Honda unveiled the all-new fifth-generation CR-V for the North American market a few months ago. A new set of details for the ASEAN-spec version has surfaced on the Internet ahead of its official unveil which is to take place shortly. As reported earlier, the Honda CR-V for the ASEAN markets will come with a seven-seat layout as opposed to a five-seat configuration seen on its North American counterpart. The ASEAN-spec CR-V is likely to debut in Thailand soon.
Under the hood, the new CR-V will come with an i-VTEC 2.4-litre petrol motor, which is likely to be carried over from the current model. This engine will be mated to a CVT gearbox. The big news is, the ASEAN-spec car, for the first time, will come with a diesel engine as well. The Honda CR-V diesel will come with a 1.6-litre i-DTEC unit good for 158hp at 4,000rpm and 350Nm of torque at 2,000rpm. This motor will be mated to an all-new ZF nine-speed automatic gearbox. Both engine options will be offered with front-wheel drive and optional AWD setup. The North-American CR-V’s 1.5-litre turbo petrol motor, however, will not see duty in the ASEAN-spec model.
As for styling, the fifth-gen car is likely to get similar cues for all markets. The new CR-V’s design is a clean departure from the earlier model. The styling is more angular and modern than its predecessor and is more in line with the current-gen Honda offerings like the Civic and the BR-V. In Honda's first, the new CR-V gets an automatic shutter grille tech that lowers aerodynamic drag. On the inside, the new CR-V gets a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system replete with support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It is also laid out with high-quality soft-touch material.
The fifth-gen CR-V gets a 41mm longer wheelbase and better interior packaging that results in a 53mm increase in rear legroom, while cargo space is up by 2 cubic feet to 39 cubic feet.
Additionally, the new Honda CR-V gets features like remote engine start, dual-zone climate control, heated wing mirrors, and an electric parking brake, along with equipment such as USB charging ports for the second row, a four-way power adjustable front passenger seat and an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat.
In India, the CR-V is sold as a petrol-only model and lack of a diesel engine for a vehicle this size means sales are low. Honda is yet to bring in a mid-cycle refresh for the fourth-gen car that went on sale internationally more than a year ago. The top-spec CR-V currently is priced around Rs 32.4 lakh (onroad, Mumbai). Honda is likely to skip the facelifted fourth-gen model for India and directly bring in the new fifth-gen CR-V.
New Honda CR-V photo gallery