The CR-V provides a stable safety space for its occupants. The air bags worked satisfactorily in the front impact but left the driver with some risk of chest injury and his head 'bottomed out' the airbag. An otherwise good side-impact performance was marred by a rear door coming partly unlatched. The child restraints were held well by the ISOFIX mounts and top tethers, but the 18-month-old would have fared better in a rear-facing restraint. Protection for pedestrians was well engineered, making the CR-V the best vehicle tested here.
Front impact
Frontal protection proved reasonable but points behind the fascia could cause disabling leg injuries. Loads fed into the driver's lower legs that might, in other circumstances, damage his knees. The centre rear belt was a three-point type that gives superior protection to that of a lap-only belt.
Side impact
The side airbag and the vehicle structure combined well to protect the driver. But, during the test, the latch of a rear door moved from the primary to the secondary safety position (giving less protection). Honda says that it is to investigate this problem.
Child occupant
There were peel-off airbag advice labels on the centre pillar and on the windscreen ahead of the passenger but neither warned against the danger of using a rear-facing restraint on the front passenger's seat. Also, the passenger airbag cannot be switched off to remove this hazard. A rear-facing restraint would have improved protection given to the 18-month-old child because the impact forces loading his neck were extremely high in the forward-facing seat supplied. The ISOFIX seat system, restrained by a top tether, worked well in keeping the restraints in their correct positions but the instruction labels could be clearer. The restraints worked well in providing good protection to the children's heads in the frontal and side impact.
Pedestrian
The CR-V has a range of safeguards against pedestrian injury designed into its bonnet and front structures. These worked well, earning it a deserved three-star rating.