Text and photos by Kap Maceda Aguila
THE most important things you need to know about the all-new, fifth-generation Honda CR-V are in the subhead of this article. The SUV’s entry in the Philippines marks the first time Honda brings in a diesel power plant, and the company is aggressively touting the CR-V as a true seven-seat crossover.
Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) president and general manager Noriyuki Takakura took advantage of the CR-V’s recent unveiling to convey news of HCPI’s robust performance in the first half of 2017. A total of 13,789 Honda units were sold from Jan.-June — reflecting a 23% spike over last year’s figure, and the highest-ever half-year performance for the Japanese car maker here in the country. Additionally, HCPI quickly sold out 100 units of the highly coveted Honda Civic Type-R units shortly after news of their availability.
The local release of the all-new CR-V should augur more good news for HCPI. The compact crossover, which was first released globally in 1995, has undoubtedly become a very popular vehicle — moving some four million units in two decades (as reported by Car and Driver). Mr. Takakura noted that the Philippines is an “SUV market,” and with a preference for family movers, not to mention more frugal diesel power plants.
The new CR-V should thus tick the right boxes. Powering the three diesel models is a 1.6-liter DOHC i-DTEC turbo engine with Honda’s proprietary Earth Dreams Technology. Good for 118hp at 4,000rpm and maximum torque of 300Nm at 2,000rpm, Honda says that mating it to a new nine-speed A/T with electronic gear selector and paddle shifters yields “a powerful yet cleaner and more efficient output,” along with a quicker, more powerful launch at the low gear ratio, while “the high gear ratio gives lower engine speed at cruising speed, giving the car lower noise level and better fuel consumption.”
Those seeking the conventional, gasoline-powered variant might be a little disappointed as the sole petrol-sipper at the moment is a five-seat car, which keeps the same 2.0-liter SOHC i-VTEC engine promising 152hp at 6,500rpm and 189Nm at 4,300rpm. It is mated to a CVT, also engineered with Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology, for improved fuel efficiency.
This fifth-generation CR-V shares its bones with the Civic, and grows in dimensions over the outgoing model.
“The CR-V offers a lot of unique selling propositions over other traditional seven-seat SUVs. It’s still based on the CR-V unibody platform, although this is an all-new one compared to the previous generation,” said Sherwin Spencer Y. Kuan of HCPI’s product and sales development department, in an exclusive interview with BusinessWorld. He continued that the CR-V now boasts more premium materials in its construction and execution, and that Honda has “added a lot of technological features such as touch screen audio, Honda Sensing, panoramic roof, [and] power tailgate.”
Honda Sensing technology features a suite of safety and driver assistance technologies such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Low Speed Follow, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Keep Assist System, Road Departure Mitigation, Forward Collision Warning, and Lane Departure Warning.
Design-wise, the CR-V is unmistakably more sporty, immediately evident in the crossover’s low and wide gait. “It’s an easier-to-handle car since it’s a unibody, and Honda has improved ingress and egress for passengers,” averred Mr. Kuan.
Consistent to the company ethos of “man maximum, machine minimum,” the CR-V progressively grows cabin dimensions. The flexible seat configuration of the seven-seat variants can accommodate up to 472 liters of cargo space with the third-row seats stowed, and 967 liters with both second and third rows tumbled. The five-seat 2.0S CVT boasts 522 liters of space behind the rear seats.
Mr. Kuan added, “From the beginning, the CR-V was designed to be a seven-seat [vehicle]… For the seven-seat variants, you can slide the second row to accommodate the passengers in the third row.”
When asked if other power plants of the all-new CR-V such as the highly touted 190hp, 1.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine and the 184hp 2.4-liter gasoline will be seen locally, the official said that HCPI will be watching “if there will be demand for other engine types.”
Reservations are now being accepted across the 36 dealerships of Honda Cars Philippines, with the five-seat gasoline variant readily available. Deliveries for the seven-seat diesel models will start by end of September.
Pricing for the new CR-V is as follows: SX Diesel 9A/T AWD (seven seats), P2.049 million; S Diesel 9A/T (seven seats), P1.759 million; V Diesel 9A/T (seven seats) P1.569 million; 2.0S CVT (five seats), P1.539 million.
