CR-V RD1

About the CR-V RD1

Honda looked at the SUV market in 1995 and decided they could do it better with a car platform. The RD1 CR-V was built on Civic bones with a raised ride height, the B20B 2.0-liter making 126 hp, and available AWD using a real-time system that sent power rearward when the fronts slipped. The folding picnic table in the cargo area was the detail everyone remembers. The spare tire hung off the tailgate because Honda thought it looked adventurous. It weighed 1,400 kg, lighter than some modern hot hatches. The ride was car-like because it was a car underneath. The CR-V didn't pretend to be a truck and that honesty resonated. Honda sold enough of these to create the compact crossover boom that still hasn't slowed down.