Faults:

At around 55K the engine began making horrific sounds at cold start - 5-8 seconds. I mean loud enough that it could surely be heard several hundred feet away!

My example came from a well sourced (maintained) owner. Honda dealership was amazing and agreed to replace the defective part - a VTC actuator, which required substantial work to the engine per their reports. The small sized battery needed to be replaced after about 60K, which was fairly typical; OEM one did not seem adequate when the weather is extremely cold. Tailgate electric hardware failed about 55k as well, requiring $200 replacement.

The air conditioning no longer keeps up. Might just need a recharge.

Headlights have 'bleached out' and fogged over internally. This cannot remedied.

The black cladding also lost its color, turning a faded grey in places. But, this was correctable with the appropriate chemicals.

General Comments:

The body paint seems mediocre. Scratches very easily, and appears thin and sub-par to me. The exterior door sill cladding feels low-rent, and moves easily when say a person wants to bump off the Winter.

The design allows for snow and ice accumulation in places that prevent the car from running. I know this is with any car, but what I experienced here was far worse.

The interior is a mixed bag. While the upholstery is well constructed, the headrest placement prevents my ability to sit back properly (I just turned it backwards), and the back support is a little thin - one can feel the springs (I'm a thin build). The hard plastics leave a lot to be desired. Scratch easy and look cheap.

The ride quality depends on the road driven. A smooth road is fine, but with even minor imperfections you feel every last one. While it's not nimble, it is at a basic level secure to control.

It was not geared to slow down, and going down hill requires riding the brakes, but I drive it like a stick. The AWD struggles in snow more than 6' deep, even with top-end snow tires.

The gas mileage is outstanding. I usually achieve 25-27 in urban driving.

The heater is just adequate for a mid western Winter.

I highly maintain my cars. This one has been extremely reliable for a daily driver!

It does not come close to matching my Forester on many different criteria, but admittedly, that cost far more to drive and maintain.

General Comments:

This is my brother's car. He has two children and apparently had to have a crossover vehicle. He loves the thing. I, on the other hand, absolutely hate it and cannot for the life of me fathom how anyone could drive such a car. Even someone who needs extra cargo space. Let me explain:

First of all, it is a very ugly vehicle. I do not see how anyone could arrive at a different conclusion. My vision is 20-20. It's just extremely ugly. Bland is one thing, but bland and ugly is quite another. The CR-V is the latter...

Moving on to the interior, I could see how one could be fooled. It does make a good first impression. The controls are pretty well laid out and the plastics don't look cheap. However, I simply cannot believe how terrible the seats are. They have zero padding whatsoever, feeling very much like park benches. Driving the CR-V on a long trip amounts to torture. Your back will be very sore. When I last drove the car it had around 50,000 miles on it and the seats already looked very old. Some may say 50,000 is a lot of miles, but let's get real, this is a Honda!

Now let's talk about the driving experience itself: horrid! The ride quality is miserable. One will feel every bump in the road. The 2.4 engine is... decent but there is hesitation at lower speeds and when trying to merge or pass at higher speeds. Simply put, driving the CR-V is no fun. It's an unpleasant chore. Chores can be pleasant! But not this one. This is more like taking out the garbage on a hot day with wasps buzzing around you.

To summarize, I'm not a fan of the Honda CR-V. If one must have a crossover vehicle, he should choose something else.

Faults:

Rear hatch bottom molding came loose on one side. Plastic screw broke. Easy fix with epoxy.

General Comments:

Love it! The ride is a bit like a small truck and the seats could be softer, but not a big deal for me. It is a basic, practical, very reliable car and that is all I want. As reliable as my previous two Hondas.