New Honda CR-V is better, but
It was towards the end of its life that I really enjoyed the old Honda CR-V. I went on a 3,000 km drive with my wife that took us all the way to Leh via some of the highest mountain passes on earth.
And the CR-V hardly missed a beat. Sure, the terrain was hostile and there was at least one occasion when the soft-roader belly of the CR-V was exposed (when the going got really tough in the More plains).
Yet I was thoroughly impressed by the refinement, power and overall grace of the machine. It may not have looked ready for war the way Hummers do, but it instilled in me the kind of confidence only the most reliable things on this planet can provide.
If I had one suggestion to Honda after I drove back to urban madness via Kargil and Srinagar, it was to provide the next generation CR-V with a low-ratio option in the gearbox. Not very useful, in all probability, for 364 days of the year, but on that odd day when your wheels are struggling for traction, your chest hair will be saved by selecting 2L.
Oh well, Honda has launched the third generation CR-V and they have not provided a low-ratio in this one. Instead what they have done is to make this city-bred compact utility vehicle even more black-top friendly.
The selection of the test-drive course – the brilliant ECR that connects Chennai and Puducheri (Pondicherry as it was known earlier) – was proof that Honda didn’t really want us to challenge mountain goats with the CR-V.
The CR-V has been a relative success in India and that too while competition like the brilliant Chevrolet Forester struggled.
Even the Hyundai Tucson powered by a diesel motor has not really challenged the CR-V to the niche it has been ruling comfortably since launch. But there is a catch. The new car retails at Rs 20-odd lakh (Rs 2million). Sure it comes in a crate from Japan where it is built, but is it good value when you can buy two splendid Honda Civics (almost) for the same money? Well, let us find out.
Looks
The last-generation CR-V played it safe. The new one has more character thanks to some design cues forced onto the sheet-metal. The most striking design exuberance is the coupe style greenhouse. I am not really a big fan of Porsche-profiles on an SUV backdrop and I really thought the chunky C-pillar of the old CR-V was a signature touch worth keeping.
Instead the new car has a narrow, blacked out C-pillar and a rather ungainly D-pillar with bent Xmas tree tail-lamps growing on it. On the front end, Honda has gone for a butch nose-job that helps it meet new pedestrian safety norms and gives the car a certain personality.
A clear-cut waistline is the hallmark of the profile and it is all garnished with embossed plastic bits. The design critic in me may not approve of the design cues when seen separately, but I do have to say that the sum of things has resulted in a machine that’s clearly a CR-V but with a certain panache.
If that is what the designers went about achieving, they have succeeded. And yes, you get 17-inch wheels as standard issue and that gives the car a serious stance, which eluded the last generation.
Interiors and comfort
Like most Hondas, the new CR-V is built around the driver. But unlike its predecessor, there has been some effort to ensure that rear seat passengers enjoy the ride too.
So gone are the upright, small rear seats and in place comes a 60:40 split rear seat which can be adjusted using a slider to liberate more leg room. And there are head restraints for three passengers now. If you didn’t buy the old car because you didn’t want to offer all the comfort only to your chauffeur, then it is time to check out the CR-V again.
Coming back to the front seats, Honda drew the line between old and staid to garish and discotheque. While you get an 8-way adjustable seat, dual-zone climate control and a 6 CD/MP3 changer, you don’t get the multiplex display that makes the Civic interior all jazzed up.
Excellent driving position and overall ergonomics mean you will spend whole days driving the new CR-V without fatigue. Small irritants include volume control buttons on the steering wheel where the horn button should have been (at least for India). It may not exude luxury, but the CR-V interior is pleasantly engineered.
Power and performance
Honda sold over 25,00,000 last-gen CR-Vs and none of them were powered by diesel. But today, Honda has got some experience with diesel engines and if they really wanted, they could have launched the new CR-V powered by an oil-burner.
But diesel motors are hot property in Europe these days with over 60 per cent of registrations every year and India may have to wait a while before we get the option. What we have under the bonnet is the familiar 2400cc i-VTEC petrol that powers the Accord.
