All-new Honda CR-V: The only guide you need

CR-V’s demand rose in the country when Honda began its own assembly plant at Melaka in 2003. Over 68000 units of the car have been produced at this plant. The Japanese brand has good reputation and strong resale value and so the CR-V has dominated the market for years but Nissan X-Trail has taken the number 1 spot. Honda wants to get the number one position back with the launch of the 5th generation of Honda CR-V. The company also said in a statement that they will be focusing more on technology. Cars like Toyota Fortuner, Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi RVR, Nissan X-Trail and the Kio Sorento have seen a rise in their demands and CR-V is planning to beat them all!

The next-gen CR-V will probably set the bar high for its competition and we are expected to see this car in the first quarter of 2019. The company has promised to bring 3 cars to India this year and CR-V definitely has a spot on the plan.

If we talk about the physical appearance of the car, it is comparatively sleeker, sharper and more angular than the last generation model. It is a bold and sophisticated design which offers LED headlights, tail lights as well as LED fog lamps. As expected the grille of the car has a thick chrome bar which is a signature of the Japanese carmaker. The all-new CR-V also features a newly designed tail light combined with LED light bar. The car’s new tailgate spoiler and dual exhaust pipe add stronger presence.

The car is even more spacious and Honda has set the bar high with top-notch interiors. The premium quality material has been used for upholstery, panels and in-car controls. There is a 7-inch screen in the centre of the cabin which has navigation system developed by Garmin and the screen is a complete touch screen and shows important real-time driving information. The steering wheel is covered with leather and has switches for Audio, handsfree and cruise control. It also provides connection to phones via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The car also has a TFT LCD instrument cluster.

There are many features that will be released ahead of launch but we do know that the front seat offers 4-way power adjust option and also has a dual-zone climate control. The also houses a touch power moonroof. It is the first time that CR-V will have 3 rows of seating which makes it good enough for a maximum of 7 passengers.
Under the hood, we have a 1.5-liter Direct Injection turbo engine and the Japanese automaker also offers a 2.0-liter I-VTEC option. The engine of the car provides maximum performance which is the highest in its class standing at a whopping power of 190 PS @ 5600 rpm and torque of 243 Nm @ 5000 rpm. It is also the first time in Malaysia that the CR-V will be available with a diesel powertrain and the 1.6-liter unit with 162 PS.

The car has been made safer with the highest standing safety equipment which include ABS, electric parking brake, emergency stop signal, vehicle stability assist etc. The car also offers a flexible cargo space with height adjustment. The longer wheelbase of the car is also noticeable and stands at 18 inches. Honda CR-V is available in 7 colors; Crystal Black Pearl, Modern Metallic Steel, Lunar Silver Metallic, White Orchid Pearl, Red Pearl Passion, Deep Ocean Blue, and Dark Olive Metallic. The price of the car will be approximately 1,53,063 Malaysian Ringgits and this price for the features that we have described above is honestly a steal!

While we know that the CR-V has always been a popular choice for the premium SUV buyer, the current model is expected to ramp up the sales and popularity of the company. With the 5th generation model, Honda aims to retain its popularity is the CR-V segment in Malaysia and make it an even sweeter deal for its customers. This is the first time that this popular SUV will feature a Diesel powertrain. To conclude, Honda believes that this feature will strengthen CR-V's position in a diesel-dominated SUV market.