The great divide

Picking a new car is one of the toughest decisions for the family man. Second only, I guess, to finding the perfect home. Especially when you're past the age when a studio flat without a kitchen or a window was as adequate as your decade-old two-door hatch.

A car for the family has to be reasonably priced, reliable, spacious, easy to maintain, fuel efficient and above all, should hold its value after years of service as a workhorse.

In pictures: 2010 Honda CR-V

Before you write in to complain that I forgot to mention ‘fun to drive', let me make it clear: it wasn't an oversight. That is one feature you will find missing in most cars that are designed to haul a family around. A sturdy runabout that's built to a price cannot have mad power or racecar handling. Mostly because people who buy these cars will happily swap litres in engine capacity for litres in boot space. An ideal family car then would be one that has the space of an SUV and driveability of a car.

That's where the crossovers come in. Over the years, we've had oodles of them that promised peppy handling with SUV practicality. Crossover, or CUVs if you will, such as Toyota Rav4 and the Honda CR-V have sought to combine good driving dynamics with practicality, reliability and value for money. The space and looks were fine, but the tall ride height made for some interesting handling characteristics. So when Honda launched an upgraded 2010 CR-V, I was eager to see if it was any closer to being the perfect family car — one that does all the boring family stuff, but doesn't put the driver to sleep while doing it.

At first glance it's hard to tell the difference. After squinting and straining for half an hour, I still couldn't spot the changes in the 2010 model. Eventually, having resorted to the handbook, I realised the 2010 CR-V has a redesigned front fascia with a new chrome grille, honeycomb lower front grille, new front and rear bumpers, revised tail lights and a new ten-spoke design for the 17in alloy wheels. That's all very well, but my only grouse is that if there are so many changes (and two new colours — our test car was in fancy premium mystic night pearl) why doesn't the car look different?

Changes to the interior are subtle as well. The seat fabrics and interior trim panels are better quality and the front armrests are wider than before. The audio system and the instrument cluster get cool blue backlighting. Additional sound dampening and better sealed doors mean a much quieter cabin than the previous model.

Happily however, the revisions under the sheet metal are a bit more substantial. The four-pot 2.4-litre V-Tec engine from the Accord has been tweaked to deliver 180bhp, which means a bit more poke. It still won't pin you to your seat at full throttle, but then what affordable family CUV will? The optional all-wheel drive system constantly monitors the driving conditions and dual hydraulic pumps transfer power to whichever wheel can use it most effectively. The five-speed CVT transmission is carried over from the previous model and the gear lever is still mounted below the centre console. This means the transmission tunnel doesn't run along the length of the cabin. It's great for a family car, since it allows for a flat floor, but not so much when driving enthusiastically. It is particularly annoying every time you take a sharp corner — stuff from the passengers footwell will roll and end up under your brake pedal. Why would anyone try high-speed cornering in a tall 4x4, I hear you ask? That's the clue to what I think is the best bit about the CR-V.

Despite the Plain Jane exterior and dull family car stuff, the CR-V has a deliciously chunky steering. The turn-in is sharp and even when the tyres are squealing in agony, the CR-V never feels like it wants to scrape its wing mirrors, thanks to the tweaked suspension geometry.

I was expecting a floppy, vague steering, but this car is actually entertaining to drive. Naturally, you don't want to take it out on a track day, but for a car of this type, the driving dynamics are much better than I expected.

Although the changes are not radical, they definitely have made the CR-V a more refined, more powerful (not as much as I'd like), and a better handling vehicle. In essence, the 2010 Honda CR-V is that much closer to being the ideal family car.

Specs & rating

• Model: 2010 Honda CR-V
• Engine: 2.4-litre V-Tec Transmission Five-speed CVT
• Max power: 180bhp @ 6,800rpm
• Max torque: 218Nm @ 4,400rpm
• Top speed: NA
• 0-100kph: NA
• Price: Dh113,000 (as tested)
• Plus: Chunky steering, tactile handling
• Minus: Lacks outright pace