The new Honda CR-V comes with fresh styling and more power. Prices start at Rs 19.95 lakh.
The responsiveness of the 2.4 in the city is not bad, even in Eco mode, and tapping on the accelerator for a small increase in speed gets an immediate response. The five-speed automatic gearbox, however, is a bit slow, so that big burst of acceleration takes its time coming. It has tall gear ratios too – second gear runs up to an indicated 135kph. More gear ratios and a faster shift would have been ideal.
Flat-out performance is much stronger. Speeds as high as 150kph are breached quite easily, and keep your foot down and the CR-V feels reasonably quick, even on an open road. The motor is quite audible at high engine speeds though, especially past 5000rpm, but it sounds sporty rather than intrusive.
Ride quality is surprisingly good too. It rides flat and body movements are well controlled. The suspension is silent and this adds to the feeling of calm inside the already silent cabin.
As for the handling, the CR-V feels nice and poised around corners and very car-like to drive in the manner in which it responds to tight as well as high-speed corners. Straight-line stability is very good too, with no nervousness at high speeds. The new CR-V, however, isn't quite as nice to drive as the previous one, thanks to the new, more efficient electrically assisted steering system. It's not bad, per se, nor is it as light and inert as many other new electric systems, but it isn't nearly as good as the old hydraulic system.