Honda’s CR-V may not be the most ubiquitous SUV around, but it has some pretty impressive sales figures on paper. For example, last year it was the best-selling SUV in the world, selling 515,000 units – with almost one in three of those sales registered in the UK.
As part of the brand’s range-wide refresh for 2015, the CR-V is getting a plethora of changes, both inside, out and underneath. The headline grabbing change from a powertrain point of view is the new two-stage 1.6-litre turbo diesel. There is also a new nine-speed automatic transmission.
At a glance, styling changes include wider front and rear bumpers that now offer a more fluidic look. Alongside some of the exterior design tweaks, Honda has also focussed on insulating the cabin better by doubling the thickness of the door seals and upgrading the carpets. This results in the cabin being six per cent quieter.
The new nine-speed automatic gearbox is ultimately aimed at improving efficiency. When mated to the new 158bhp 1.6-litre i-DTEC two-stage turbo diesel, the nine-speed offers 13 per cent lower CO2 emissions (129g/km), a 15 per cent improvement in fuel economy (57.7mpg) and six per cent more power.
The new two-stage turbo is quite ingenious. In a nutshell, it gives you steadier acceleration up the gears as there is a high pressure turbo at lower speeds and a low pressure turbo at higher speeds. This essentially helps the engine accelerate smoothly without jolting in-between gear changes. At times, this can feel like the gears are holding on too long – especially if you go for the automatic ‘box – but in fact the gear changes are just happening much more seamlessly.
The 158bhp 1.6-litre diesel delivers some good thrust when you put your foot down, taking 9.8 seconds to reach the 62mph, or 10.2 seconds with the auto ‘box.
The steering has been sharpened up as well, with a steering gear ratio increase of eight per cent, which means the car is more composed when swerving at higher speeds. Understeer has also been reduced.
For those who like drive assist systems, the new CR-V will put a big grin on your face. Its new Intelligent Cruise Control feature in particular - part of its Honda Sensing systems - is very impressive. It is able to read traffic on the motorway and predict whether someone is going to cut you off. If this is detected, the system will brake accordingly, but keep the cruise control active.
Honda Connect is now standard across the range, offering easy to use infotainment features and pinch/swipe functionality, like a smartphone. Much like with the Civic, this system was a much needed upgrade, as the current set-up is very button heavy and outdated.
At £22,345, the entry-level CR-V is around £1,400 more expensive than the base model Ford Kuga. Go for the 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel we were driving and you are looking at upwards of £23,400.
