyman Driver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6O85Bm62Cw

You tell me.

 

[canyon]

The swedish results at http://teknikensvarld.se/honda-cr-vs-fyrhjulsdrift-ur-funktion-igen-163697/ are more severe for CR-V than the text of the english website version says [post #1]. I here interpret directly from the swedish site:

“We tested the 20 most popular 4x4 middle class SUV:s” “We first simulated the scenario with extreme no-friction ice – blackice.” [very much feared by all winter drivers – and the reason why some get a 4x4 vehicle; and also the most severe when driving off-road – if you get no front wheel friction, you want a 4wd system to save you]. “The no-friction rolls were placed under front and rear wheels axle-wise, as well as cross-wise.” “ALL tested cars except the CR-V 2.2 i-DTEC passed the first test where the front wheels stood on simulated blackice. Instead of getting SOME force to the rear wheels with grip, the CR-V front wheels continued to spin freely. The CR-V’s awd system very clearly got into a “coma” from the first millisecond – the rear wheels were completely still without any trace of movement in the correct direction. After 15-20 seconds, the CR-V instead glided off the rolls.”
“We re-tested in a garage. The Ford Kuga was chosen for reference. Again, the CR-V remained spinning on the rolls, and finally glided off the rolls backwards. The Kuga reacts AS EXPECTED for a 4wd – it distributed the power immediately [after about 1/8 turn of the front wheels] to the wheels with traction and effortlessly continued the ride forwards.” “We have had the CR-V as test winner and favourite for several years, but when gen. 4 was introduced, we (and other testers) directly discovered that something was very wrong with the 4wd driveline – with front wheels in trouble, no force was transferred to the rear wheels.”

Honda’s explanation says in principle that transfering power to the rear wheels in this simulation would result in overheating and is thus not even tried by the system. Ford Kuga designers have obviously not heard of such a weak 4wd system.

 

[canyon]

See also http://www.crvownersclub.com/forums/14-problems-issues/20682-limitations-crv-awd-system-3.html, especially posts #21-

And this Subaru-video linked in that thread, confirming the CR-V's inability when front wheels have no friction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OzK-oRPCbs

And we have this, which at least doesn't show that CR-V is the worst: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_MXK2nzt2Y

But the swedish testers wrote: “We tested the 20 most popular 4x4 middle class SUV:s” .... “ALL tested cars except the CR-V 2.2 i-DTEC passed the first test where the front wheels stood on simulated blackice. Instead of getting SOME force to the rear wheels with grip, the CR-V front wheels continued to spin freely."

 

[canyon]

this testing is flawed it is not testing the way honda's awd system operates

Still, it seems to show a rather realistic situation (although maybe unusual for common off-road driving) in a very steep uphill, WITHOUT ice or snow.! In that situation at least, the CR-V seems very inferior to the Subaru full time AWD. The alternative is that the video is rigged and totally false, e.g. the driver deliberately handle the CR-V to produce an unrealistic behaviour.

 

[canyon]

Also check the video of post #28 here: http://www.crvownersclub.com/forums/30-off-beaten-path/21656-crv-abuse-3.html#post287337

The sand pit may in some respects be similar to severe slippery snow conditions.

at 10:50, the CR-V gets stuck seemingly without any rear wheel motion. Video speaker confirms that alarm of overheating came WITHOUT ANY REAR WHEEL MOVEMENT.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=M3oZSntJBOA

 

[ktownbobski]

The common element in all these tests is that they are done from 'a standing start with some wheels (generally the front) having no traction and the rear wheels having resistance'. In real life driving scenarios this situation is very rare indeed. I suspect that even in the Subaru linked video test, if all the vehicles were to approach the steep hill at a very slow rolling speed and not come to a dead stop half way up the hill, their respective AWD systems would all do just fine. I don't think anyone questions the legendary performance associated with the Subaru 4WD system, and yes these tests do show the different capabilities of the various systems 'for this specific application', but any tests predicated on the basic set-up of these tests don't accurately test most AWD systems and their ability to perform as they are deaigned to . . which is clearly to distribute power to all 4 wheels when the front drive wheels loose traction during rolling driving conditions. Subaru 4WD and other AWD systems all seem to have different design criteria based on the design objectives of the various manufacturers, and I suggest that they all probably perform perfectly fine based on their design criteria. Just MHO.

 

[arcticfire]

I believe it's a software problem with the early 4th Gen CR-V's and Honda admitted this. There's plenty of videos of 2014 ones going off-road with ease. The video above shows the 3rd Gen CR-V which uses a Dual Pump AWD system and not electronic so won't have this problem.

 

[13CRVEXLKC]

The common element in all these tests is that they are done from 'a standing start with some wheels (generally the front) having no traction and the rear wheels having resistance'. In real life driving scenarios this situation is very rare indeed. I suspect that even in the Subaru linked video test, if all the vehicles were to approach the steep hill at a very slow rolling speed and not come to a dead stop half way up the hill, their respective AWD systems would all do just fine.

I don't believe it is as rare as you portray, a prime example is when an intersection on an incline becomes glazed over, generally in the early stages following a snow event. A combination of the heat coming off of vehicles while sitting and the loss of traction by some, create a condition where you change from a snow packed roadway to a sheet of ice. At some point you get to crawl onto the ice while waiting your turn to proceed. Many times you have to come to a complete stop waiting for those ahead of you to advance.

I don't think anyone questions the legendary performance associated with the Subaru 4WD system, and yes these tests do show the different capabilities of the various systems 'for this specific application', but any tests predicated on the basic set-up of these tests don't accurately test most AWD systems and their ability to perform as they are deaigned to . . which is clearly to distribute power to all 4 wheels when the front drive wheels loose traction during rolling driving conditions. Subaru 4WD and other AWD systems all seem to have different design criteria based on the design objectives of the various manufacturers, and I suggest that they all probably perform perfectly fine based on their design criteria. Just MHO.

There isn't any condition where the CRV and likely many of the others will ever deliver power to all four wheels.

My third gen. CRV performed better in winter conditions than my 4th gen., even after the third gen had it's tires replace with a set of sport/performance type tires.