Not exciting, but nice. The new Honda CR-V SUV should make the medium-sized soft-roader popular again in our country.
The Honda CR-V has been struggling in recent years. Although it is one of the founders of the SUV hype, it has sold only sparingly in recent years. The new one comes with a hybrid e:HEV and a plug-in hybrid e:PHEV. This could well change the fortunes.
Honda is now also working on the plug-in hybrid?
Yep, the CR-V will be the first European Honda ever with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. It is also available as a regular hybrid. This is basically the same system as the Civic, but with some minor changes. This allows the 2.0-liter combustion engine to drive the front wheels with two transmissions instead of one. Good for efficiency and towing capacity, because this plug-in can tow 1,500 kilos. In principle, however, you drive most of the time on the electric motor of 184 hp and 335 Nm. The 17.8 kWh battery pack should then enable you to drive approximately 70 to 80 kilometers electrically. The performance is seamless, but 184 hp is of course not excessive for a two-ton car.
How many positions can the rear seat backrest be adjusted to?
Nice that you asked! No less than sixteen positions. Not that you will ever do that, but it is possible. Because the rear seat is also sliding and the new CR-V is ten centimeters longer than the old one, you can use it in any direction. Plenty of legroom for the backseat passengers or a lot of luggage space: it’s all possible, depending on your wishes.
You can go in any direction with the back seat.
And up front it’s exactly like the Civic?
For 99 percent. There are of course some buttons for energy management in the plug-in and the center tunnel is a bit more elegant, but the difference between the CR-V and the Civic is otherwise small. This means that it is all on the black side, but it is rock solid and it makes a good impression of quality. Moreover, the ergonomics are good. This also applies to the navigation system: it works simply, but also looks the same.
Does it drive like a Civic?
In broad terms yes, but the car is higher and heavier. While you really enjoy steering in the Civic, the CR-V is clearly more obese. It is a large, heavy car, so the grip is simply less good. The CR-V is nice and comfortable. The PHEV gets adaptive dampers as standard and with 18-inch wheels, the tire sidewall is considerable. A pleasant travel car, with sufficient feedback in the steering wheel and brake pedal to inspire confidence.
A lot of Civic, but just a bit more robust.
And the price?
That’s a bit of the CR-V’s Achilles heel. The plug-in must yield at least €63,000 and although the car is immediately very luxuriously equipped, that is of course a significant amount. Especially when you consider that other plug-ins in this segment sometimes have one and a half times the power, often for thousands of euros less.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl