2018 Honda CR-V launched in India at Rs 28.15 lakh ex-showroom, gets diesel option now

The all-new Honda CR-V has been launched in India, with prices starting at Rs 28.15 lakh ex-showroom, pan-India for the petrol version. The pricing puts the CR-V squarely against big names in the premium SUV space like the Toyota Fortuner and the Ford Endeavour and interestingly, this time around Honda has also ensured the CR-V is better equipped to take on the competition. While the CR-V was on offer only with petrol engines in the past, this time Honda has launched a diesel engine equipped version of the CR-V as well, which has been priced at Rs 30.65 lakh ex-showroom for the 2WD version, while the diesel engine all-wheel drive variant is priced at Rs 32.75 lakh (both prices ex-showroom). Even more importantly, the diesel version is a seven-seater, which Honda feels should help in bringing more premium SUV buyers to its showrooms.

The new-generation Honda CR-V has come better equipped this time as it gets the option of a diesel engine and seven seats

The CR-V thus marks the debut of Honda's new generation 1.6-litre, four cylinder diesel engine in India, which rather intriguingly has been detuned for the Indian market and offers 120PS and 300Nm in this guise. The engine is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission and the diesel CR-V also comes equipped with AWD to add to its SUV credentials. The petrol engine under the new CR-V's hood is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit that produces a more impressive 155PS and 190Nm but is mated to a 6-speed CVT unlike the diesel. Also, the petrol CR-V is a front-wheel drive only and does not get a third row of seats either.

The interiors of the new generation Honda CR-V are better specced and look a lot more premium than before

The new generation CR-V boasts a more premium, upmarket feel than before inside out, thanks to its muscular design, creased wheel arches and large 18-inch wheels (designs for the alloy wheels on the petrol and diesel versions are different from each other). The new Honda CR-V also gets LED headlights and LED fog lamps along with a higher ground clearance to accentuate that feel. Interiors boast a more premium finish while a large touchscreen for the infotainment system dominates the centre console. One significant difference between the petrol and diesel versions of the CR-V is that the diesel does not get the traditional drive selector or parking brake levers as it only uses buttons for both operations, while the petrol version does get a drive selector lever.

As we found out in our first drive, the new generation Honda CR-V does the up the game for the Japanese manufacturer in the premium SUV segment. It ticks a lot of important boxes this time and it should be interesting to see how the new CR-V fares this time around in the Indian market.

Also see: 2018 Honda CR-V diesel | First Drive Review