Honda has launched the fifth generation of CR-V in India. The fifth-gen CR-V comes with both petrol and diesel engine options. The front of the car is very sharp and angular. The Honda logo sits on top of thick chrome bar on the grille which looks very engaging. The exquisite LED headlights and fog lamps complete the front of the car.
The cabin is voluminous and seats are very comfortable. The interiors have got the premium quality materials for upholstery, panel and switches. There is attention to detail in each and every part. The fit and finish level is marvellous. There are TFT LCD instrument cluster and a centrally mounted 7-inch touchscreen display. Honda in association with Garmin has developed the navigation system on this car. The car also comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The diesel variant comes with 7-seats while the petrol model is only restricted to 5-seats.
This is the first time when Honda has offered a diesel engine in the CR-V. The 1.6-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel unit is mated to a 9-speed automatic gearbox and churns out 120 PS and 300 Nm of twisting force. The gear change on the diesel variant can also be done manually with the paddle shifters. There is an option of all-wheel drive in the diesel variant. The other powerplant is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine which is mated with a torque converter that produces 154 PS and 189 Nm. However, the power in the petrol variant will be provided to the front wheels and there is no option of other drive systems. The car sits on 18-inch alloy wheels and can do a decent amount of off-roading.
Coming to safety, the new CR-V gets ABS with EBD, brake assist, vehicle stability assist, hill start assist, 6 airbags, Isofix child mounts, seatbelt pre-tensioners and even driver attention monitor as standard fitment. The CR-V has also received a 5-star rating in the ASEAN NCAP crash tests. The SUV will take on the Hyundai Tucson, Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, Skoda Kodiaq and the Volkswagen Tiguan. The range of the petrol and diesel variant starts from Rs. 28.15 lakhs and Rs. 30.65 lakhs respectively. (ex-showroom, New Delhi)