Honda CR-V takes home then 2018 Motor Trend SUV of the Year for the 2nd year in a row

Whether it’s a car, truck, or SUV, the winners of Motor Trend’s Golden Calipers tend to fall into two categories. There are the dashing, dazzling disruptors such as Nissan’s GT-R or Tesla’s Model S. Then there are the quiet achievers: mass-market vehicles with thoughtful engineering and design, rigorous attention to detail, and a deeply intuitive understanding of the demands and desires of the customer. The 2018 Motor Trend SUV of the Year, the Honda CR-V, falls into the latter camp—a supreme example of calm, confident composure that delivers in all categories.

“Honda made sure it kept its crown jewel ahead of the field by paying attention to a wide range of details,” Detroit editor Alisa Priddle said. “Others might excel in certain fields, but others don’t put the whole package together the way the CR-V does.”

This is the second CR-V to take home the calipers in the 20-year history of the award: A thorough rework and refresh of the previous CR-V platform was enough to garner the 2015 SUV of the Year title, narrowly edging out Jeep’s Cherokee to take the win. Now, three years later, the comprehensively redesigned CR-V has bested another sporty European—this time Alfa Romeo’s surprisingly accomplished Stelvio—by just one vote.

Against 23 contenders, the 2018 Honda CR-V is a worthy winner.

With the CR-V, Honda took aim right at the heart of this white-hot segment—and hit a bull’s eye. “If you’re buying a family crossover, I’m not sure why you’d consider anything other than the Honda CR-V,” features editor Christian Seabaugh said. “It checks all the boxes.”

It’s clear that Honda sweats the details. The CR-V is not just roomy, well-built, and well-equipped. It’s also thoughtfully conceived and executed. It has space for your stuff. It won’t punish you at the pump. It keeps you safe on the road. It’s packed with features at an affordable price. It’s even fun to drive when you want it to be. And it’s made in the U.S. and Canada to boot. “Overall, it’s the best in one of the toughest classes around,” Loh said. “That’s saying something.”

You bet. That’s saying the new Honda CR-V is good enough to make it Motor Trend’s 2018 SUV of the Year.

This article originally appeared on MotorTrend.ca

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