Honda CR-V Now Most Popular SUV

The Wall Street Journal has written a story about how the Honda CR-V recently passed the Ford Explorer as the most popular SUV in America. That’s true; there have been 104,179 CR-Vs sold through June of this year, versus 74,704 Explorers. The redesigned CR-V is seeing brisk sales, but Ford isn’t necessarily losing the SUV game. It’s Escape compact SUV, including a hybrid version, has sold 92,205 vehicles in the same time frame — up from last year — and is one of the company’s best-sellers. It’s also direct competition for the CR-V. Ford has also sold 58,783 of its new Edge crossovers, which it hopes will replace the Explorer as the family transport of the future.

Is Ford in bad shape because the CR-V has taken over the top spot? Not necessarily, but being No. 1 doesn’t hurt.

Ford, Honda Cross Paths on Sales of SUVs (Wall Street Journal Via GM InsideNews)

Related
Cars.com Honda CR-V Video (YouTube)
Expert Honda CR-V Review (Cars.com)
More Honda CR-V News (KickingTires)

Comments

The CRV is butt ugly. It's amazing what Honda can get away with. If this was GM, no one would touch it.

Well IM, that is what great quality products gets you.

Way to prove your own point lm...maybe if GM had quality and reliablity, they could sell crap like the Aztec. Yeah, Honda is the only one selling butt ugly vehicles.

To test and Nic

mostly to test

The Aztec sucked, but come on, it's so true. GM makes a good car, the Japs make a not-as-good car...the Japs sell 2 times more cars.

GM is a reliable company with reliable vehicles.

If GM is so reliable, how come you never hear anyone brag about how long and how many miles they've put on their vehicles "without any major problems"? Hear it all the time with Honda, Toyota, and Subaru...

Perception of quality is often more important than quality itself. GM makes quality vehicles, that run a long time without problems, but people often don't perceive their cars as high quality due to problems the and others may have experienced with cars that were made long ago. GM makes one of the best engines ever made - the 3800 V6. It refuses to die.

Quality doesn't only involve engines, but also interior layout and other components. In the past, GM struggled to make quality interiors, but in my opinion, all of the big three have improved drastically in this area.

Do I look dumber in a vehicle that looks ugly but not easy to break down, or in a vehicle that looks okay but breaks down every once a while?

Anyway, ugly or not is subjective. I think the CR-V is decent looking, definitely not the sexiest SUV, but nowhere close to the Aztek Redezvous twins and HUMMER.

Jay and J,

I've read plently of posts on this very website of people defending their domestic cars, posting how many trouble-free miles they've driven. Many times they're written off by those who do not particularly like domestics as somewhat less intelligent for not realizing their domestic car is inferior.

The Aztek was definately not an attractive vehicle, but it was reliable, just as the CR-V is not very attractive but reliable.

Instead of defending our own favorite brands, Let's ask the all important question here. Why has Honda sold so many CR-Vs?

I can think of several reasons.

Fuel Economy

Perceived reliability (Honda has a good track record)

The drive line is smooth and refined feeling.

It handles pretty darn good.

It's reasonably priced.

It doesn't look like everyone elses Mini SUV.

Honda CRV: Most Popular Station Wagon

Honda CRV: Most Popular Station Wagon

The Toyota RAV4 smokes this in the looks department. The exterior is wicked bad. At least the interior is decent.

Yeah, I think fuel economy, quality interior, and reputation are really what keep the CR-V sales so high right now. Even with the recent refresh, the Escape interior is still a little rough.

If I were in the market for a compact SUV, I think I'd go for the RAV4, Subby Forester, or the Mitsu Outlander.

The CR-V is the prettiest vehicle I've ever seen. No one calls it ugly. The Jeep Wrangler is ugly.

cody,
Don't get me wrong. I am not saying that those domestic buyers are dumb, but I see more domestic vehicle with problems than those so called "imports".
I've rode in a friend of mine who has an Aztek, and another coworker's Rendezvous, both of the check engine light always come on after the dealer turns it off.
Tiny things like these are the problems.

Actually, the 4-door Wrangler is selling like hot cakes this summer.

What other SUV can COMPLETELY REMOVE it's top?

Seems like we might have a game changer here.

However, many more people buy for usability and practicality. The Explorer was not designed to be practical, while the CR-V was. This has been a long time coming for the Explorer- you just can't sell those with gas prices near 3$.

The Wrangler may be a 'game-changer', but I doubt that it will ever become mainstream.

J,

No worries. If you've followed my posts, and I've seen you on here quite a bit, you know I'm not an import basher. These days, I really don't think there are any "bad cars" out there. Nothing that will consistently leave you on the side of the road like back in the 70s or 80s. We're really fortunate these days I think.

I just hate to read post after post of blind, unfounded, domestics-suck posts. Over the last twenty years, my cars have split domestics and imports about 50/50, and I have had all good experiences.

Just as you sight friends with check engine lights, I can sight those without them. With today's complicated engines, failing to conduct routine maintenance can result in that. I'm not blaming your friends; I'm just saying the check engine light doesn't have the same "I'm about to seriously ruin your day" meaning it did several years ago. It could just mean your O2 sensor is bad...

At this point in the business, it's a matter of taste, and too often, the import-lovers use racism to gain moral superiority over those who favor domestics.... If someone results to hateful, stereotypical posts (regardless of whether it's considered racist or just hateful), it's still the same kind of hate we're trying to move past... sorry about venting from another post.

I wish Honda would import their station wagon to the US. I'd love to buy Honda quality, but don't want anything huge and think the CR-V is ugly. If you would like to see a Honda station wagon in the US, call their customer service and they will document it. (I just did.) It's how the Fit finally came to the US.

I think the new redesigned Honda Crv is the best looking mid suv out there compare to the others, that is why I went and got myself one, because is fun to drive,reliable,fuel economy, comfort,and overall is a HONDA;and to those people who think the Crv is ugly they have to evolve past the shoebox-looking cars they have grown used to,ex: hummer,rav4, envoy,aztec,explorer, and so many others where the engineers that designed them wake up one day look a shoe box in the closet and said I think I can design a suv around that.