Honda CR-V RD1 (1997-2001)

PROBLEMS GALORE – Obviously I must have bought a lemon in 2019 because it's spent more time in the garage or at the mechanics than out on the road. it's 2021 and I could have bought 2 more with the $8000 I've spent on it. At 320,000km it should be owing another 80,000kms by now. 2 water pumps, stem seals, new shocks, cv's, rotors twice, entire cooling system… Read more

replaced, air control valve nightmare, starter motor, 2 rocker cover gaskets, rear main seal, all engine mounts, drivers door lock actuator nightmare....the list goes on! it's a 2000 model with a GUTLESS 2L engine. I tried towing a small trailer with it and it couldn't handle it, now I'm told the transmission is on its way out. I'm totally over this car and next week driving down to Brisbane to buy a new car. I'll never buy Honda again. Just stick with a Toyota or Lexus

Pretty nice car – Plenty of power, great handling, roomy enough to fit four people and their gear comfortably. We bought an old 2000 manual with 200,000 km on it from a mates son which sucks a bit of oil through the valve stem seals on deceleration. Apart from the occasional oil smell and horrible clutch it's not a bad car. OK for $2500 bought 5 years ago and still… Read more

going. Done oil and filter changes, but I don't think the timing belt has ever been replaced but it's still going strong. It might die one day but for $2500 I don't care. Also, the car makes the dreaded diff squeal but only whilst doing U turns and such. I bought replacement diff fluid but I'm too lazy to change it. Did have a rain water leak which I fixed by making a shield over the fan as per the You tube video. Rear seats fold up, just enough room to lay down if the leave the tailgate open. Recommend an auto over the manual, but if I saw a nice low km, manual I would buy another. Transmission is a little notchy but at least it's a positive shift. The suspension bushes are a little worn now which will be the main cost as it will need repairing shortly. Good, reliable Japanese car, I'm not a Honda person but these CRV's are quite OK. Car reviewers complained about lack of power but they must be used to not paying for fuel themselves as I find this Honda 2 litre engine powerful and fuel efficient.

This is a great little car ! – Such a nice card to drive. It’s a very roomy car and despite its age, it isn’t all that out dated. The one major thing I would point out that I don’t like though is that the horn is shocking. How am I meant to signal people with a pathetic horn like mine ! It also guzzles fuel, at $75 to fill up and about 6.5 hours driving out of it.  Show details

Love my car – I recently purchased a 2001 model crv and absolutely love it it has heaps of room love the electric sunroof and the fact it has a picnic table in the boot it is also the cheapest suv i've owned as far as fuel cosumtion goes Would recomend the honda crv for a great all round family car  Show details

Interesting for all purposes – This has so many really great features, firstly, i really enjoyed the fact that it came to me with delivery! After driving it for a few weeks i noticed that it also had quite a lot of space to fit all my "grocery's". it also has really great gas per mile ratio which is perfect for me because to get to work i drive to bridges and building away from… Read more

my home. this is all purpose and doesn't look suspicious which helps again with my job (I'm a demolition expert)

Very reliable, starting to look like a classic – Almost 20 years since bought new in Japan. Perfect maintenance has given me perfect performance. Always starts first time. Good going through rough roads and heavy snow with winter tyres. In the summer I use all-season tyres which are noisier on the highway but excellent on rough roads. Fuel consumption not great, around 7km per litre town, 10.5km… Read more

per litre highway. Hardish ride but the car drives incredibly smoothly on the highway. Due to age the rubbers are starting to go (engine mountings and rear suspension boots done) and there are a couple of rust spots. 2.0L engine gives enough power for pretty much anything and very good for accelerating onto the highway. If any gripes then the gearbox is not great accelerating out of a corner (tends to miss a gear lowdown) but that is minor really. Still going smoothly and totally reliably, and after 20 years (but only 100,000km) I have no intentions of buying something else but when I do the new CRVs are not on my list, as they are not that attractive and have no improvement in fuel consumption. It would be great if they did some drive options, such as manual 4WD and lockup (which the Nissan X-Trail has).

great suv – Bought it cheap from lovely people that wanted to get rid of the vehicle since they are moving interstate. Great SUV. Decent space for pram, child seat and toys. Can climb a steep rocky hill which 2 wheel drive could not. Can be a light duty 4x4. Mine is manual, you can play with gears and be gentle with the throttle so that the tyres will not… Read more

slip. 2 litre petrol engine, decent economy, decent power, decent speed/acceleration. I suppose you can loose your driver's license on this one too if you drive like a idiot.

