Honda CR-V Advance long-term test: hybrid SUV ticks all the boxes

Talking of spec, it’s worth giving you a run-down of what you can expect when spending close to £50,000 on a Honda these days. Aside from the soft leather upholstery, we’ve got an eight-way-adjustable driver’s seat with memory function, and seats that are heated for front and rear passengers, and cooled in the front. There’s a heated steering wheel, wireless charging, wireless Apple CarPlay (but not Android Auto, which requires a cable), and a nine-inch central touchscreen with Honda’s excellent Connect system for smartphone integration, punchy Bose music system, plus nav and vehicle settings. Yes, that’s a small screen by some standards, but I don’t like a massive telly in the living room either, so it’s right for me.

The CR-V’s digital dash is configurable, along with the head-up display, and there are sensible rotary switches for the climate control, plus an array of parking sensors that work with 360-degree cameras to make manoeuvring a breeze. There’s a panoramic glass roof, electric tailgate, very smart LED headlights with an effective anti-dazzle function, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

Safety and driving assistance functions are legion too, with a full spectrum of features, from traffic-sign recognition to intelligent speed control, a wide range of alerts and lane assistance.

The Honda’s kerbweight of a little more than 1,800kg means you get reasonable performance from the petrol/electric set-up, with 184bhp allowing a 0-62mph time of 9.5 seconds. Power delivery is smooth and refined, and while we achieved a decent 36mpg on our German run, driving locally often sees the economy rise to an even more pleasing 44mpg or more.

*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.