Honda CR-V (2019)

The 2019 Honda CR-V diesel variant is a premium seven-seater SUV offering a smooth and efficient 1.6-litre diesel engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission, focusing on comfort and refinement. It features a spacious cabin with three-row seating, although the third row is best suited for children or occasional use. Inside, it offers premium materials like leather upholstery and soft-touch plastics, and safety equipment includes six airbags, vehicle stability assist, hill hold, and lane watch camera. The ride is plush and controlled, with excellent stability on highways and a confident driving feel, even on winding roads. The SUV’s design balances road presence with urban practicality, aided by a good driving position and solid visibility upfront. Some shortcomings include laggy infotainment and the absence of certain premium conveniences. Still, it remains a strong contender in the Rs. 30 lakh SUV segment for families prioritizing comfort, safety, and efficient long-distance touring.

The 2019 Honda CR-V is a premium seven-seater SUV that offers a spacious, well-built cabin, strong safety features, and a comfortable ride. It’s powered by a 1.6-litre diesel engine paired with a 9-speed automatic gearbox, delivering smooth performance and good highway cruising ability. The driving experience is car-like, with excellent stability, accurate steering, and a composed ride, though the suspension can feel a bit firm over rough roads. The CR-V’s interior is well laid out, with good visibility and a host of features, including a responsive infotainment system and effective air conditioning. The seven-seat layout is flexible, but the third row is best for occasional use. Safety is a highlight, with six airbags, hill hold assist, and auto brake hold. The CR-V is a solid choice for those seeking a comfortable, safe, and well-rounded SUV in India.

The 2019 Honda CR-V stands out in the premium SUV segment for its composed highway manners, refined 1.6-litre diesel engine paired with a slick 9-speed automatic gearbox, and a comfortable seven-seat layout that caters well to family needs. Its long-legged gearing and stable chassis make it effortless to cruise at high speeds without stressing the engine, which is a plus for frequent highway commuters. The ride balance leans towards car-like, with minimal body roll and accurate steering that inspire confidence even on twisty roads. However, it is not without flaws—some interior touches like the small infotainment screen and manual adjustment for the front passenger seat feel a bit underwhelming for the price point. The third-row seating is best suited for children. Overall, it is a refined, comfortable, and efficient SUV that prioritizes practicality and driveability over flashy performance, making it a compelling choice for buyers valuing comfort and usability in Indian conditions.

The 2019 Honda CR-V stands out as a premium crossover that blends comfort, refinement, and practicality in a way few rivals manage. It feels more like a large sedan than a traditional SUV, with composed handling, excellent stability on highways, and a cabin that’s both spacious and well-equipped. The driving position is spot-on, visibility is good, and the diesel engine delivers strong mid-range performance, making it effortless to drive in both city and highway conditions. The ride quality is comfortable, though the suspension can feel a bit firm over sharp edges. The seven-seat layout is there, but the third row is best suited for occasional use. The CR-V’s build quality, safety features, and overall refinement make it a compelling choice for those seeking a comfortable, well-rounded SUV in India.

After spending several weeks with the 2019 Honda CR-V diesel in India's demanding conditions, from Mumbai's chaotic traffic to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and twisty Mahabaleshwar roads, I've been impressed by its versatility as a premium SUV. The 1.6-litre diesel engine paired with the nine-speed automatic feels responsive in city crawls, darting through gaps with un-diesel-like agility, thanks to the quick-shifting gearbox that always picks the right cog without needing paddles. On highways, it shines with tall gearing that lets it cruise effortlessly at 80-100kph in seventh gear at just 2,200rpm, overtaking with ease below 3,000rpm, while excellent body control and stability make it handle sweeping corners like a car, even fully loaded. The driver-centric cockpit is a highlight, with spot-on ergonomics, supportive seats, and clear visibility that eases urban maneuvering, though small buttons and a modest infotainment screen are minor niggles at Rs 30.67 lakh. Ride quality absorbs sharp edges decently despite short-travel suspension, ground clearance handles potholes well, and real-world mileage hit 9.8kpl under hard use, stretching to 14kpl in mixed conditions. The optional third row suits kids only, but for five, it's spacious and refined, positioning it as a strong family highway contender over bulkier rivals like the Fortuner.

I've been driving the 2019 Honda CR-V diesel around Mumbai and beyond, and it truly shines as a refined urban and highway companion tailored for Indian roads. The driver-centric cockpit feels perfect, with spot-on ergonomics, supportive seats, and clear visibility that make threading through chaotic traffic effortless, even outperforming bulkier SUVs like the Fortuner. The 1.6-litre diesel paired with the 9-speed automatic is responsive in the city, darting from 0-30kph smoothly without feeling heavy, though it's not the most refined-sounding unit. On the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, it cruises effortlessly in seventh gear at 80-100kph with the engine loafing at 2,200rpm, offering fantastic stability, minimal body roll, and precise steering that holds lanes through Lonavla's sweepers—more car-like than SUV. The tall ninth gear is practically unusable legally, but overall gearing suits long hauls, with unstressed overtakes below 3,000rpm. Suspension handles sharp edges and potholes decently, aided by 208mm ground clearance, and real-world mileage hits around 9.8kpl even with a heavy foot. The premium cabin impresses with soft-touch materials, though the smallish infotainment screen lags a bit. Third-row seats are kid-only, but for five, it's spacious and comfortable. At Rs 30.67 lakh, it's a polished choice for those prioritizing dynamics over outright power.