Fantastic car even now 16 years on – I have always been a Mitsubishi man but a friend of mine loves Honda, I decided to have a look being swayed by the Mazda tribute and Nissan Xtrail. But after having a drive I was hooked, there is something about the entire CRV that just makes sense, the driving position, the way the doors make that noise when you close them, the rear space with… Read more

the picnic table, it just all makes sense. Mechanically my CRV was mistreated by its first owner but it was still strong, it was running rough so the usual maintenance like spark plugs and oil and transmission oil fixed up the lot and is running like a dream even at over 200,000klms. It a great size but a little squishy in the rear seats for adults, in the front however more then enough room, the added arm rests are a bonus and well used. Things that go wrong are sway bar links, sway bar bushings, front door locks, catalytic converter, and the clock. All of these are easy to fix but they are common with CRV's.

Power wise they are fine, going uphill is hard and you have to mash the pedal to the floor but general driving is fine. The engine is a solid unit but you will need to factor in valve adjustment with big services as they are not auto adjusted, on forums there are alot of these CRV's with well over 300,000 on the ODO and still going great.

All in all they are a great compact suv with a real time 4wd system and light on fuel.

I have never been stuck on a trail with it so they are capable but not on rough country trails as they were not designed for it but the 4wd system does work well, there are many videos on youtube to prove that.

Solid little car, a little gutless perhaps – My wife has owned this car for many years now and its been rock solid in terms of reliability. It has had a few issues such as warped front rotors but this is apparently an issue with many hondas of that era. I bought new disks and pads, fitting them myself for $150. The roll bar bushes were worn heavily and making a heavy clunk which were… Read more

replaced as well as the end links. These were replaced with parts sent from Britain quite cheaply. Make sure the auto fluid is changed regularly, honda never specified a fluid change interval but many people on forums are changing the fluid every 20000-30000kms or every third oil change and in extreme cases every oil change. Its quite expensive as its a full synthetic automatic transmission fluid but it doesn't hold much and is worked hard. Make sure it meets the honda ATF Z1 specification, Honda updated the specs because of transmission failures in America to a full synthetic. Nulon Full Synthetic Multi Vehicle Automatic Transmission Fluid meets the spec and was cheaper that the honda stuff and easily available. The rear diff can also give problems and require genuine honda "double pump fluid" as it is a unique design and should probably be changed around 100000kms. The diff is a limited slip diff but with a hydraulic mechanism built into it, and if the fluid has been neglected the car can scrub the tyres turning. Torn engine mounts have been replaced also be replaced with aftermarket parts. Change the timing belt on schedule also as these will be expensive if they break. Make sure the car has Honda Blue coolant or another zero silicate coolant that meets the honda Type 2 coolant spec as the radiator can get clogged if coolant is mixed. Door central locking mechanisms also give up eventually but are cheap and take a couple of hours to change. Sunroofs can have problems and stop working eventually. Great car really with some unique features such as many cup holders, rear picnic table, rear wet items storage and a rear cigarette lighter. Many of the engines rubber seals were quite degraded over time and a rocker cover gasket and sump gasket needed to be changed on my car to stop oil weeping. Make sure this is done as the oil can drip on the exhaust causing a potential fire. The brakes required genuine brake fluid which i used which should be changed regularly. The honda power steering system is unique also and required HPSO "Honda Power steering Oil", using other power steering fluids can cause serious damage and many people have learned the hard way. I use castrol GTX 15w-50 which seem good enough and change regulary, anything of a lower weight and she seemed to drink it. The oil filter is difficult to reach as its at the back of the engine but a cheap filter tool from ebay solved that. The rubber air intake tube can get cracks in it also as mine did after a few years which i repaired with some silicone repair tape. The oxygen sensor in the exhaust will need replacing after a 150000km and some reports have said they experienced slightly better fuel economy after doing this. Overall Great car which is bulletproof if you maintain it.

