Honda CR-V

The 2012 Honda CR-V recently unveiled in Lagos by The Honda Place (THP) focuses on the next generation mini-utilities which come as standard. Wri tes OLAOLU OLUSINA

With over 3.5 million units sold globally in 160 countries as well as over 99 awards won since 1996 when the first generation Honda CR-V was introduced, the rugged Japanese utility car has continued to make a spectacular showing.

And it was a beehive of activity, penultimate week, at the Ocean View Restaurant in Lagos when The Honda Place (THP) unveiled the fourth generation Honda CR-V utility car at a ceremony attended by major stakeholders in the auto industry.

Apparently redesigned for 2012, the new Honda CR-V still maintains its previous size, with minimal hardware changes, enough style and feature modification to keep the Honda’s premium selling crossover fully competitive. And like its predecessor, the remodeled CR-V is offered in familiar LX and EX-L trim levels. Where the LX comes pretty well-equipped, the EX-L gets additional convenience and luxury features, but without navigation systems for the local market.

Positioned as an excellent family vehicle as affirmed by test drivers, safety however remains a strong selling point for the CR-V, especially with the  top five-star government safety ratings, which according to its manufacturers, rank the CR-V best amongst safety conscious cars in its class. Other standard safety features include stability control, braking assist, and front-side and head-protecting side curtain air bags.

Presenting the unique features of the car at the unveiling ceremony, Sales and Marketing Director, The Honda Place, Mr. Deepak Daryanani, said the sedan-like ride with stunning economical four-cylinder engine spectrum and a remarkable handling are rare features that distinguish the CR-V in its class.

According to Daryanani, the CR-V has continued to enjoy customer loyalty and increasing sales year-on-year due to its uniqueness, ample passenger room, cargo capacity and competitive pricing. Little wonder, he added, more than a dozen different models from rival automakers have continued to make their way into the mid-sized SUV category.

“While some models offer V6 engines, Honda CR-V has remained focused on its practical aspirations and true-to-form design, becoming the best choice available in the all-important compact, small-SUV segment,” he said. “A peep in the hood underscores CR-V’s standard 2.4-litre inline four cylinder engine with 185 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque’ mated to Honda’s fashionable five-speed transmission, just as all models come in the traditional front wheel drive except the all-wheel drive that is optional.”

The intelligently thought-out interior made with high quality materials; comfortable ride, quieter engine than in earlier versions, better road handling and remarkable steering high points, according to Daryanani,  actually make the new CR-V tick. Other technical features on the new CR-V focus on the next generation mini-utilities, which come as standard, e.g. two info screens, a rear view camera, bluetooth, and a function that reads incoming text messages from paired phones – provided the phone is a BlackBerry. The CR-V’s fuel management system has also been improved from 21/28mpg city/highway to 23/31mpg and the all-wheel-drive models go from 21/27mpg to 22/30mpg.