New-gen Honda CR-V to be launched in India on October 9

Team OD Published: September 20, 2018, 11:22 AM IST

Honda Cars India Limited (HCIL) is all set to bring in the new-gen CR-V SUV to India and this will happen on October 9, as confirmed by the Japanese car manufacturer. The previous CR-V's biggest drawback was the absence of a diesel motor under its bonnet. The 2018 Honda CR-V, however, will get a diesel motor and that certainly should help boost sales. The new CR-V also gets all wheel drive which should give it decent off-road ability. It has LED headlamps, LED taillamps, and new alloy wheels. The interior is refreshed as well and the cabin is spacious. The third row on the Honda CR-V can be folded to liberate additional boot space.

The previous CR-V's biggest drawback was the absence of a diesel motor under its bonnet. The 2018 Honda CR-V, however, will get a diesel motor and that certainly should help boost sales. The new CR-V also gets all wheel drive which should give it decent off-road ability. It has LED headlamps, LED taillamps, and new alloy wheels. The interior is refreshed as well and the cabin is spacious. The third row on the Honda CR-V can be folded to liberate additional boot space. Inside, the new-gen Honda CR-V comes equipped with a new 7-inch touchscreen infotainment with the usual standards of Apple/Android connectivity, but no bundled navigation, which is a strange omission. The screen is also noticeably low-resolution and takes a while between registering touch actions, though we like that a physical dial for volume is present. There's a new display for the instruments too, and it's clear with large fonts.

The highlight of the premium offering from Honda is the new DOHC 1,597cc diesel engine which produces 120PS at 4,000rpm and 300Nm of torque at 2,000rpm paired with a nine-speed automatic. The petrol is the SOHC 1,997cc from the outgoing model, mated to a CVT with six speeds. With 154PS at 6,500rpm and 189Nm at 4,300rpm, performance is adequate. The CVT transmission is one of the best we've used, but still suffers from some of the dreaded rubber band effect if throttle isn't applied judiciously. Read our detailed first impression report here.