It is an institution, which the rich and the famous of the country have embraced wholeheartedly. The Indian premium SUV segment has long ago capitulated to the CR-V, and ironically it is not even a proper SUV to begin with, such is the charisma of the car. The launch of Chevrolet’s Captiva may have to an extent dampened CR-V’s party in India, but its nothing that the Japanese icon can’t handle.
Design
The third generation Honda CR-V sports a design, which is a far cry from that of the first CR-V that rolled out of Honda’s factory in Suzuka, Japan, more than a decade ago. Appearing somewhat of a cross between an SUV and a sports coupe, the CR-V’s design is not what someone would generally associate with an SUV. Varying from the school of design that favours butch and macho looks of SUVs, the CR-V’s appearance is more on the feminine side. But that doesn’t in any way imply that it looks ungainly. On the contrary, its slick and aerodynamic design is quite a sight and many a hearts have fallen for it all over the world.

The CR-V with its double front grille, twin-eyed projector-type headlamps and coupe like window line looks immensely sporty and attractive. The seamlessly creased flanks with its massive wheel arches and sparkling 17-inch alloy wheels maintain the sporty appearance of the car. The CR-V sports heavy under-body cladding that keeps it’s under belly out of harms way. The rear of the CR-V is devoid of a spare wheel and has a lift gate instead of the more conventional sideways opening door.

See specs of Honda CR-V variants

The pristine interior of the CR-V presents a luxury sedan feel found lacking in most of its competitors. The dynamic and neatly laid-out dashboard plays a perfect host to the dual zone climate control air-con, 6-CD MP3 entertainment system and a choice of either a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic gear lever. The handbrake is a smart looking thing and seems to be have been lifted right out of an Airbus A380! The entertainment system in case of the base 2.0-litre CR-V is a single CD changer with speakers, while the 2.4-litre, 4WD CR-V gets a much more impressive 6-CD Changer. CR-V’s leather covered seats are comfortable and look plush. The driver’s seat even gets 8-way power adjustment whereas the rear seats can be split folded in a 40:20:40 ratio. The CR-V has a very sizeable boot of approximately 595 litres. It also features a parcel tray that can hold lightweight bags up to a weight of 50kgs. There’s a lot more to the CR-V in terms of storage space than just the boot. The door pockets are generous in proportion and a central storage space near the gear lever is also present to help one store away knick-knacks.
Comfort & Safety
Comfort and safety are factors that are gradually climbing the steps in our Indian car buyer’s priority list. The CR-V prides itself in carrying all the creature comforts and safety features that one may find in a luxury sedan. It has dual zone climate control, multi-functional power steering with tilt and telescopic adjustments, rear air-con vents, seat lumbar support and an electric sunroof (only in case of the 2.4 variant) to name a few.

The CR-V, among other evolutionary concepts features G-CON technology, which absorbs and evenly disperses the impact of a collision. In addition, it comes with dual front SRS airbags, ABS with EBD, as well as the ever-present side impact beams.

The CR-V many feel as an overrated car and when compared to the likes of the Ford Endeavour it comes across as a softie. But one must understand that the CR-V as its name, which stands for ‘Comfortable Runabout-Vehicle’ suggest, is a crossover vehicle and not a gung-ho mountain raider like the Endeavour or Pajero.
Engine, Transmission and Performance
As of now, the CR-V is available in only two petrol variants, but a diesel version is likely to enter the fray next year. The engine found on the base CR-V variant is a 2.0-litre, i-VTEC, 4-cylinder, powering 2 wheels. Although it doesn’t ooze of raw power it is quite refined and agile and high-end performance is pretty impressive, but it is the midrange where the CR-V becomes a bit dull. With 143PS of muscle and a torque of 190Nm@4200rpm, the 2.0-litre is not exactly a slow bunny. In fact it only takes 11 seconds to reach the 100kmph mark from rest and has a maximum speed of 160kmph. It is a fine car to drive in traffic and response at low speeds is praiseworthy. Both the 2.0 & the 2.4-litre engines use variable valve timing in conjunction to programmed fuel injection to facilitate great flexibility. The 2.0-litre being smaller in size is naturally more fuel-efficient and thanks to its specially modified intake valve timing, loss owed to high cylinder compressions is also reduced.

The 2.4-litre i-VTEC, 161PS, 4-wheel drive CR-V is a more spirited vehicle, which in the hands of a decent driver can even outrun most premium sedans on our roads today. Torque figure of 218Nm at 4200rpm guarantees that even a slight press of the accelerator will evoke an encouraging response from the CR-V. When pushed hard the engine develops a nice growl and is quite rewarding to hear. 

The 6-speed manual transmission standard on both variants is slick and pleasurable to use and combined with the impeccable but slightly light steering makes for fine handling. The 2.4-litre variant also has a five-speed automatic available as an option for those looking for stress free city driving. The bigger engine CR-V is a fast SUV and can notch up speeds in the region of 190kmph and is also faster at the 0-100 dash than its smaller sibling, taking a mere 10.2 seconds in the process.

Cornering has never been much of a problem for the CR-V as it is one of the best handling SUVs on the road today, thanks to its low centre of gravity, generous wheelbase, track and fat tyre profile (225/65 R17), but still at high speeds a tad of body roll is encountered owing to its height. The active 4-wheel drive system works beautifully and sends power to all four wheels only when required and as a result rewarding the CR-V with immense grip, which further facilitates in taking corners without having to use the brakes. The big and fast CR-V also boasts a set of powerful brakes much needed when called to shed excess speed and rein in the bulky SUV.

The petrol CR-V is a relatively fuel-efficient SUV, thanks to its refined engine. The 2.0-litre mill returns a mileage of 8.9kmpl in the city and 15.9kmpl on the highway, with the overall mileage standing at 10.67kmpl. The 2.4-litre on the other hand, as a result of its bigger size and surplus power is slightly less frugal but nevertheless respectable at 8.2kmpl in the city and 11.9kmpl on the highway.

With price ranging from Rs. 17,70, 000 (ex-showroom Delhi) to Rs. 19,90,000 (ex-showroom Delhi), the CR-V is expensive, but it still has takers by the thousands!