I received my 2006 Honda CRV EX 4wd with the 5 speed automatic transmission for a graduation present from my mother. It was brand new when I received it, having less than 200 miles on it. I have since put about 12,000 miles on my CRV. Currently I average about 24 in town and 27-30 on the highway, which are both better than the window sticker epa estimates. I love this vehicle to death because it is very easy to park and has a very low maitenance cost. This vehicle has plenty of power from its four cylinder engine, and proves to be adequate in hills. I have found that in hills the vehicle will not lose speed if the cruise is set, but if you set the cruise in the hills you sacrafice fuel economy. Basically all said this vehicle does anything that a larger SUV would do but at a much more economical level. Once again Honda has built an excellent product. Guess I will have to keep waiting for the hybrid or diesel CRV though because I keep hearing not until 2008!

P.S. I looked at various other models available before purchasing the CRV, and for the price the CRV offers the most safety equipment. It is also the only compact SUV that you can get with a 4 cylinder engine that has a 5 speed automatic transmission!