QUALITY | 8 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
To fold the seats flat now you simply pull a lever on either side of the cargo area.
Cars.com
the mere yank of a door handle-like lever flips either side down in a single motion, so you don’t have to pull headrests or anything else
Popular Mechanics
The CR-V's familiar 2.4-liter four-cylinder is unusually vocal, doing a fine imitation of an Osterizer as it approaches -- but never quite reaches -- its 7000-rpm power peak
Automobile Magazine
seats now feature Honda's one-touch folding system, which drops the headrest, pops the seat cushion up and out of the way, and folds the seatback nearly flat, all by simply pulling a strap under the seat cushion or a handle in the cargo area
Motor Trend
If you want good seating comfort and interior space, and good versatility, but you don't need three-row seating, the 2012 Honda CR-V is one of your better bets on a budget.
The 2012 CR-V still has seating for five, and its interior feels almost minivan-like in how passenger friendly it is. Front seats are buckets that are on the soft side, but supportive enough for a long day. And the rear split bench seat has more generous dimensions and better padding than most in this class; you still won’t fit three adults happily across, but there’s plenty of thigh support, as well as legroom and headroom, to keep everyone happy.
We think that the CR-V has the best rear seat-folding arrangement of any vehicle in this class. Open one of the back doors, and with one arm and a simple pull of a strap, in a very fluid motion the lower cushion tumbles forward into the footwell, the headrest angles forward, and the rear seatback flips forward, all tucking nearly behind the front seat, to a completely flat position.
Cargo capacity with the rear seatbacks up is an impressive 37.2 cubic feet. A side cargo net is included, and EX levels and above get a removable and retractable cargo cover. Fold the back seats down, and you get a continuous cargo floor that’s 61.4 cubic feet long—although it does have a slight step up at the base of the seatbacks. Honda is proud that it’s dropped the cargo floor—and the liftover height itself—to 23.6 inches.
If you're a busy parent, you'll also probably be quite glad that Honda hasn't really changed that much about the overall package of this redesigned 2012 Honda CR-V. It still fits neatly into most compact-car parking spots and has a low cargo floor that doesn’t require a lot of reach or lift.Honda has retuned the suspension for a better ride and reduced harshness, compared to the previous version, added double door seals, and bolstered the body structure, and it’s clear that a lot less road noise makes its way into the cabin. Ride comfort is on the soft side.
However, hard plastic dash and door materials, along with very simple, economy-minded trims are aspects of the cabin that may prove hard to warm up to. If you want to feel upscale, the CR-V's interior isn't so much the place to be.
Conclusion
The 2012 Honda CR-V has a comfortable ride, as well as one of the best rear seat-folding arrangements we've seen; but its materials and trims fall short.
