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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories 10 things to know for Wednesday Since You Asked: Birders disagree on the species of large black birds spotted near Roxy Ann Get Up & Go: Dec. 17 Emergency services Ashland won't tax market vendors until 2015 Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services Man pleads guilty to gang-fight charges Emergency Services Police utilize social media to track down sex offender Man dies in early morning crash near Prospect Politics and Elections State certifies recount showing failure of GMO-labeling measure Time running out for O&C funds GMO vote recount still shows little change GMO labeling votes recounted under careful watch in Jackson County Kent Bush: First Amendment doesn’t mean what you think it means Education Logos may offer students 'fifth year' at RCC or SOU St. Mary's plays host to youth robotics tournament A lesson in giving Hedrick student council works to clean up the language Table Rock solid: Elementary school praised for keeping attendance up Environment No fish, no funding for problem dams Most residents speak against gas pipeline Coalition asks for defense of GMO ban Home Help: Make your new house feel like home Bighorn sheep reintroduced along Klamath River State News As deadline nears, Oregon's health insurance signups still low Gang-related shooting in Portland sends 3 youth to hospital GMO labeling proponents concede defeat Tribes can decide whether to legalize pot Lawyer says football player had altercation Nation - World Grand jury won't indict Ferguson cop in shooting Obituaries Dolores Jean Marier Christina Lea "Mima" Jacobson Donna Jeanne Brawn DeCamp Joan E. 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Dunbar Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable ACCESS receives $50,000 donation from Wells Fargo Sports Latest Stories North Medford hands Comets first loss Warriors stopped at 16 Johnson scores 18 in No. 3 Arizona's rout of Oakland SOU offense, Marian defense form dream matchup Raider for life Varsity 541 College Sports Johnson scores 18 in No. 3 Arizona's rout of Oakland SOU offense, Marian defense form dream matchup Raider for life In Eugene, focus returns to football Four Raiders selected to All-American teams Pro Sports Warriors stopped at 16 Costly triumph Saints rout Bears, take lead in South Griffin, Jordan lead Clippers over Pistons Deal puts Headley at third for Yanks, not A-Rod Community Sports Keeping Fit: Runners need to do more than run to stay in shape RESULTS/STANDINGS LOCAL EVENTS Business Latest Stories Employment in Oregon surpasses pre-recession levels Free lunchtime presentation covers business planning Ride & Drive: 2015 Nissan Juke Nismo Honda’s CR-V goes uptown again Rental owners group reports 2.48 percent vacancy rate Real Estate News Rental owners group reports 2.48 percent vacancy rate More sales, but no change in residential housing median price Dear Monty: Violation of HOA rules creates conflict Farmers file suit over GMO crop ban People In Business People in Business, Dec. 3 Transportation Allegiant Air will resume Medford-Phoenix service May 22 Agriculture K-BAR ignites agriculture boom beneath Table Rocks Southern Oregon wine industry had a robust 2013 Farmers file suit over GMO crop ban Lawsuit seeks to overturn Jackson County's GMO ban or net $4.2 million for farms Opinion Latest Our View: Celebrate by helping those in need Letters to the Editor, Dec. 17 Guest Opinion: Loved one chose death with dignity in Oregon Granlund cartoon: Cheney and waterboarding Letters to the Editor, Dec. 16 Editorials Our View: Celebrate by helping those in need Our View: Ashland Hospital's remarkable turnaround Our View: Councilors' criticism less troubling than secrecy Other Views: Riley leaves strong legacy at OSU Our View: Cheers and jeers Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Dec. 17 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 16 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 15 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 14 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 12 Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Loved one chose death with dignity in Oregon Guest Opinion: Forest thinning means water for the future Guest Opinion: Suit threatens family farms and democratic vote Guest Opinion: SOU pool decision short-sighted Guest Opinion: It's time for biologists to let OR-7 go dark Lifestyle Latest stories How NOT to install drywall 5 Things to Do This Weekend (Dec. 19-21) Dave Ramsey: When children steal money Dear Monty: Siblings dispute inherited real estate Local bubbly can ring in the New Year Food Local bubbly can ring in the New Year Food for Thought: How to keep your kitchen organized during the holidays Kitchen Call: Shopping for the cook Community blog: Gobble gougeres as appetizers or with light meals Community blog: Choose presents cooks can cherish, not regift Home and Garden How NOT to install drywall Dear Monty: Siblings dispute inherited real estate Home Help: Create a happy homemade holiday Rogue Valley Christmas light displays Remodeling your attic: Know the details before you