Many moons ago, this Honda SUV cemented its place at the top of the compact SUV list. However, as the rankings roll in for the 2024 Honda CR-V, many experts are expressing some disappointment. Is this disappointment with the CR-V the fault of Honda, or is every other automaker just putting out excellent vehicles?

Is the 2024 Honda CR-V a good car?

The good news is that the 2024 Honda CR-V is a good car and remains a solid option. When Edmunds ranked the newest iteration of the CR-V, there were many positives to note. It has a smooth ride, plenty of helpful technology, and good storage space in the cargo area. All five seats have plenty of room, and Honda even added some inches to the wheelbase for more space throughout.

Honda offers the 2024 CR-V in three trim levels, the LX, EX, and EX-L. A base LX CR-V will run you only $29,500 with front-wheel drive, while a fully-loaded 2024 CR-V starts at $34,660. All-wheel drive is an option on all trim levels for $1,500 or so. The CR-V gets 28 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway with front-wheel drive, which drops to 27/32 with AWD.

Edmunds said the CR-V remains a top choice but is no longer the clear winner. Instead, the new Mazda CX-50 is in the top spot. Some cons included a lack of space for smaller items and a noisy hybrid powertrain.

What are the cons of the 2024 Honda CR-V?

When you look at the 2024 Honda CR-V at face value, few cons are visible. U.S. News ranked the new CR-V in the middle of the pack, putting it at number 10 out of 21. Noting that this compact Honda SUV is well-balanced and full of features to keep the whole family happy. The only con listed is that the transmission can be a bit sluggish. There are few major changes over last year’s version, so why is there a low ranking?

At the top of the compact SUV list are the 2023 Mazda CX-5 and the 2023 Hyundai Tucson. Both are excellent options, taking home awards for the best cars for the money and the best SUV for families. These two are also similarly priced to the 2024 CR-V.

Since this SUV only hit dealerships in June, there is no crash safety rating yet. The 2023 Honda CR-V took home an IIHS Top Safety Pick award, so there is a good chance the new version will offer impressive safety.

What is the average life of a Honda CR-V?

If you keep up with routine maintenance on the 2024 Honda CR-V and follow the guidelines in the owner’s manual, this SUV should run 150,000 miles or more pretty easily. Even if the 2024 Honda CR-V is splashing around in the compact SUV rankings, there is still plenty of time for rearranging. The sixth generation CR-V only started last year, and Honda is known to improve downfalls quickly. At first glance, there isn’t anything wrong with the Honda CR-V. At second glance, there still isn’t anything wrong. The compact SUV segment is just so full of excellent vehicles there is bound to be a better option out there.

The CR-V remains Honda’s best-selling SUV, which likely won’t change anytime soon. While other automakers are improving SUVs to keep up with the CR-V, Honda isn’t messing with its winning formula.