Honda’s new CR-V Advance Tech has so many gadgets it’s like an iPad Pro on wheels but I have a few grumbles

THERE is a lot to love about Honda. The Japanese marque has been churning out exceptionally reliable and well-priced cars for years.

When you become a Jazz owner, you stay one.

If the Civic is your thing, you drive it til the wheels come off (and that will take some time).

At the SUV level, it’s no different.

The CR-V – the “comfortable runabout vehicle” – has been providing families with extra boot space since 1995.

It’s a decent bit of kit and the 2024 model carries on that great tradition and is better – and more expensive – than ever. This is a car that won’t blow you away, but it will never truly disappoint you either.

What it does do is deliver so much tech, it’s like an iPad Pro on wheels.

It’s got everything (absolutely everything on the higher cost trims): Smart headlights, head-up display, hands-free boot opening, parking assist, 360-degree cameras, Bose speakers, wireless charging and FOUR additional charging points.

I tested the 2.0-litre plug-in hybrid, which has some considerable oomph, with 181hp and 335Nm of torque.

And it feels safe. You can hurtle into a corner with confidence.

The CR-V is surprisingly big on the ­outside for what is essentially a compact SUV – it’s 20cm longer than a Hyundai Tucson.

But inside, albeit comfortable, it feels a wee bit more cramped than you would expect.

The boot is 635 litres for the PHEV, but around the seats there isn’t much room to put stuff.

In a crowded SUV market that has a slew of strong models, like the brilliant new Ford Kuga and the solid Volvo XC60, the CR-V is more likely to rely on Honda lifers for its success.

The new CR-V may now be made in China but, for aficionados, it will always be a rock-solidly ­reliable ­Japanese car.

And Honda is unlikely to lose any of those fans with this largest ­incar­nation.