A Honda-grade RAV4 rival with one part worth watching
carlots.ng editorial · 23 Oct 2026
The CR-V covers the same brief as the RAV4 -- compact, car-based, easy to park, comfortable for four -- and does it with the Honda feel: slightly sharper steering, a cabin that rattles less over time, and a resale value that has held up well because demand for good ones outstrips what is coming into the country.
The one component worth budgeting for is the AC compressor clutch, a documented weak point on this generation that tends to announce itself with a dying compressor rather than a gradual warning -- a serious concern on a car that needs its AC working every day of the year here, not just a comfort complaint. Aside from that, it is as close to Camry-grade peace of mind as the compact-SUV segment gets, and worth the extra naira over a RAV4 if the asking prices land close.