Review coming soon!
RNR Automotive Blog
Just another car guy talking about cars.
Monthly Archives: July 2015
2006 Honda CR-V LX Review
As you may know, I drive a 2004 Honda Pilot, which I love dearly. One of my good friends was supposed to get her mom’s 2004 Pilot when she got her license, but instead she got a 2006 Honda CR-V. This move has jumpstarted a debate between which is better; the Pilot or the CR-V. (Obviously the Pilot is better). Just to annoy her, I resisted reviewing her car because I still maintain that she should have gotten her mom’s car (which by the way is still running strong at over 200k miles), and we could have been car twins. But nope, she got the CR-V. But since I am addicted to finding cars to review, I gave in and asked her if I could review the CR-V much to her delight. Believe it or not, the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4 were one of the first compact SUVs to create a new category of car-based SUVs. The CR-V, based off the Civic, debuted in 1997. Although it was slow, the combination of its go anywhere ability, fuel efficiency, versatility, and affordability made it a success. The CR-V was redesigned in 2002 and retained the first generation’s virtue with more space and power. It received a facelift in 2005 with new visual modifications and the addition of a top of the line SE version.
2007 Volvo XC90 3.2 and 2014 Volvo XC90 3.2 Premier Plus Review
Over Christmas Break, we had a gathering in which I encountered a family friend. Amid a discussion, I learned that this person and his family currently own three Volvos, two of which are XC90s. Inevitably, I jumped at the chance to review the Volvos. Much to my dismay, I learned that the XC90s are in fact essentially the same car with the same engine choice, albeit with slight cosmetic and trim differences. I thought why not just combine these two cars into a review? With the SUV boom taking over the market in the early 2000s, safety innovator Volvo found itself without a suitable SUV to capitalize on this newly emerging trend. As a result, the XC90 debuted in 2002 as a 2003 model. The XC90 was designed with safety and versatility in mind, two traits that appealed to families. It quickly became Volvo’s best selling vehicle worldwide (in 2005), and it garnered the North American Car of the Year Award in 2003. I remember reading one of Jeremy Clarkson’s books (A former Top Gear host), and when the Volvo XC90 was brought up, it was noted that he’s had three of them. I remember that he said, “The Volvo XC90 seems like it was designed by engineers who actually have children, not just read about them in books.” I thought, if Jeremy Clarkson, one of the most critical and irrational people on the planet likes the Volvo XC90, then it must be good. Let’s see if I feel the same one about these XC90s. Continue reading
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