Driving the last two models of the Honda CRV for a couple of years in Sharjah helped create a lot of memories for me and my family but it has been a while since we checked the new SUV models by Honda.

Hence driving the completely redesigned and reengineered 2017 CR-V with bold new styling, a more premium interior and numerous new features and technologies certainly brought back some beautiful memories and made us wish we still had our old models to trade in for the new one.

The key difference we noted was the improvement in steering precision, the increased ride comfort and body control. The interior is completely redesigned, spacious and the cockpit is studded with innovative features.

The rear seat legroom impressed my very fastidious teenager used to critiquing the rear interior experience in cars in general. With the new Easy Fold Down and 60/40 split rear seat design, the CR-V interior is incredibly versatile with room for five people and substantial space for shopping, camping or golfing storage.

The CR-V offers the latest in vehicle connectivity and audio performance with a new generation of advanced technologies. The DX and LX grades have a 5-inch Color Screen Audio and the EX and Touring grades have a 7-inch touch screen Display Audio interface with Android operating system^TM that now features a physical volume knob as well as an available Navigation system.

The 7-inch touch screen Display Audio is compatible with Apple CarPlay^TM and AndroidAuto^TM platforms, giving customers seamless integration of key smartphone features and functions, including smartphone powered GPS navigation and voice controlled search capabilities.

The dashboard is laid out in clearly with advanced driving technology and other essential information directly in the line of sight, such as average fuel consumption, AWD torque identification, turn-by-turn navigation and Driver Attention Monitor. The Driver Attention Monitor is designed to detect driver fatigue and alert the driver when exhibiting diminished attention to the road with a series of visual and audio alerts.

Other features include the Honda LANEWATCH^TM using a camera located in the passenger door mirror to display a clear image of the lanes and any vehicles that are on the lane on the 7-inch Display Audio screen. The Multi Angle Rearview Camera with dynamic guidelines ensures you park safely and quickly.

The convenience factor extends to having an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Brake Hold function, front USB ports, rear USB charging ports and front passenger seat with 4-way power adjustment and driver’s seat with 8-way power adjustment and 4-way power lumbar support.

The New CR-V comes in four grades namely, DX and LX in 2 Wheel Drive (2WD) and EX and Touring in All Wheel Drive (AWD). The 2.4-liter engine generates 184-horsepower @ 6400rpm and a torque of 244NM @ 3900rpm.

The bold exterior styling is another plus point for the new model. The 2017 CR-V has a crisper and sharper front-end design and aggressively styled headlights. Wide, muscular fenders with athletic wheel arches, longer wheelbase and short rear overhang give the 2017 CR-V a more sophisticated and athletic presence.

For safety, the all-new 2017 CR-V targets the highest available collision safety ratings, including an NCAP 5-star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) plus it utilizes Electronic Brake Booster (EBB), which also monitors the vehicle speed.

With the All New Honda CR-V, Honda has certainly come a long way from the models I used in the past for my school runs and this time, it ticks all the usual boxes with additional new technology and attractive styling to complete the ideal SUV purchase most buyers are looking for today.