Honda are back in business in the SUV
segment. We test the new CR-V to see where it stands in this competitive
segment
The fourth generation Honda CR-V has
arrived in India and it is completely revamped compared to the previous version
of this SUV. Nevertheless, it retains the fundamental qualities that define the
CR-V brand. It is a spacious soft-roader made for road use and is based on the
same platform as its predecessor. In India, it even has the same engine
options, which are both petrol sipping mills, but have been upgraded.
Honda
are back in business in the SUV segment. We test the new CR-V to see where it
stands in this competitive segment
Honda have moved on in other areas like
styling, which is in line with their current design language. and the new car
comes loaded with the latest features in safety, comfort and convenience. The
biggest change, though. is that the new CR-V is assembled in India, unlike the
older one. which was imported as a completely built-up unit (C BU) and hence
attracted a higher rate of duty. The result of this move is that the new CR-V
is priced lower than the previous one.
This month we tested the 2.0 L MT variant
of the CR-V which is the base variant in the range and hence the least
expensive and impoverished when it comes to features.
The new CR-V is an upmarket modern looking
car, with proportions similar to those of the older model due to the shared
platform and the evolutionary upgrades in the design. The front end bears
Honda’s current family look and appears sharp and imposing. The front grille
has three horizontal chrome finished bars with the Honda logo in the center and
it cuts into the headlight clusters. which wrap around the sides of the bonnet.
The front fog-lamps are a part of the bumper while the turn indicators find
space on the wing mirrors.
The
new CR-V is an upmarket modern looking car, with proportions similar to those
of the older model due to the shared platform and the evolutionary upgrades in
the design.
The car appears long when seen from the
side, but is. in fact, a little shorter in length than the previous model. The
visual length is a result of the pulled back design of the tail-gate and the
peaky triangular window behind the C-pillar. The window borders have a
chrome-finished lining, the roof-line has a gradual slope towards the rear and
the i7-inch wheels are made of to-spoke alloys. There is a shark-fin antenna
near the rear end of the roof and the rear-view camera is located on the upper
edge of the number- plate groove. For those who wish to customize their car,
Honda offer a choice between two accessory packages, namely inspire’ and
‘Elegance’.
Inside the spacious cabin, the CR-V has
leather upholstery, with beige color for the sears, pillars and the roof and
everything else. including the leather-wrapped steering wheel and the
gear-stick, in shades of black and grey. The dashboard has a plastic strip in
the center with a grey and white pattern to break the monotony. The steering
wheel is small and sporty and allows tilt adjustment. The hub of the wheel has
controls for the music system. cruise control and also the five-inch TFT screen
located in the center of the dash. This screen, named iMID, displays the
rear-view camera feed when the transmission is in reverse gear and also
displays the average fuel efficiency, range, contents of the connected USB
stick and a digital clock. The information panel behind the steering wheel has
a large, analogue speedometer at the center, which borders a circular digital
display. This display houses the average fuel economy counter, range counter,
odometer, two trip-meters and ambient temperature gauge. The analogue fuel gauge
and engine temperature gauge are located on the right side of the speedo, while
the analogue tachometer is located on its left.
Inside
the spacious cabin, the CR-V has leather upholstery, with beige color for the
sears, pillars and the roof and everything else
The CR-V has two driving modes, normal and
ECON, where the ECU modifies engine mapping and a few other performance
parameters to maximize fuel efficiency. The button for the ECON mode is located
on the dashboard, on the right side of the steering column. Alongside that is a
button for manually switching off the ESP system. The switches for the music
system and climate control on the fascia are minimalistic and tidy.
The gear-stick is located on the lower side
of the fascia and leaves empty space between the front seats. It is occupied by
a 12 V mobile charging socket and a storage compartment, which houses three
bottle holders. The central arm-rest for the front-row passengers also has a
deep storage compartment underneath wherein there is one more charging socket
and a USB port.
The driver’s seat is 10-way adjustable and
there is a good amount of leg space for both the front passengers. The
second-row seats can accommodate three passengers and offer great leg space.
There is a collapsible arm-rest in the center of the bench and the rear a-c
vents ensure good cooling at the back.
There
is a collapsible arm-rest in the center of the bench and the rear a-c vents
ensure good cooling at the back.
The CR-V has a large boot-space, which can
easily store the entire luggage required for a long holiday. However, if you
want more space, just pull on the levers on the sides of the boot. The second
row of seats will collapse to form a flat-bed, which is divided in a 1:2 ratio.
Travelling in the CR-V is a safe bet as
Honda have reinforced it with many active and passive safety features. It comes
with Honda’s patented GCON technology, which absorbs the g-force on impact, and
the ACE body structure prevents the crash energy from passing on to the
occupants. As for occupant safety, you get airbags, ABS with EBD, ESP, Hill
Start assist and auto door lock at high speeds.
To
sum it up, you have a great luxury sedan that looks like an SUV
The 2.0-litre petrol engine of the CR-V is
mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. It has a maximum power output of 156 PS at
6,500 RPM and 190 Nm of torque at 4,300 RPM. The CR-V is not exactly a fast
car, nor is it slow. Acceleration to 60 km/h from standstill is achieved in
5.61 seconds and it touches 100 km/h in a decent 12.21 seconds. The surge of
power is gradual as it pulls smoothly in every gear and goes all the way up to
200 km/h in the sixth gear. The CR-V returns a fuel efficiency of 12 km/l on
the highway close to the claimed 13.7 km/l, but in the city, it drops down to eight
km/l, which brings the average to nine km/l.
Honda
CRV 2.0 LMT back
As for the driving experience, the CR-V
feels and handles like a sedan. There is hardly anybody-roll and it is easy to
manoeuver in traffic. It stays rooted through turns and remains calm at speeds
in excess of 150 km/h as well. Lane changes at high speed are also managed
without any nervousness and the suspension soaks in the bumps on the roads
silently enough to make it a smooth ride on Indian roads.
To sum it up, you have a great luxury sedan
that looks like an SUV. It knows better than to scrape its underbelly and can
be a good companion in your day-to-day life as well as for far away road-trips.
And at $426,000 it does not charge a premium for what it offers. If you still want
more, there are three more variants, more power and better features as you go
up the range.
