Auto Expo 2018: Fifth-generation Honda CR-V showcased

Image Courtesy: India.com

Honda Motors is at the Auto Expo 2018, and one of its big showcases for this edition is the latest generation of the Honda CR-V, set to come later this year. The updated design adds more bulk to the new generation of the CR-V, but the design language remains unchanged. The wheel arches on the side bulge out more, and the front fenders are wider. The headlights look similar to the new 2017 Honda City, and there is a chrome bar on the grille that dominates the front fascia. The wheel are also larger, but large L-shaped rear lights and the third row of seats inside are the big differentiators.

You will find even more differences inside, where the CR-V feature a brand new cabin with more bells and whistles than the outgoing generation. The dashboard has a design that tapers at the outside, making it look wider. There are leather elements on the dash and elsewhere, along with metal and wood highlights to give the car a more premium feel inside. There is a frameless touch-screen and a push-button gear selector to make the car even more fancy.

The front seats are large and we can talk about comfort, but the big highlight is the third row with individual air conditioning vents and a reclining backrest. There are also creature comforts like charging points and cup-holders at the back. There are practical storage spaces all around, along with multiple USB slots and a powered tailgate.

Under the hood is a different power-train. There is a 1.6-litre diesel engine that delivers 160 hp of power and 350 Nm of torque, which is very healthy for a compact SUV of this capacity. The engine sports a new twin-turbocharged setup with a variable-geometry inlet on one of them and a smaller one that works well with the other. The engine is designed to be smoother than the outgoing 1.5-litre diesel, but we’ll have to wait until it comes out on Indian roads to get the full and final verdict. Mated to the engine is a nine-speed automatic gearbox.

The new CR-V is expected to come in the middle of 2018 and will probably come at a premium over the outgoing model. The expected price is around the INR 23 lakh mark for a petrol, two-wheel drive version.

Courtesy: India.com