To be sure, the new CR-V is an improvement over the old one, too. It’s better-looking, quieter, and has a nicer interior, slightly more luggage space, more standard equipment, and a better all-wheel-drive system than the previous model’s. Fuel economy is up, too. With front-wheel drive, the 2012 CR-V is rated at 23 miles per gallon in the city, 31 on the highway, and 26 on average (2 mpg more than the outgoing CR-V). With all-wheel drive, it’s rated at 22/30/25 (also up 2 mpg).

However, the new CR-V shares some of the weaknesses of the previous model. Notably, it only comes with one engine, a 2.4-liter, 185-horsepower four-cylinder engine. That’s an increase of a mere 5 hp, and the engine still provides barely adequate oomph.