The remarkable thing about the Honda CR-V is that you quickly forget what a big vehicle you’re driving.

That’s because this is a car that handles as well as many smaller vehicles, defying the fact it’s a large, heavy family car that’s more about practicality than fun.

With offerings such as the Civic in its line-up, it’s no secret that Honda knows how to create a fine-handling car – but the transfer of some of those handling qualities to a large SUV still comes as a pleasant surprise.

The steering is nicely-weighted and progressive, while body roll is well-contained despite the height increasing by 35mm.

The ride quality - helped by hydraulic bushings - is also rather good, dealing with road imperfections with great control and composure.

With the all-wheel drive system on the test car, the CR-V felt sure-footed through the corners, while offering excellent traction and grip levels on wet and muddy farm tracks.

Under the bonnet, you’ll find Honda’s proven 1.5-litre VTEC turbo petrol engine. It’s a quiet and well-mannered unit that seems to have little trouble propelling the car’s considerable bulk.

The CR-V is available with a six-speed manual gearbox, or a continuously variable transmission (CVT) gearbox.

Having tested both, I preferred the slick-shifting manual, which helps the vehicle performs the sprint from 0 to 62mph in 9.8 seconds with average fuel economy of 39.8mpg – an acceptable balance between performance and efficiency.

When equipped with the CVT box, the car takes two tenths of a second longer to get up to 62mph.

CVTs are not always the most popular with the driving purists, but the one fitted to this Honda isn’t a bad one, with the flaring of revs not being as apparent as it can be on comparable models.

In terms of looks, the 2019 model has a fresh and appealing exterior design, with sharper contours on the bonnet and a signature headlight graphic unique to the CR-V.

Among the stand-out features are the broader wheel arches which make the car’s front end look particularly muscular and purposeful when the vehicle is viewed from the side.

Inside, the vehicle’s cabin oozes space, comfort and practicality.

Cleverly, Honda has created more space inside without making the vehicle any longer by stretching the wheelbase by 40mm, hence pushing the wheels closer to the corners.

It means second-row passengers get 50mm more legroom.

That still leaves space for a huge boot, which turns into a gargantuan load space when the back seats are down.

I also tested the new seven-seat option, which comes with a third, child-friendly row of seats that can be folded flats into the boot floor.

During a day trip, we comfortably got four adults and two children into the car, proving what a versatile vehicle it is.

In terms of tech, the CR-V doesn’t disappoint, with better connectivity thanks to the same infotainment system you get in the Civic.

Meanwhile, the quality of materials used in the vehicle feels fairly luxurious, and buyers can choose from four trim levels that include plenty of standards kit.

The characteristics of the latest-generation CR-V build on the strong foundations laid over the years of an already-popular vehicle.

Since the introduction of the first-generation model back in 1995, the CR-V has gone on to become the world’s best-selling SUV.

And you don’t achieve that without a great all-round vehicle that ticked, and continues to tick many boxes.

Refined engine? Bags of room? Decent looking? Practical? Reasonable tech and interior specification?

Happily, you can answer yes to all the above.

Honda CR-V SR (seven seater)

PRICE: £33,445 on the road

ENGINE: 1.5-litre VTEC-turbo

TRANSMISSION: All-wheel drive, CVT gearbox

PERFORMANCE: 0-62mph in 10 seconds

ECONOMY: 39.8MPG combined

EMISSIONS: 162g/km

MAX TORQUE: 243nM