Antenna
Recently I saw a CRV with the rear antenna removed. The hole was plugged with a black rubber plug. This CRV had a standard “whip” antenna on the right front fender. So I assume that one can have the antenna moved if they choose.
like i said, they goofed, clearly
in regards to utility anyways with the new CRV. a previous poster talked about the rear hatch opening the “wrong” way, previously, where now it opens up vertically, assuming this is the “right” way?
not if you want to transport sea kayaks it isn’t. one of the greatest assests of both the previous gen CRV and the current RAV 4 is the horizontal back door opening. if you use your boats often and keep them on the roof much of the time, this is distinctly the “right” way a door should open, at least if you intend to use the cargo space at all…
"door opens the wrong way on older CRV"
The rear door opens the wrong way on previous generation CRV and on present generation Rav4. By wrong way, I mean it swings towards the sidewalk. I think this is because they drive on the other side of the road in Japan and so the door swing is away from the sidewalk for them (correct way) and the same swing is towards the sidewalk for us (wrong way). Would be a simple change to have our doors swing away from sidewalk but not being done.
As to hatch vs. swinging door, they both have pluses and minuses. A hatch shields contents and you from rain. It works better if a car is parked behind you. However, the swing up soon hits a boat on top, leaving you crouching down under it to get something in or out of the back. (I’m tall and don’t bend well). A swinging door may, or may not, swing under a boat on top. If it clears the boat, you could load and unload gear from back with boat on top. On the last generation CRV I find that sometimes I have to loosen the rear hold down strap and then I can swing the door open with a boat on top. A swinging door is a problem if a car is parked close behind you.
Last generation CRV has a release to open the glass in the closed swinging door. This allows you to drive a short distance with something sticking out the back such as a long board or the handle of your lawn mower. Have to open windows and put blower high to reduce fumes being sucked in. A nice feature I use a few times a year.
There is no perfect transport vehicle, just better ones with some tradeoffs. I personally think the new CRV has made a number of changes just for looks and popular appeal. Honda will probable sell more of the new one on looks alone. A “cute ute” was made cuter, at the expense of utility for canoers and kayakers. It is less desirable as a canoe/kayak transport vehicle than the previous generation (reduced visibility, hatch, close bar spacing on roof, reduced width at back). That’s why as a happy owner of the previous generation CRV, I’m looking at a new Rav4.
Of course the new CRV will still be used a a transport vehicle by its owners and some of the changes are for the better (noise reduction and improved handling).
Dave