This is an ultra refined engine that develops a healthy 160 bhp and 21.8 kgm of torque. What is new is a six-speed manual gearbox that does the job of transferring power via a ‘Realtime’ 4WD system that normally drives the front wheels.
Honda says that they have added a one-way cam unit to the dual-pump system as seen in the older car, which improves the 4WD system’s ability to detect front-wheel spin.
The new system reduces lag in changeover – from front-wheel drive to 4WD. A larger clutch and strengthened transmission bits help transfer 20 per cent more torque to the rear wheels. Good news indeed.
The new CR-V is a tad heavier than the older car but the powertrain in manual mode has enough grunt to propel the mass. Expect 11 second runs to 100 kph and a top speed on the happy side of 200 kph. Gearing is spirited and that means the car can be driven hard on a variety of terrain.
The short-throw gear selector could have been engineered to offer a more positive feel though. The car behaves like a capable automatic in the sixth gear and it can be made to pull away from a mere 40 kph to 180 kph without hesitation.
A larger gear wheel, as you certainly know, is a surefooted way to get better mileage from the engine too. In short, this gearbox is a perfect partner to the characterful motor that powers the car.
The 5-speed automatic has got another agenda altogether – save effort and fuel. The automatic CR-V is markedly slower compared to the manual. It is all right for the freeways in Europe and the US, but on Indian highways, the CR-V becomes a handful to pilot.
Overtaking buses and trucks becomes dicey since the transmission takes its own time to kick-down and hurl the car forward – in the process it makes all the power and torque made by the gem of an engine somewhat redundant.
Sure, if you have bought your CR-V for hassle-free traffic slithering, then the auto-box is up to the task and yes, Honda has offered a hill descent control of sorts in the D3 mode which uses more engine braking while driving down slopes.
It is not normal for us road testers to link safety and selection of gearbox options but I guess I am ready to put my neck out and say that a manual, which allows you to get the necessary power when you need it, is a safer option than an auto-box that is too intelligent for its own good.
Ride and handling
This is the area where all the hard work has gone into and the result is a new CR-V that is almost as good a handler as its sedan sisters. The suspension system made up of struts up front and wishbones at the back has been finetuned to handle a variety of loads and speeds.
The Chennai-Pondy road presented us with some genuinely fast sweepers to find out the car’s ability to carry speed through them. Pushing 140 kph through some of these winders, the CR-V was as composed as a princess at a ball.
Even panic braking to shed some speed before committing to corners was reciprocated with minimal pitch. There are more car-like bits on the underpinnings of the CR-V now (like the exposed aluminium knuckles at the rear) that have contributed to its crisp handling. We are not surprised though since the older car was a benchmark at this.
The CR-V runs like a two-wheel drive car most of the time but it is reassuring to know that the 4WD will come into play when the weather plays spoilsport. An all-weather handler? Maybe I should take it to another round trip of the mountains.
First impression
The CR-V comes with ABS, EBD and Brake Assist and driver- and passenger-side airbags. And yes, the new monocoque is safer and stronger (as is always the case) overall.
So you do get a safe automobile when you put in Rs 20 lakh and some more for your CR-V. It has got the space, has more comfort at the back (if you employ a chauffeur), ride quality, presence and handling that apes a car.
As far as change-over models go, the new CR-V shows how determined Honda is to take the game forward. Heck, they even paid attention to exterior design and brought in some daring lines into the car! It is thoroughly modern and capable too.
That said, we cannot run away from the fact that it is not a VFM offering at the price of two equally capable and more performance-oriented Civics. But it is alright, since Honda certainly is not looking for numbers that can match the Hero Honda Splendor with this one.
This is default description text on Padangan Themes, of course you can change this text via you profile administration.
May 25th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
To V6 or not to V6, that is the question. I already knew Honda’s answer — a stand tall, chin up, straightforward: “No, we don’t think so.”
Initially, however, I was not as convinced. Unlike its primary competition — the Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Santa Fe and the Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute duo — the new-for-2007, third-generation CR-V does not offer a V6 powerplant.
Third-row seating isn’t available either, unlike in the RAV4 and Santa Fe, but I had already ticked that off as a plus. Trying to cram seven people, no matter what their shape and size, into a compact sport utility vehicle is an invitation to a whine-fest. Five comfortable occupants and sufficient cargo room is a far more prudent decision.