I love my 2001 classic for all the reasons that i have read here....but the main reason that this mo – I bought mine in 2009 when it had done 48,000kms. It had been well serviced but used only as a shopping trolley. I had my mechanic go all over it despite the fact that the next service was not due. Even though I have it it serviced every 10,000kms, I also have the oil and filter changed every 5,000kms. Can't go wrong with any vehicle if you do… Read more ·  2

that. My only gripe is that the power steering is a little heavy compared to other CRV's. So next service I'm having the steering oil replaced to the recommended Honda fluid. Couldn't be happier as a previous owner of many cars.

Good and comfy – I bought the CRV nearly 2 years ago and still very happy with it. It is very simple but functional for me. Big boot and plenty of pockets and the space in between the front seat is fantastic for me. The only down side for me was that I had a problem with the breaks leaking fluid. When I noticed it I went to Honda dealer. Honda struggled to… Read more

repair it, and when I collected the car I noticed there was a click happening when steering one side. This was because during repair they bent one of the break tube and this was scratching against the steering system. And they didn't notice. I guess that this problem could be accountable to the previous owner or just the 14 years of age.

Other than that, the car is average economic to run, easy to drive, comfortable and I like the fact that this model is not overcomplicated with too much electronics in it. simple and functional, big boot.

Excellent as Town Car, and for Weekend Camping – Bought new late 2000, absolutely zero problems 2 litre engine ok to tow camper trailer Perth ro Esperance including some dirt roads Not the most stable car on gravel roads, a little top heavy Some easy off road ability with high ground clearance. Not good for rough stuff but if there is a firm level track you will get through. Limited 4wd… Read more ·  2

ability, not so good on steep inclines or soft sand or deep mud

We now have the 2006 2.4 litre model, has more power but the 2000 model much better for camping and dirt roads. 2006 model has poor ground clearance Reliable, very practical shape, easy in traffic, high seating position. Black plastic bumpers do not scratch

Outstanding quality reliability and resale value – This car has a bullet proof well engineered engine that has given outstanding performance and reliability. The body is sound and the ride is appropriate. The seats are comfortable and the overall package is well manufactured. All members of the family are happy with this robust machine that is always ready to go Quality and reliability External spare wheel Show details

Got nothing to complain about – I've always driven Toyota till I bought the lil 2001 CRV 2 years ago. Apart from having to replace the radiator soon after I bought it 2nd hand (car dealer wouldn't put through warranty), I've had no problems at all. Very happy with it. It's been well looked after before I got it (78,000klms only), and I'll look after it now because reliability is… Read more

as good as Toyota and better money value Roomy. Excellent on fuel. Easy to drive. Reliable! Yes, it's just a little noisy on the road, but good quality tyres helps with that

Honda cr-v sport 2001 – Gold metallic gotta b the best colour always looks good especially with the dark tints. Very easy to drive and maintain, no problems so far on 155000 km. Purchased mine in 2005 for the family run around trips to the stables and school runs etc hasn't let us down and has been bullet proof even with the two labs in the back! Yea a bit noisy on the… Read more

freeway compared to my other car but we all feel safe and the usability and reliability has stopped us selling it thus far. Higher driving position, great reliability, fuel consumption, paint job, bullet proof interior, built in roof rack.. Noisy on the freeway and reverse gear requires lots of revs.

Undeserving of such a high rating – 1996 Honda CRV 2.0 lt automatic with 175000kms I bought a 2nd hand 1996 model. I really am a Toyota devotee but lost my way here. Cosmetically the car is in fantastic condition, and a very practical little car. Economical and quite powerful 2.0 lt petrol engine. If only Honda could learn to build a decent automatic transmission. Slips when… Read more

changing gear, not a gearbox the specialists speak favorably of.

Transmission specialist quoted $2500 - $3000 for new transmission but said it may still do the same thing as is a common fault.

It has done higher kms however compared to a Toyota of same age and mileage this auto is just rubbish.

It doesn't even have a removable pan to service the filters built into it like any other tranny.

These were built to last 50 to 100,000 kms and then recycled.

If this had a manual box it'd be perfect. Functional interior, economical and spacious inside. Auto transmission rubbish and lets down an otherwise excellent car.

