Sixth Times the Charm: Honda CR-V Launch Report

It’s hard to believe the Honda CR-V has been with us for nearly 30 years. During that time it has become one of Honda’s best sellers, with many in the market for the midsized SUV gravitating towards it.

“The CR-V is among the pioneers of a true SUV in New Zealand. The first generation CRV was launched in Japan in 1995 and in 1996, New Zealand became the first country in the world to launch outside Japan,” says Honda New Zealand Managing Director Nobuya Sonoda.

The outgoing fifth generation CR-V has been in production of six years and now, the sixth episode of the CR-V saga has been launched in New Zealand. Honda New Zealand flew me up to their plant in Nelson and told us we could drive back the new CR-V back to Christchurch at our leisure. Here is the low down on the new sixth generation Honda CR-V.

The range consists of three different spec levels, the CR-V Sport AWD, the CR-V Sport 7 and the flagship CR-V RS e:HEV. The entry level Sport AWD starts at $53,000 while the seven seat Sport 7 will set you back $57,000 and the flagship RS e:HEV is $67,000. These figures reflect Honda’s price promise which means regardless of which dealer you buy from, you are safe in the knowledge that it will cost the same for everyone nationwide.

The price has gone up tad over the previous generation, but local demand for the new car is still mighty strong. “The CR-V is our second biggest customer base in New Zealand after the Honda Jazz,” says Honda New Zealand Chief Operating Officer Peter Ashley. “Such was the demand for this car that we managed to sell 110 units within the first hour of opening the books. We also predict that we will be able to sell 800 units within the first six months,” he says.

Honda says the new CR-V is about “dreaming bigger.” Well, it seems the designers and technicians behind the new CR-V have done just that as the sixth generation is 80mm longer, 10mmwider and thanks to an entirely new platform, the wheelbase is 40mm longer. Honda also says the new CR-V is all about “high quality sportiness” with a “stable and powerful stance.” You can see what they mean as the new car offers a more hunkered down and slippery look. The under floor has been smoothed out and there is a new rear spoiler and air curtains to aid in aerodynamics.

There is also a revised head and taillight cluster, with the RS benefiting from Honda’s latest Adaptive High Beam headlights. Both models get a new look honeycomb grill, while the RS gets a black grill design to go with its black wing mirrors. An electric shutter grill feature means the grill is shut off when the car is parked. The Sport AWD and Sport 7 get a set of 18-inch alloys while the RS gets black 19-inch.

In terms of power, there have been significant changes. Starting with the Sport AWD and Sport 7, they both received a 1.5L turbo four-cylinder petrol engine with 140kW and 240Nm of torque. The big news here is the turbo itself has been refined so now power kicks in lower down in the rev range, 1700rpm over the previous car’s 2000rpm. Combined fuel consumption is rated at 7.4L/100km and 169g/km of CO2.

The seven-speed CVT transmission has also been improved with G-design shift and it will now shift down earlier when you brake. Its clear Honda has been fine tuning the new car to focus on driving fun.

Over to the RS e:HEV. Yes, the CR-V is the first in the model’s history to feature hybrid technology, something familiar to fans of the Jazz and ZR-V. It’s 2.0L direct injection petrol engine produces 109kW and 183Nm of torque and features a redesigned exhaust and intake and improved cooling. The addition of 2-motor electric drive gives 135kW/335Nm, you have quite the meaty power-train.

Fuel consumption is much lower at 5.5L/100km combined and 146g/km of CO2. The AWD system in the Sport AWD and RS now varies drive to all four wheels 50:50 or 60:40 to the rear, depending on drive mode and driving conditions.

Inside, the new CR-V sports the interior look first seen in the new Civic and ZR-V. Everything feels good to the touch and I love features like the full width honeycomb grill and steering wheel design. Honda’s new stabilizing seats hold you nicely in place and there is greater forward visibility and a lot more space.

The infotainment system is clear and concise and heated seats come as standard, as does Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. A new feature is the Reservation Lock and Walk Away Close Function. Simply press the “walk away” button on your key fob and when you walk away after opening the electric tailgate, the car detects your absence and closes automatically.

Honda’s Sensing safety suite has been updated too. The adaptive cruise control has been revised, as has the Lane Keep Assist feature. Its Collision Mitigated Braking System now detects bicycles and motorcycles and the CR-V’s forward radars now see between 90 to 120 degrees of whatever in front of you.

The CR-V also now comes with Honda Connect. Available for download, the Honda Connect App allows you unlock your car, start the engine remotely, set the aircon and seat heater just so in the morning, track your car’s location, check its current status and a whole host of other features.

After having a wee peek at Honda New Zealand’s heritage collection, which to be honest features a time warp of incredible classic Accords, Civics and Citys, we got ready to leave the Nelson Honda Centre and plant. I made a beeline straight for the RS. Amazingly, of the 10 Journalists attending the launch, myself included, Honda chose to give us our own car. In other words, I would be driving solo for much of the trip south. Honda also gave us a bag of edible goodies to enjoy on the drive down so there would be plenty to nibble on before we reached our lunch stop at Hanmer Springs.

Inserting that aforementioned destination into the sat nav, the journey began. Straight away as we navigated our way out of urban Nelson, the new CRV started to impress big time. The RS e:HEV combo of petrol and battery power not only felt meatier low down in the rev range but road noise was much less, as was the engine note. When compared to the previous generation, the new CRV is a far more refined beast.

The weather wasn’t ideal during the trip but what was ideal was just how the new CR-V managed as a spirited drive. Those tweaks underneath and the revisions to the e:HEV powertrain make for a car that is far more eager in the corners. It also stays much more planted than the previous generation. Whereas the outgoing car would wallow and felt top heavy at times, the new car is anything but. The regenerative braking for the RS e:HEV is controlled by shift paddles and there is a considerable gulf between the light braking and heavy, meaning I seldom needed to press the middle pedal while negotiating Lewis Pass. During my drive, I was able to get average fuel consumption of 6.9L/100km which was pretty good, all while feeling rather comfortable.

After lunch in Hanmer, it was over the CR-V Sport 7. Here was a surprise. It felt lively and the 1.5L turbo unit felt perky and eager. From Hanmer to Christchurch, there was little to complain about. Here was a CR-V for the first time that actually served up some smiles when pushing hard. Dial back the power on the straight and wide sections of SH1 and its quietness and refinement it stil apparent.

As far as a taste for the new CR-V goes, Honda New Zealand certainly gave us a fun launch. As for the sixth generation of Honda’s flagship SUV, these changes have transformed the CR-V into a sporting family express which blends refinement and an engaging drive really well. Must say, I am looking forward to giving it a more definitive review over the coming months.