start Health Community blog: The Promise of Hope � and Health - 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Guest Opinion: Loved one chose death with dignity in Oregon ... Ashland won't tax market vendors until 2015 ... Our View: Celebrate by helping those in need ... Guest Opinion: Loved one chose death with dignity in Oregon ... Ashland won't tax market vendors until 2015 ... THE REAL DEAL Honda's CR-V goes uptown again By Silvio Calabi More Content Now MailTribune.com By Silvio Calabi More Content Now Posted Dec. 15, 2014 @ 6:26 am By Silvio Calabi More Content Now Posted Dec. 15, 2014 @ 6:26 am » Social News Honda’s CR-V arrived 18 years ago as an underpowered little box with a pop-up picnic table in the back. But it had a five-door, crossover wagon body, it stood higher than a car and it could be had with all-wheel or front-wheel drive. It was an SUV for people who didn’t want or couldn’t afford the big bruisers, and its timing was spot-on. Since then, the CR-V has evolved into a carmaker’s holy grail, an aspirational vehicle — no longer a teenager we might date, but an adult we’d like to settle down with. It’s always fun to watch the kids grow up. While the silhouette of today’s CR-V hasn’t changed much since 2012, the 2015 model is easy to pick out, thanks to new chrome and the LED trim and turn signals around the squinty projector-beam headlamps. The changes inside are just as noticeable — to the driver, anyway — and more significant. “Earth Dreams” technology, which debuted in the Honda Accord, has reached the CR-V. This means a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with the same 185 horsepower as last year, but 11 percent more torque (181 ft-lbs) that peaks at lower RPM, and the best multi-mode, continuously variable transmission in the business. The new CR-V feels stronger and more confident, yet its efficiency ratings have jumped by three and four miles per gallon, to 26/33 city/highway mpg (27/34 with FWD). Then there’s Honda’s Eco Assist system, engaged by pushing the green ECON button. It greatly slows the drive-by-wire throttle’s response to the gas pedal, to reduce peak input and burn less fuel. (More or less the opposite of Sport mode.) ECON also slightly de-tunes the cruise control and the air-conditioning to allow more variation in speed and temperature. The CR-V’s fuel economy figures were derived with ECON disengaged, so you needn’t drive around as though you were dragging an anchor to get the same results. Also, this means you may be able to beat these mpg numbers (slightly) if you do use ECON. It’s good to have goals in life. Efficiency has become a matter of attention to ever-smaller details. Even the new CR-V’s alternator now qualifies as exotic technology: A multi-stage control monitors the car battery in order to fine-tune the alternator’s output and reduce wasteful overcharging. How much gas does this save? Hard to say; it’s just one of many incremental improvements baked into the CR-V, from electric power steering that doesn’t run off the engine, to variable valve timing and direct fuel injection, to two-stage “plateau” honing of the engine cylinder walls to reduce friction.. BTW, multi-stage alternator control also greatly extends the CR-V’s battery life by reducing deep discharging — another example of the cascading benefits of smart thinking. More than most carmakers, Honda knows that efficiency doesn’t require sacrifice. But I digress. Our CR-V is a $33,600, top-of-the-tree Touring model. Along with a cornucopia of data, entertainment, communication and navigation stuff — two central screens’ worth — it has a power liftgate, keyless entry and ignition, a multi-view backup camera, adaptive cruise control and a choir of Honda Sensing safety angels that can peer in all directions. Close too quickly on an obstruction or stray toward a lane divider, and we’ll hear about it. Signal a right turn and a camera shows us what’s over there. Need help with the brakes in an emergency? It’s waiting. The hottest new thing is the CR-V Touring’s Lane Keeping Assist System, which can steer for us. It works so long as the road is clear, the lanes are well marked and the bends are gentle. But only for 15 seconds at a time, so just as we’re reaching for the coffee — time’s up! LKAS isn’t meant to shepherd the CR-V across Nebraska in hands-free comfort, but to save us from a momentary distraction. If we put down the phone, shut off the watchdogs and drive hands-on, we find we’re in a compact but spacious and nearly luxurious five-passenger, five-door AWD wagon with excellent reflexes. This isn’t your auntie’s old CR-V. Silvio Calabi reviews the latest from Detroit, Munich, Yokohama, Gothenburg, Crewe, Seoul and wherever else interesting cars are born. Silvio is a member of the International Motor Press Association whose automotive reviews date back to the Reagan administration. He is the former publisher of Speedway Illustrated magazine and an author. Contact him at [email protected]. By Silvio Calabi More Content Now MailTribune.com By Silvio Calabi More Content Now Posted Dec. 15, 2014 @ 6:26 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. 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