The Best Built Compact SUV Ever! – My family had owned the 1998 model of CRV since 2000, until now 2011 it has served many years of reliable motoring. It looks small from the outside, but no doubt when you fold the rear seats flat down, you can fit anything from one of those huge rear 44 inch rear projections to a two seater couch (both extreme cases with the tailgate fully… Read more ·  1

closed). Its interior was back in the days was way ahead of its time, it still looks reasonable compared to the newly released cars of today. Its interior, unlike some cars built these days is very durable and easy to clean and hard to scratch. Although, its 10 stack cd player did break down and I replaced it with an OEM Honda in dash cd player. Its OEM speaker system cant be faulted, it delivers excellent sound quality with full bass and surround. Speaking of safety it is excellent, it had recently was involved in a heavy crash with a toyota corolla, the corolla half-destroyed and written off, whilst the crv only had to get a front bumper replaced, front head lights replaced as well as both the passenger and driver airbags replaced, whilst I came out of the accident completely non-injured, just shocked. The CRV saved my LIFE! Thank you Honda engineers! Speaking of fuel economy, it is very efficient in fuel, I have had my relatives in the car driving from Melbourne airport back to the eastern suburbs, and it only had 1/4 of its tank left, the relatives said it we wouldn't make it; but we indeed made it even with some fuel left over (the fuel indicator had not even showed yet). Even at over 150000 Ks on the clock, the crv still starts at first ignition like new! All electrics are still perfectly working as newly bought. But the major thing I had to replace on it was the radiator. And last but not least, the passengers do not get cramped/left-over space for their leg room (unlike Toyota's 1st and 2nd gen RAV4); the engineers have left very roomy space for the rear passengers' ride. I am still amazed at it now, even though it is more than a decade old. Reading the other reviews, I don't see how its loud at all! For normal driving on roads, I hardly hear the engine running whilst driving it, unless I rev it up. =P However, on steep hills you need to let go of the accelerator at the top of the hill to let it change gears whilst going down hill (less loud). Freeway driving, it seems to be a little-slow compared to a few cars, but perhaps they are speeding! I have kept my CRV well maintained and garaged, its motor still looks like new. I guess you can't expect ANY car to be reliable if you treat it badly. I love my CRV! Reliable, efficient, very safe, cheap servicing, very fuel economical, Japanese quality, built to last, very roomy. More seat padding for the driver and passenger seats, no rear park sensors (im probs asking too much for a 13 y.o car)

Excellent – I had a 2000 CRV and I loved it and wish I'd never sold it. It is great to drive, both around town and on the highway. There is plenty of room inside. The seats were comfortable and the back seats were easy to fold down. I never had any problems at all with it. It was easy to get in and out of and your overall vision around the vehicle was… Read more

great. The only thing you had to be wary of was opening the rear window and tailgate in the correct order so you didn't break the window. Love this car. Brilliant to drive, heaps of room, nice interior. None I can think of.

Good – This vehicle was purchased for my wife to run to work and around our local area to visit friends, do the shopping and any other tasks she wanted to do. Her and I love the raised seating in this small SUV because there are so many of these 4WD type vehicles on the road now that the extra height allows a driver to see traffic further ahead if there… Read more ·  1

is another SUV in front. I often take it on country trips because it has more safety features than my old car. The biggest bug bear is that at highway speeds it is very noisy in the cabin. The fuel economy is quite good and the seating is very comfortable especially with the fold down arm rests. Overall a good little shopping trolley but not a highway car due to the noisy cabin. Finish is very high standard. Plenty of storage places. Easy to get in and out of. Plenty of storage space in the rear for transporting washing, plants, shopping and other larger loads. Excellent heating and cooling. Love the fold down arm rests. Excellent leg room for rear passengers. Very expensive to service. Major dealer services are around the $700 mark not including replacement parts and minor service around the $350 mark. Very noisy cabin at highway speeds.

one of the best and most durable cars I ever owned – Was driving a 1998 CRV for the last 5 years and the car is a joy. I used it as a daily driver and took it though pretty rough off road and beach driving. Of course it does not perform as good as a big 4x4 but it was more than enough for the weekend beach trips and the one or other hairy off road track that took it close to its limits but it… Read more

always pulled through.

The quality of the car is simply stunning, I never ever experienced any fault or defect on the car. Not a single one.

I handles like a street car and is very easy and comfortable to drive in the city.

Last but not least the car is very economical to drive, especially with a steady speed on the highway.

If you are into the market for a daily driver that takes the one or other offroad trip the CRV is a great car and won't let you down. durable, reliable, economical