Gauges are easy to read, white numerals on black background, avoiding the twilight wash-out afflicting the black-on-white array so much the fad today. Cruise control is standard, as is the adjustable steering column.

Seats are comfy. The rear bench has three-point belts and head restraints at all three positions.

Numerically, the new CR-V not only improves on its predecessor, but it also bests the competition in virtually every measure. Only the 2002 Toyota RAV4 beats the CR-V's 40.9-inch front seat headroom, and by less than half an inch. The '02 Ford Escape joins the RAV4 in providing more front-seat leg room, by 0.3 and 0.9 inches, respectively, over the CR-V's 41.3 inches.

Otherwise, the CR-V is the Emporer of the chart in roominess, including cargo space. Here, in every configuration, with the rear seat in whatever position, it's the champ by more than 7 cubic feet over the second-place '02 Ford Escape's 64.8 cubic feet, and by more than 26 cubic feet over the Freelander's 46.6 cubic feet. It also has 3.9 cubic feet more cargo space than the '01 CR-V.

There's a cool, collapsible tray table betwixt the front seats, with a couple of cup holders and a recess for a cell phone or whatever. The picnic table in back that does double duty as the cover for the spare tire bin has grown by several inches over the table in the original CR-V. Everything else is where it should be, blessed by 21 storage bins adroitly spread about the cabin.

Initially, we had trouble finding the emergency brake. It's subtly integrated into the vertical panel forward of the center console. It looks like a grab handle, until you decipher the icon in the grip. As odd as the placement might seem at first, over time it makes ergonomic sense.