Why The 2006 Honda CR-V Is The Most Reliable You Can Buy

In the ever expanding used car market, one of the most trusted and sought after brands is Honda. Much like other Japanese automakers, Honda cars are specifically praised for their long-term reliability, relatively low maintenance costs and need for maintenance in general, and providing comfortable rides with fairly modern features. With all three being key factors of any used car search, it’s no wonder why Honda is so highly regarded in the used car market. Yet even given the general renown Honda holds in the used car market, there is one model they make which is often held in the highest regard.

This is none other than the CR-V, with used older models of the vehicle able to provide owners with a long, reliable life (even if already north of 100K miles) that will require little-to-no maintenance beyond regularities such as oil changes and brakes.

However, not all CR-Vs are made equal, a sentiment which certainly applies to the older models. While there are many great choices from the car’s nearly 30 years of production, one stands above the rest. The 2006 Honda CR-V is without a doubt the single most reliable model ever released, and there are several key reasons as to why it’s the cream of the crop.

The 2006 Honda CR-V Has No Serious Issues

While there are many reasons why the 2006 Honda CR-V is the superior choice among older model years, there’s one positive attribute that stands out above the rest. According to CarComplaints, there isn’t a single defect that stops the car from operating. In fact, the most complained about issue is the headlight bulbs that need to be replaced frequently. Moreover, this relatively inconsequential issue only costs an average of 30 dollars to repair. Former and current owners also urge people who are interested in the 2006 CR-V to opt for Osram bulbs instead of the OEM part. The good news is that a Osram unit costs $10, while the OEM bulb costs $30.

It’s also worth noting that only 576 official complaints were logged against the 2006 CR-V. That may seem like a lot, but the Japanese giant sold 170,028 units that year. That’s only 3.39 complaints per 1,000 units sold. Common failures include electrical issues within the larger air-conditioning system, including the compressor, the evaporator and condenser, and refrigerant leakage. Other failure points include the vehicle’s ABS system, but owners have reported that this is typically the result of a faulty wheel speed sensor rather than the ABS system itself. Beyond this, the transmission is known to begin making excessive noise at roughly 80 thousand miles, which is easily sorted via an affordable transmission fluid flush.

Honda’s K-Series Engine Is The 2006 CR-V’s MVP

The naturally aspirated K24A1 inline-four engine is what makes the vehicle so reliable in the first place. Making 160 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 162 lb-ft of torque at 3,600rpm, the power output is suitable for highway road trips and commuting around town. This is to be expected from a K-series engine, which is heavily inspired by Honda’s rich motorsports racing history and is a favorite among engine swappers. However, this doesn’t come at the expense of the brand’s legendary reliability.

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While there are certain variants of the K-series that have known failure points, most of these don’t apply to the K24A1, and those that do are extremely rare. Nevertheless, failure points owners should be on the lookout for, despite their rarity, are front crankshaft seal leaks, clicking sounds caused by excessive cam lobe friction (in turn caused by a lack of routine oil changes), excessive vibration due to broken engine mounts or fouled spark plugs, and a failing timing chain tensioner which will cause a rattling.

Recalls Are Just As Rare

When purchasing a used car, it’s imperative that prospective buyers read up on the potential recalls they may need to deal with themselves if the vehicle hasn’t already gone through that process. Unfortunately, with the 2006 Honda CR-V being more than 15 years old, it falls outside the federal government’s free recall repair clause. However, some dealerships may still choose to repair a recall issue for free.

There are 13 recalls prospective owners should be aware of, but only two are concerning. There was a welding flaw between the passenger-side lower front arm and the sub-frame bushing collar. Only 1,316 models were affected. The second issue related to the infamous Takata airbag recall. Honda is still begging customers to bring their car in for a fix, despite several people dying.

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Not Much That Could Go Wrong Inside

If the era of electric vehicles has taught consumers anything, it’s that too much tech can be a bad thing. Potential customers can rejoice in knowing that Honda didn’t fly too close to the technological sun with the vehicle’s features. The 2006 Honda CR-V is about as basic as it gets without being a rental spec. It came standard with cruise control, electric windows, air-conditioning, and a 6-disc CD changer. Satellite navigation was available as an optional extra, but that particular unit would be useless so many years down the road. Thankfully, the old-school radio is a standard double DIN unit, and it simply slides out. You can replace it with a modern unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and that’s all you need.

Honda Fixed The CR-V’s Issues By 2006

Typically speaking, problems present themselves in the earlier model years of a specific vehicle generation. We can demonstrate this by using the 2006 CR-V’s successor, the 2007 third-generation CR-V. During its first year on sale, 872 complaints were logged with the NHTSA. Two years later, that figure dropped to 381, as Honda started using customer feedback to improve the car. The 2006 Honda CR-V benefits from being the final model year based on the second-generation of the platform. While there are still some nagging issues as mentioned above, much of the 2006 Honda CR-V’s reliability comes from its late-generation placement, helping become the year to shoot for rather than the year to avoid.

Low Maintenance Cost and Frequency

Without doubt, the 2006 Honda CR-V is the most reliable year for the vehicle, and is one of the most dependable used cars overall. With proper routine maintenance, it’s easily capable of reaching 300,000 miles or more. Furthermore, the car greatly benefits in terms of its longevity from a general lack of complicated technology, helping it to avoid major problems such as the transmission issues seen on the 2015 models and those released since.

As always, it’s worth keeping in mind that even the most reliable engines can be killed by poor maintenance. The estimated average cost per year is $407, while running it for 10 years falls just shy of $7,000. That includes high-cost services, like timing belts and the water pump.

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While there are several other fantastic used options, such as Toyota’s RAV4, it’s the 2006 Honda CR-V’s K-series engine and the benefits it gets from being a late-generation model, which make it preferable to other options. Although the vehicle is far from perfect and may at times lack certain amenities others boast, it’ll always be eagerly waiting to crank and start once you turn the key in the morning, whether you’re headed to work, starting a road trip, or just want to enjoy the vehicle for what it is.