After putting several thousand kilometers on our 2019 Honda CR-V diesel long-termer in India, I've been impressed by its highway prowess, especially cruising the Mumbai-Pune Expressway at 80-100kph in seventh gear where the 1.6-liter engine spins lazily at 2,200rpm without stress, making overtakes effortless below 3,000rpm thanks to the smooth nine-speed automatic. Its stability shines through fast sweepers like those around Lonavla, feeling more like a car than an SUV even fully loaded, with excellent body control and minimal roll, though the steering shows slight vagueness dead-ahead that vanishes under load. In Mumbai's bustle, the responsive diesel and quick-shifting gearbox dart through traffic nimbly, aided by sharp visibility and compact dimensions that belie its premium Rs 30.67 lakh price for the 4x2 variant. City ride over sharp edges is firm but composed with decent 198mm ground clearance, while Mahabaleshwar's rough ghats and potholes tested the suspension without major complaints, delivering 9.8kpl despite my heavy foot. The seven-seater cabin offers plush leather seats, ample second-row space, and driver-centric ergonomics, though the infotainment screen feels small and buttons fiddly; third row remains kids-only. Overall, it's a refined urban mile-muncher that's unstressed on long hauls.

I've been driving the 2019 Honda CR-V diesel in India for months now, and it continues to impress in Mumbai's chaotic traffic where its compact dimensions and excellent visibility make weaving through congestion effortless, feeling more like a nimble city car than a bulky SUV. The meticulously crafted driving position puts the driver first with perfect seat cushioning, clear dials, glare-free infotainment, and angled USB ports that enhance everyday ergonomics, though some buttons feel fiddly for larger fingers. On highways like Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the 1.6-litre diesel paired with the 9-speed automatic shines, cruising happily in seventh gear at 80-100kph with the engine loafing at 2,200rpm, offering unstressed overtakes below 3,000rpm and superb stability through Lonavla's sweepers where body roll is minimal and steering precise, albeit with slight vagueness dead-ahead. The suspension handles sharp edges and potholes decently for an SUV with modest travel, aided by good ground clearance, while mixed driving yields around 9.8-14kpl. The spacious cabin boasts premium leather and support for five, but the diesel's 7-seater third row suits kids only, and at Rs 30 lakh, the small screen and occasional gruffness hold it back from perfection.

The 2019 Honda CR-V has been enhanced with advanced safety features, including the standard Honda Sensing suite, which includes collision mitigation braking, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. This upgrade aims to improve driver and passenger safety. I think these additions make the CR-V a more compelling choice in its segment.

In India, the 2019 Honda CR-V diesel variant was priced approximately at Rs. 30.67 lakh ex-showroom for the top 7-seater trim. On-road prices typically push the figure closer to Rs. 33-34 lakh in metropolitan cities after factoring insurance, registration, and road tax. While it is positioned in the premium compact SUV bracket, the pricing is on the higher side compared to some rivals offering more powerful engines or better features. The CR-V commands a premium largely due to its sophisticated 9-speed automatic gearbox and Honda’s brand reliability but lacks some niceties like an electric passenger seat or parking sensors that competitors offer at a lower cost. For buyers with a budget around 30 lakh, it’s essential to weigh the CR-V’s refined driving experience and build quality against its premium pricing and the availability of more feature-rich alternatives from Toyota or Skoda in the same range.

The 2019 Honda CR-V was launched in India with an ex-showroom price starting around Rs 30.67 lakh, and the on-road price could go up to Rs 35 lakh or more depending on the city and additional charges. This placed it at a premium compared to rivals like the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Seltos, and even above some larger SUVs. The high price tag was justified by its premium features, spacious cabin, and strong safety credentials, but it did make the CR-V a tough sell for buyers looking for value for money. The limited availability of the diesel engine and the lack of certain luxury touches, like electric adjustment for the front passenger seat, also made some buyers hesitate. Still, for those who prioritise comfort, safety, and a refined driving experience, the CR-V’s price was acceptable, especially if found at a discount in the used market.

The 2019 Honda CR-V diesel delivers a respectable real-world mileage of around 10-12 km/l in Indian driving conditions, reflecting a good balance between performance and economy. Considering its size and powertrain, such mileage is decent without compromising on driveability. For buyers concerned about running costs, the efficient diesel engine paired with Honda’s smooth transmission helps keep fuel bills manageable, making it suitable for both city commutes and highway touring without frequent fuel stops.

The 2019 Honda CR-V diesel delivers a real-world mileage of around 9.8 kmpl, which is decent for a large SUV of its size and weight. This makes it a practical choice for those who do a mix of city and highway driving, as the efficient diesel engine helps keep running costs manageable. For buyers concerned about fuel economy, the CR-V offers a good balance between performance and efficiency, though it’s not class-leading in terms of mileage.