Honda CR-V (2020)

Expert Review by Maxabout

A decade ago, SUVs were not as popular as today and there were almost no buyers for petrol SUVs. Despite that Honda’s CR-V managed to mark its presence successfully in India. It was an imported SUV with fresh appeal of styling. Honda is ready once again with the up-graded version of CR-V and hopes for even better results this time.

Exterior

The futuristic style designing of Honda can be seen in the new CR-V. This car certainly can’t be ignored; it has the potential to grab your attention. The three layered heavily chromed front grille of CR-V adds premium touch to this car while its sleek design of headlights gives it the essence of modernity. Its deep and big nose forms the aggressive face of this car. The new car shares its round shaped fog lights with its outgoing version. The newly designed bumper features pointed lines on it which makes it look aerodynamic when seen from either side. The car lacks any type of roof rail and side steps yet looks sporty and macho sideways thanks to its bulgy wheel arches and massive alloy wheels. The tail section of the car looks like a masterpiece. Its pointed quarter glass and rear glass are inspired from the outgoing model though. The elongated clear lens tail lights enhance the visual beauty of this car. The car looks dynamic with its bulky rear bumper and door.

Interior

Honda has used high quality of fabrics and material inside. The car looks fresh and smoky inside with its dual tone colors. The plastic and leather used in this car makes it feel up-market. The car can easily accommodate five adults and offer incredible knee and shoulder room. Tall passengers should have no complain with the height of this car either.

Comfort and Convenience

Honda has stuffed this car with features to give you luxurious comfort. It has power windows, electrically adjustable and foldable outside mirrors, Dual zone climate control, rear AC vents, 8-way adjustable seats, remote locking, tilt and telescopic steering and much more. There are some premium features like electric sun roof, front and rear arm rests, Reverse camera and Multi-information display which further enhances your comfort inside. In short; the car leaves no room for complaint.

Dashboard and Storage

The dual tone dashboard with silver lining looks classy inside the new CR-V. The central console sports AC vents on both sides. It has a full size dashboard which is quite soft to touch and gives you the true sense of luxury inside. The plastic buttons used on this dashboard also feel up-market. There is instrument console on the right side of this dashboard which is quite easy to read and looks premium while it has a spacious glove box on the left side. The all four doors of CR-V have door pockets while it also has some cubby holes. The car has a massive boot space of 589 litres which can be increased by folding the rear seats.

Music System

The central console features a company fitted Double Din music system with touch screen. It has USB, i-pod connectivity with radio and DVD player. There are six integrated speakers in this car while you will also enjoy Bluetooth connectivity. The Audio and Bluetooth controls are mounted on its steering wheel. This touch screen also offers you an audio navigation system.

Engine and Gearbox

The car retains its both petrol engines with improved specifications. Its 2.0L, 4-cylinder, SOHC i-VTEC engine now generates a maximum power output of 156 bhp at 6500 rpm while its torque output of 190 Nm arrives at 4300 rpm. This engine is available with six-speed manual and five speed automatic transmission. Its powerful 2.4L DOHC engine churns out a maximum power output of 190 bhp at 7000 rpm. This liquid cooled, 4-cylinder engine produces utmost torque output of 226 Nm which is available at 4400 rpm. This engine is only available with 5-speed automatic transmission.

Acceleration and Performance

The 2.0L engine of CR-V feels best with its manual transmission. This car can easily go pass the top speed of 150km/hr thanks to its well matched gear ratios. The auto variant feels a bit slower and the rubber band effect delays the performance of this car. With manual transmission, the car touches 0-100km/hr in less than 13 seconds. The powerful 2.4L engine is available with optional 4wheel drive which gives you memorable off road experiences. On road, this car does 0-100km/hr in less than 10 seconds and can go pass the top speed of 175km/hr. This engine feels much refined and powerful and performs brilliantly with its automatic transmission.

Mileage

The 2.0L variant of this car may give you an overall fuel economy of around 10-13km/ltr while the mileage of its 2.4L variant ranges from 8-11km/ltr.

Safety Features

CR-V has 6 air bags, vehicle stability assist, Hill start assist, security alarm and auto door lock which confirms your safety.

Suspension and Brakes

The car has a powerful double wishbone suspension system which helps you to get comfortable rides in this car. CR-V has ventilated disc brakes on its all four wheels. For further precise braking, it also has ABS with EBD.

Ride and Handling

Honda CR-V has a long wheelbase of 2620mm which along with its brilliant suspension system and fatty tyres brings tremendous stability to this car. The car remains rock solid on highways and boost your confidence. Yes, there is slight body roll evident around corners but that’s not a major problem. You will hardly feel any pothole when the car is on a long run. The car performs really well off road with its ground clearance of 170mm. The handling of this car is quite light as it can be steered easily and causes no problem while you have to park it in tight spaces.

Shades, Variants and Warranty

New CR-V is available in four variants and five colors respectively. Honda gives warranty of 2years/40000kilometers on CR-V. Honda CR-V is also available with styling packages – Inspire and Elegance.

Verdict

Undoubtedly, Honda has overpriced the new CR-V as it ranges from INR 19.95-23.85 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi (approx., may vary)). We agree it’s a stylish and feature rich SUV but at this price, there are many diesel SUVs available in India which will save you a lot of money in comparison to CR-V. Moreover they are equally powerful, stylish and feature rich. We don’t find it a complete value for money car. This car is exclusively for petrol heads.