2018 Honda CR-V Launch On 9 October; Will Not Get Petrol AWD

Come 9th October, Honda will be launching one of its most awaited products of the year, the 2018 Honda CR-V. First showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo, the CR-V will be Honda’s flagship SUV and will be taller, wider and richer in features than the outgoing model.

There are quite a few firsts with the new India-spec CR-V. For starters, it will now feature 3 rows of seats and come with a new 1.6-litre diesel engine. A 2.0-litre petrol engine will also be a part of the lineup. Honda seems to be betting big on diesel. It was the first carmaker in India to offer a diesel CVT combo with the new Amaze. With the CR-V, AWD and 3-row seating will only be available with the diesel powertrain.

As for performance, the 1.6-litre diesel engine makes 120PS of max power and 300Nm of peak torque, which may seem inadequate for a car of this size. But it does come with a 9-speed ZF gearbox that should help the SUV make good use of the relatively conservative power figures.

Recommended read: Honda CR-V First Drive Review

The 2.0-litre engine on the other hand makes 154PS of max power and 189Nm of peak torque. The engine is mated to a CVT gearbox and will be available with two-row seating along with FWD only.

Dimensionally and aesthetically, the CR-V has grown considerably over the outgoing model. It is now 47mm longer, 35mm wider and has a 40mm longer wheelbase. When launched it will lock horns with the likes of the Isuzu MUX, Skoda Kodiaq and the Volkswagen Tiguan. We expect Honda to price the CR-V aggressively, hopefully between Rs 26 lakh - 28 lakh.