Does anyone have experience of towing with this vehicle please ?
We are thinking of 2017 onward. Please only reply about petrol CRVs.
I know diesel is better for towing, as we have had diesels in the past, but our present Sharan is over 17 years old, and we now only do 4-5 thousand miles, and towing is a small % of those miles.
We tow a Swift Challenger Sport 442 with a MTPLM of 1,239 Kgs.
I've looked at the CRV as an option but the model changes in 2018 and the 2.0 petrol becomes a hybrid with a low towing limit so not suitable for towing a caravan. However the 1.5 petrol still has a kerb weight over 1500kg and has a tow limit of 1500kg.
It might be worth considering the 1.5 or the last of the 2.0 petrol earlier models.
I had also considered the 1.5 turbo petrol, but the relative simplicity of the 2 litre petrol CRV, with its normally aspirated engine, seemed a good choice, as in less to go wrong.
This site, https://towcar.info/reviews.php?merk=Honda&serie=CR-V, did show that some people had used the petrol variant as a tow car, but I just wanted some more opinions.
Another option was the 2 litre petrol Mazda CX5, but I have not discounted other turbo petrol SUVs such as the Hyundai Tucson.
I'm not 100% sure, but I think the CR V uses a CVT gearbox. You'll get conflicting advice ref this, but some CVT gearboxes are not great under the kind of loads imposed when towing. I'd advise checking this and satisfying yourself. Or, consider a manual version.
More specifically, the 2.0 VTEC CVT produces 150 BHP which is OK but only 189 N/M of Torque, but worse still at 4300 rpm. Personally, that'd be enough to put me right off. Again, others will disagree.
Incidently, I have the same 'van as you. Up until last Aug I was towing with either an Audi a6 allroad (3.0 V6 Tdi 270 bhp 700 nm) and then an S4 avant with 350 bhp and even more pulling power.My S4 was stolen so I decided to go for a less "interesting" car. My Skoda Karoq 2.0 tdi 150 bhp and about 300 n/m pulls the little Swift about 80-90% as well as the two Audi's.
Maybe consider a petrol turbo more suited to towing? Perhaps a VW Tiguan or maybe a Volvo XC40?
When I put "Honda CRV as tow car" into Google, the reviews on the petrol version are generally good, but do say that the gears need to be used a great deal on long hills. My thinking is that the auto, (1,500 KGS max limit), would solve that problem, and, after 20 odd years, I prefer autos.
The reviews of the CVT box are generally good, if serviced regularly, which is what I do.
"Maybe consider a petrol turbo more suited to towing? Perhaps a VW Tiguan or maybe a Volvo XC40?"
The simplicity of the petrol CRV does appeals to me, (as I tend to keep cars for a long time), but I have not discounted the above cars, nor the 2 litre petrol version of the car you have.
Just wish I could test drive a petrol CRV with our van hooked up.
Very impressed with this caravan. Nine years old and looks like new.
A credit to the previous owner.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Honda CRV. 2 litre petrol auto
via mobile 07/7/2023 at 7:38am
