IT was not radical in its appearance by any stretch of the imagination, but when the CR-V arrived in late 1987 it still caused a stir. It had a Honda badge, you see, and Hondas were not supposed to look like this. "Says who?" said thousands of instant devotees, particularly family types wooed by such enticements as status, space, versatility, comfort and Honda's reputation for quality. More than just providing a rugged look, the bumpers, wheel-arch protectors, side sill garnishes and side mouldings are made from a chip-resistant plastic. The front end styling features large, multi-reflector headlights and a blackened-out grille. The Sport model adds an electric sunroof, roof rails, hard spare wheel cover, body coloured bumpers with integrated foglights (front) and alloy wheels.