The fifth-generation Honda CR-V has gone on sale in Ireland with a starting price of €33,500.
On the outside, the changes and upgrades have been subtle but they do enhance the overall look of what Honda claims is the world’s best selling SUV.
There is a new grille and lights, and a bigger, more clamshell-like bonnet as well as more sculpted sides, but the overall silhouette and shape are the same. Which is no bad thing as the CR-V is a handsome looking machine.
There is a choice of eight exterior colours: solid Rallye Red, metallic Lunar Silver, Modern Steel, Cosmic Blue and Premium Crystal Red, and pearlescent Platinum White, Crystal Black and Premium Agate Brown.
Alloy wheels are available in 17, 18 and 19-inch sizes, depending on specification, and top-grade cars will be equipped with a panoramic glass sunroof as standard.
The cabin gets a refresh too with new higher-grade materials and a mixture of trims and finishes. There is a seven-inch central touchscreen, in addition to the seven-inch Driver Information Interface (DII) which is visible through the steering wheel. There is also smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The biggest change to the interior is the ability to have seven seats in the CR-V. Thanks to a 30mm stretch of the wheelbase, buyers can opt for a five-seat or seven-seat version.
In terms of boot space, the five seat model has a 561-litre capacity that expands to 1,756 litres with the rear seats folded. The seven-seat model offers 150 litres of boot space with all seats up and 472 litres of boot space with the third row of seats folded.
From launch, there is just one engine on offer with either a six-speed manual or CVT automatic gearbox.
The new CR-V makes use of Honda’s 1.5-litre VTEC TURBO petrol engine, which was first seen in the latest Honda Civic, and has been adapted to include a turbocharger exclusively designed for the CR-V.
Power output for the VTEC TURBO is 173hp at 5,600rpm when equipped with the six-speed manual gearbox and 193hp at 5,600rpm for CVT models. Maximum torque is 220Nm between 1,900 and 5,000rpm for manual and 243Nm between 2,000 and 5,000rpm for CVT models.
Official CO2emissions are 143g/km (€390 tax per year) for the manual, front-wheel-drive model and 162g/km (€570 tax per year) for CVT-equipped cars – which are fitted with all-wheel drive as standard.
Fuel economy on the NEDC combined cycle is 6.3 litres/100 km (44.8 mpg) for the manual FWD model and 7.1 litres/100 km (39.8 mpg) for the CVT AWD car.
Prices start at €33,500.
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