2018 Honda CR-V Diesel 4WD | First Drive

Honda of Japan has a very cautious approach to making cars, so much so that I personally feel that they are a tad slow in introducing new products and technology in the country. A case in point is the new Honda CR-V which finally comes with a diesel engine. Just when the demand for diesel powered cars is on the wane here, Honda has brought in a diesel avatar of the CR-V. Nevertheless, we drive this 5th generation 4-wheel drive machine (7-seater) and find out what it has to offer.

EXTERIOR DESIGN AND FEATURES OF 2018 HONDA CR-V DIESEL 4WD

This 5th generation Honda CR-V is a bit longer, wider and taller than the previous generation, though this difference is barely noticeable visually. This monocoque SUV gets athletic wheel arches, tweaks in the front detailing and a short rear overhang and an increased ground clearance of 208mm. The car carries stylised headlights surrounded by a wing shaped LED DRL and not to miss are the muscular fenders. All in all, the vehicle looks impressive with its long hood, the longer wheelbase at 2660mm and a short rear overhang.

The lights are all LED—the DRLs, the turn lights both in front and rear, headlights, tail lights and brake lights. The side profile with chrome strips running across give the vehicle a very dynamic and sporty look.  Adding to this appeal are the 18 inches alloy wheels. Thankfully Honda is offering a spare tyre of the same size as regular tyres. The new Honda CR-V has a large panorama sunroof with a tilt mode, a glass mode and a shade mode.

INTERIOR DESIGN AND FEATURES OF 2018 HONDA CR-V DIESEL 4WD

Once you step inside you notice a very roomy CR-V cabin. The materials used inside are of good quality. The meter gauge progressively illuminates when you open the door to enter the vehicle. The instrument lighting illuminates and then brightens progressively to 100per cent when the ignition is switched on. At the end of the drive, the instrument lighting dims progressively.

There is a new instrument panel comprising a full-colour 7-inch driver information interface display and a 7-inch colour touchscreen display audio system. The steering wheel can be adjusted for both rake and reach. The audio system offers 180 watts of power output with six speakers. The audio system supports AM/FM and Bluetooth streaming audio while being compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto platforms.

The diesel vehicle we drove came with three rows of seats which can accommodate 7 people in total. The seats at the rear are 60:40 split. With all rows upright, you get around 150 litres of boot space. But when the 3rd row seat is folded, you get 472 litres of space and a massive space of 936 litres is there for you when the 2nd and 3rd row seats are folded. Under floor storage is available just behind the rear seats. With a flat luggage compartment, it is easy to load and unload luggage smoothly.

SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE OF 2018 HONDA CR-V DIESEL 4WD

The Honda CR-V sits within a very tough monocoque SUV segment in India. The likes of Jeep Compass, the Skoda Kodiaq and the Hyundai Tucson rule the roost here. They offer a lot more power and torque, as compared to the Honda CR-V. But that does not mean that you can rule out any challenge from the CR-V.

The new Honda CR-V comes with features like remote keyless entry, push button start/stop, etc. The diesel turbo engine powered CR-V is mated to a new 9 speed automatic transmission with an electronic gear selector and paddle shifters. Once you tap the D mode, you will be pleasantly surprised by the ability of the car to launch itself smooth and fast. The low gear ratio ensures a quick and powerful launch while the high gear ratios lower engine speed at cruising speed giving the car lower noise and better fuel consumption.

So what does the nine-speed transmission do? Since there is greater number of gears, it means smaller gear steps, thus providing better response to drive inputs. Power delivery is linear as you step on the accelerator. The new 9-speed automatic transmission can even shift directly down gears from 9th to 5th and 7th to 4th gear, additionally to all two gears and one gear downshifts. All other multiple down shifts are overlapped shifts where an additional shift needs to be performed in background in order to achieve the target gear. This brings out the efficiency of the new transmission.

The all-wheel drive system in the new Honda CR-V is brilliant in its own ways. Depending on the terrain, it can send as much as 40pc of the engine power to the rear wheels, if the situation so demands. The capability of the vehicle is further enhanced by features like vehicle stability assist with traction control, 4-channel anti-lock braking system with brake assist and a new electric brake booster. Convenience safety features include en electric parking brake, automatic brake hold and hill start assist.

The ride quality is excellent and because of the front and rear stabilizer bars, body roll during cornering is minimized. The motion-adaptive electric power steering too is also very capable, giving adequate feedback as one steps on the accelerator. And because of the considerable amount of insulation and use of modern technology, NVH levels have been kept well under control.

The vehicle also comes with a good number of airbags for front passengers and side ones for those at the back. Besides, it has also an ISOFIX for attaching child seats at the rear. As part of safety features, the vehicle also has a driver attention monitor. The driver attention level is estimated from the amount of steering input and warnings are sent out in the form of message, sound and steering vibration.

VERDICT

The new diesel powered Honda CR-V is a seven-seater SUV with a lot of fine refinement.  It offers great comfort, adequate power to steer it across different kinds of rough terrains because of its all-wheel drive capability and has a very pleasing personality in terms of its looks. The diesel avatar of the new Honda CR-V is sure to appeal to a lot of people keen to drive a plush SUV that has a diesel powertrain under its hood. It’s definitely a lot smarter than its predecessor!