The V6 option is an entirely different matter. Yes, I’m a performance junkie and more power is always a good start, especially when the vehicle is loaded with family members and their carry-ons. Yet, the price of gas is at a high for this year, global warming and decreased emissions are at the forefront of most automotive-related news and, frankly, if you can get away with two fewer cylinders, why not?
Besides, the 2.4-litre i-VTEC four-banger under the CR-V’s hood is a robust motor. Its 166 horsepower and 161 pound-feet of torque are decent outputs, and the 1,613-kilogram Honda will scoot to 100 kilometres an hour in 10.3 seconds, while an 80-to 120-km/h passing manoeuvre is handled in 8.3 seconds.
Admittedly, these figures are on the slow side among the freshest crop of small SUVs and crossovers, but, in a case where perception trumps reality, there always appears to be enough in reserve to take care of business, whether it’s merging into highway traffic or getting around a slow-moving transporter. (OK, the V6-powered RAV4 will absolutely smoke the CR-V off the line to any speed you want to name, but, if that’s your thing, you’re driving the wrong vehicle.)
More disappointing is that the CR-V’s fuel economy figures from Natural Resources Canada show the all-wheel-drive Honda’s four-cylinder rating of 10.7/7.8 litres per 100 kilometres (city/highway) is only a small improvement over that of the 269-hp, 3.5L RAV4′s 11.1/7.7. Plus, in real-world testing, I averaged a somewhat underwhelming 12.2L/100 km in a mix of urban and highway use.
Putting aside the horsepower/fuel economy debate, the CR-V is a thoroughly competent daily driver in both urban and highway situations.
In my little corner of suburban heaven, where compact SUVs are a popular choice of transportation, it would seem the CR-V rules the roost, at least by what I see at locals schools and malls. After all, Honda Canada has sold more than 150,000 of the model during its 10 years of existence.
Light but communicative steering makes it easy to manoeuvre, and the sightlines up front and around the sides are good. The tester, a topline EX-L Navi model, not only comes with a navigation system but also a rear-view camera to assist backing into tight situations.
Even with its prosaic front MacPherson strut and rear multi-link suspension layouts, the CR-V tends to shrug off the worst road irregularities without beating up its occupants. A tip of the hat is also due the tight body construction and high build quality as the sport-ute exhibited nary a squeak or a rattle even when traversing freshly minted potholes uncovered by a pre-spring thaw.
May 25th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
MY first question was whether Honda could produce as innovative 4×4 as some of their outstanding TV adverts.
Honda’s priority while developing this latest version was a more car-like dynamic: improved refinement and economy, a more versatile interior and a general modernising of look and features.
This ‘soft-roader’ is more refined than many of its rivals, with road and wind noise well contained. My test drive, an a highly impressive black, was smooth and civilised too, while all of the vital controls have a light touch and work with well-oiled precision.
The CR-V is geared towards on- rather than off-road ability and operates in front-wheel drive most of the time. While you’re aware of some extra height and bulk over a familyhatchback , the CR-V handles neatly and body sway is kept to a minimum. The steering is light and accurate, too, and the ride is comfortable over most surfaces.
For those looking to save a few pounds the 2.2-litre diesel engine, which packs a 138bhp and is flexible and keen to rev will be popular.
The new CR-V is 10mm shorter than its predecessor, and though it’s fractionally wider, it’s also lower and sits on a reduced wheelbase.
Despite this, and bigger seats, it’s spacious, with particularly impressive rear-seat packaging. Despite the absence of sixth and seventh seats – as provided by some of its rivals – the CR-V is very spacious and practical, as I found out while having to move a few small household items one day during evaluation.
Its aerodynamics has been improved as well: being 12 percent cleaner through the air further improves a fuel consumption already assisted by a marginally reduced weight.
Among the interior ‘toys’ is a rear-view parking camera, radar cruise control and a collision mitigation system that prevents rear-ending shunts.
Those of you with an eye for detail will see that that the latest CR-V has smoother lines than its predecessor. It would be fair to say that the new car is well-rounded if not quite hitting the heights of those aforementioned adverts.