Yes, we took it for a drive and it was fine on the hills. Much better than our current vehicle.

We can afford the extra money. It's about whether it's worth it. I see no great advantage in owning a 2016 car over a 2015 one which would save 10% on the price. It's more whether it's worth waiting when these vehicles do seem to be relatively rare.

We haven't tried a petrol CX-5. Although comparatively common, there's just none around here right now. The local Mazda dealer wasn't terribly helpful in trying to borrow one from another dealer. By the time we'd take to find one, this Honda will likely be sold - it was borrowed from another dealer itself, in fact. They seem about 1k cheaper than the CV-R for equivalent age and trim models, presumably becuase they're easier to find?

Thanks for the advice again. This does seem to be a very friendly and helpful community .

Edited by Matt Thrower on 03/02/2019 at 00:07

Only 2 at Honda dealers around here: 25 mile radius.

First is a white 2015 (65) at £14500, 28k miles.

Second is a metallic red 2015 (15) with just 15k miles at £15k.

Offer them £14500 with your car, but if you like it and don't want to risk waiting, then go for it, you won't be disappointed.

My son and family, they have has since emigrated, bought a low mileage 13 plate CRV petrol which they all liked, fast enough and returned some mid 30's MPG on general running about.

They were however thankful that it came with a full Honda Approved used warranty, the car had only covered middle 30k miles but the aircon compressor failed, apparently this is more common than it should be and would have been around £1500 fix at the dealer, also a rear wheel bearing failed shortly after, some £400.

So i would suggest Honda Approved used if you want one of these and maybe see if you can negotiate a second year's Honda warranty as part of the deal.

I've said this before (and don't recall anyone taking any notice) but I'll say it again .... take a look at the number of big red crosses listed in HJ's "What's good and what's bad" and then tell me why the CRV is so popular. I would imagine the answer is that so few people look at HJ's reviews in comparison to the number bought, sold and owned - plus the big red crosses can't be so widespread or serious as to as to come to the notice of the vast majority. Or, alternatively, they DO keep going wrong but because it's a Honda, no-one owns up to it.

I've occasionally looked at HRV forums and seem to recall it's not all sweetness and light there - but I have to say I had a 2005 Jazz from new that didn't miss a beat (and I wish I'd never sold it and bought, what was, by comparison, a new horrible, 2009 manual, Hyundai i10 instead).

Edited by KB. on 03/02/2019 at 15:24

A couple of days ago I posted (or at least, attempted to post) a note about the CRV - I said something like ... why would anyone who had read the (rather long) list of negatives on HJ's review continue to buy one? I probably said it's because not everyone reads his reviews - probably a significant minority of the overall ownership - otherwise I'd have thought most would be put off buying one after looking at all the apparent problems he mentions.

It reads like a nightmare to me - but they're so popular that I just assume the list relates mainly to the minority who write in to complain rather than the silent majority who don't.

(Edit: Sorry KB, both posts are showing now. For some reason known only to its stupid little self, the software is occasionally hiding genuine postjs becauise it 'thinks' they are spam. Fortunately I can see when a post is hidden and can reinstate it. Our ever-helpful IT guru Kalpesh is on the case and is trying to sort it out.)

Edited by Avant on 06/02/2019 at 17:31