The Honda CR-V carries immense brand value. Now, with the introduction of its 5th generation model, the brand is looking at a sizeable part of the premium SUV pie by offering it with both petrol and diesel engine options.
Bigger and better
The latest CR-V is a lot bigger than its predecessor and now looks like a full-blown SUV. It has pronounced wheel arches, classy looking headlights, a sporty stance, and enough body cladding to give it that macho look. It boasts of full LED headlamps, LED DRLs and LED tail lamps as standard equipment and to top it off, you get a healthy amount of chrome detailing.
Convenient family car
Thanks to its larger proportions, the new vehicle now gets three rows of seats and is a proper seven-seater. The earlier models were all five seaters; however, customer demand has led to this decision. Overall cabin space is decent, yet that third row is best reserved for kids or very small adults. Having said that, the seven-seat option is only offered with the diesel engine and the petrol variant remains a very spacious five-seater. The carmaker is leaving no stone unturned in terms of convenience for the CR-V comes fully kitted out. Key elements include a 7-inch touchscreen, reverse camera, Bluetooth, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Powertrain choices
This car finally gets a diesel engine too! The new 1.6-litre i-DTEC unit delivers 118 bhp and 300 Nm of torque. The mill is quite refined and is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. The diesel variant comes in both two-wheel and four-wheel drive options and it is touted to be rather fuel efficient as well. The petrol powered version gets a 2.0-litre unit that delivers 152 bhp and 189 Nm of torque and is only offered with a CVT gearbox. Overall ride quality has improved on the new CR-V which is surely a boon given the condition of Indian roads.
Safety first
With six airbags, ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Assist, Hill Start Assist and a driver attention monitor, it comes as no surprise that the CR-V has a five-star ASEAN NCAP rating. Clearly, Honda is leaving no stone unturned in this department either.
The verdict
The CR-V has a lot riding in its favour now that it is bigger and better in just about every department. The diesel powertrain is a welcome addition as well and you do get that legendary quality build. The CR-V expected to be priced in the `25-30 lakh range.