New Honda CR-V to start from $30,690 BOCs

HONDA Australia’s crucial new-generation CR-V will land in local showrooms in four flavours from mid-July with a pricing reshuffle that sees its entry-level variant rise $900 to $30,690 before on-road costs, while its top-spec version drops $1500 to $44,290.

Kicking off the new fifth-generation CR-V range is the five-seat, front-wheel-drive VTI, which Honda claims has $3700 of added value compared with its outgoing equivalent.

Standard equipment on the CR-V range-opener includes keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, a reversing camera, 7.0-inch central display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, an eight-speaker audio system, LED daytime running lights (DRLs), 17-inch alloy wheels, a full-sized spare wheel, cloth seats and roof rails.

Safety gear includes hill start assist, driver attention monitor and tyre pressure monitoring system, as well as dual front, side and full length curtain airbags.

Stepping up to the VTi-S grade gives buyers the choice of two-wheel drive from $33,290 or all-wheel drive at $35,490 – a price increase of $1000 and $200 respectively compared with the outgoing model.

VTi-S variants gain 18-inch alloy wheels, an electric tailgate, satellite navigation, front and rear parking sensors, automatic headlights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and folding mirrors, as well as Honda’s LaneWatch system which displays the video feed of a left-hand mirror-mounted camera when the left indicator is in use to check for objects in the driver’s blind spot.

The second-to-top VTi-L will be the only seven-seat CR-V available at launch and is priced at $38,990 – a drop of $300 compared with its outgoing five-seat-only counterpart.

Specification rises to include a panoramic sunroof, leather-appointed seats, heated front seats, an eight-way electronically adjustable driver’s pew and automatic wipers, along with installing ceiling vents and extending the curtain airbags to cover occupants in the third row.

Topping the pricing table at $44,290 is the range-topping VTi-LX, which Honda claims has $4350 of added value over the fourth-generation VTi-L ADAS.

The flagship five-seat, all-wheel-drive variant adds privacy glass, LED headlights, heated door mirrors, an electronically adjustable front passenger seat, digital radio, an automatic dimming rearview mirror and a leather-wrapped gear knob.

The VTi-LX also benefits from the inclusion of Honda’s Sensing suite of driver-assist technologies, which bundles adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and lane keep assist.

Ditching the naturally aspirated engine and manual gearbox offerings available in the previous generation, all versions of the new CR-V are powered by a turbocharged 140kW/240Nm 1.5-litre petrol VTEC four-cylinder motor – an uprated version of the engine propelling most of the Civic small car range – and mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The fifth-gen CR-V will compete in one of Australia’s most competitive segments against the likes of the market-leading Mazda CX-5, Hyundai’s Tucson, the Ford Escape, Kia’s Sportage, Volkswagen’s Tiguan and the Toyota RAV4.

However, only a handful of mid-size SUVs offer a third row option, limited to only the Nissan X-Trail, Mitsubishi Outlander and incoming Skoda Kodiaq and VW Tiguan Allspace.

2017 Honda CR-V pricing*

VTi 2WD (a)	$30,690
VTi-S 2WD (a)	$33,290
VTi-S AWD (a)	$35,490
VTi-L 2WD (a)	$38,990
VTi-LX AWD (a)	$44,290

*Excludes on-road costs