Business

Car Review: 2015 Honda CR-V

Published

11 years ago

January 27, 2015

By Frank S. Washington
NNPA Columnist

NORTHVILLE, Mich. – Honda called it a major minor model change. The automaker increased the fuel economy and added another trim line to the 2015 Honda CR-V. But they also improved their best-selling entry level crossover vehicle in 60 other areas. For 2015, the Honda CR-V has a new grille, new headlights, new front bumper, new skid plate and a tweaked front suspension.

The rear end had a new fascia, new license housing and new rear bumper. It looked wider from the rear and now the crossover can be equipped with 18-inch wheels, in addition to its normal 17-inch rubber. LED running lights are also available, a power tailgate is now offered and there is an available smart key.

The interior has gone high tech, too. It had dual information screens. The center console was configurable and it could hold an iPad, large soft drink cups from fast food outlets and had easily reachable USB ports. The dash had a clean saddle bag look to it as each soft touch layer flowed down to a thin wood-like trim that spanned across its width.

The interior had a high quality look but Honda would do well to upgrade the polymer used in the frames that hold the CR-V’s climate vents. They didn’t match the quality of materials used in the rest of the interior.

Although horsepower stayed the same at 185 on the 2.4-liter aluminum alloy four cylinder engine, torque has been increased by 11 percent to 181 pound-feet. To improve fuel economy, Honda switched the CR-V from a five-speed automatic transmission to a continuously variable transmission or CVT.

The fuel consumption rating for the 2015 Honda CR-V, which went on sale in October, is 27 mpg in the city, 34 mpg on the highway, and 29 mpg combined for the front-wheel-drive model and 26 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg combined for the all-wheel-drive version.

We thought the new 2.4-liter engine ran smoothly and power was decent. Although we’ve never been a fan of a CVT, this generation of pulley-type transmission was pretty quiet at low speeds. Still, though CVTs save fuel, we question how effective they are at transmuting engine torque to power on the pavement.

Another idiosyncrasy of CVTs is that under hard acceleration they drone on with seemingly no break in the sound because they don’t shift gears. Under our heavy foot, the Honda 2015 CR-V seemed not to be moving as fast as it sounded. But a check of the speedometer and yes, we were moving swiftly.

Our test vehicle had all-wheel drive. The system was really front-wheel drive on dry pavement but it was capable of sending 20 percent of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels once any slip of the front wheels was detected.

The 2015 CR-V’s steering could have been a little tighter but the vehicle still responded to driver input quickly. When test driving so many different vehicles, it is not a bad idea to keep in mind who is the target buyer. For the 2015 Honda CR-V, it is a 32-year-old mother of two. In other words, the CR-V is not supposed to handle like a sports car or a performance sedan.

To appeal to mothers of young children, the 2015 CR-V can be equipped with the Honda Sensing system. It includes forward collision warning, a collision mitigating braking system, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control and Honda Lane watch. The lane watch system is unique, we think, to Honda. A camera at the bottom of the right side-view mirror will show on the navigation screen what is in the right hand lane when the right turn signal is activated or when a button at the tip of the turn signal stalk is pressed.

This equipment was packaged as a safety suite and safety is preeminent to most female car buyers. Honda is targeting young mothers with the 2015 CR-V and a vehicle with outstanding safety features is at the top of their shopping lists.

Prices for the 2015 Honda CR-V cover a variety of incomes. There are four trim lines: the LX, the EX, the EX-L and the Touring. A front-wheel drive LX starts at $23,320 the price range goes up to the top of the line Touring with all-wheel-drive. An EX-L starts at $32,770. Honda is putting its best tread forward, so to speak, to stay atop the entry level crossover market.

Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

Published

2 weeks ago

March 22, 2026

Oakland Post

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Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC