Honda CR-V: Modest Modifications

The Honda CR-V is essentially a CBU import that enjoys a strong fan following globally. Its heritage lies in the essence that most people rarely take their SUV's off the tarmac, so why build something that will never be used in the manner that it is designed for. This gave birth to the idea of a soft roader, or an SUV-looking passenger vehicle that had the street presence and commanding driving position of an SUV, yet was designed essentially to stay on the road. A bit of 'light' off roading was still possible thanks to gizmos like the Real Time four wheel drive system, but the vehicle essentially remained a 'car' that looks like an SUV. No doubt the formula was a success and the CR-V has grown in popularity worldwide. Here in India the CR-V has dominated segment of petrol soft roaders and its comfort and drivability is legendary.

Coming to the new or rather refurbished CR-V that Honda Siel recently unveiled, one realizes that the company has not tinkered with the vehicle too much. After all why change a good thing right! Anyways, the latest CR-V happens to be a minor makeover job to possibly give it a very subtle change yet bring out an element of sophistication, which it manages with elan.

Subtle changes seem to be the theme of this particular makeover for at first instance you might be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the outgoing model and the new one from the outside. A closer look reveals a new hood and two step front grille as well as a slightly redesigned front bumper that houses neat oval fog lights. The rear only boasts of a new bumper as well and the result of these changes in the bumpers has lead to a 45mm length extension on the vehicle. The only other exterior change are the new alloys-gone are the 7 spoke and in come in these neat 10 spoke rims that add a sporty touch to the vehicle now.

The interior is where Honda has played up the game a little more than the exterior. You will find that the high end 2.4 L model boasts of steering-mounted Cruise Control system. Other improvements include six airbags with occupant position detection system (OPDS), a new improved music system with a USP port in the upper glove box, a lightened color scheme for the interiors, and chrome audio controls and gear knob. No doubt, the interiors of the Honda CR-V have always been a great place to be and with these changes, the luxury feel is definitely enhanced and it's bound to bring a smile to your face. One touch that I definitely liked about the interior changes is small but definitely a convenient feature. The backlight for the dash has been changed from a rusty orange to the neat blue that you also find in the Civic. It's easier on the eye and at night it gives the dash a premium look that can't be matched by some higher end SUVs even.

On the engine front, Honda continues to offer the same engines that the outgoing model had, namely, the 2.0 L - MT 2WD and 2.4L MT / AT Real-time 4WD. I had the 2.4 MT with me and as expected power delivery, drive comfort and performance all matched the high expectations that one gets when you drive a vehicle of this caliber. The CR-V has always been a formidable soft roader and luxury sedan rolled into one and it remains an amazing vehicle to tool around in. The new package does offer more to the customer and though the CR-V is a bit high priced thanks to the prevailing custom duties in our country, it still comes across as a solid bang for your buck.