Honda CR-V 2019 range adds new seven-seat variant

Honda has announced a new entry-level seven-seat variant for the 2019 model year.

Dubbed the VTi-E7, the new model sits above the 2WD Vi, VTi and VTi-S grades, and is priced at $34,490.

Rather than just being a seven-seat version of the $30,690 VTi, the VTi-E7 scores leather seats, eight-way adjustable power driver’s seat, a 7.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 18-inch alloy wheels, tyre pressure monitoring system, reversing camera, and driver attention alert (DAA). 

The VTi-E7 is visually differentiated from the VTi by its larger 18-inch alloy wheels, but misses out on the extra chrome trimmings from the VTi-S.

Like the other seven-seat grade, the VTi-L, the VTi-E7 scores air-conditioning vents for the second and third rows. Despite the inclusion of seven seats, it maintains its full-size spare.

The VTi-E7 is powered by the same 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine as most of the range, excluding the base-model Vi. It produces 140kW/240Nm. Unlike the VTi-S and VTi-LX the VTi-E7 is available as a front-wheel drive only via a continuously variable (CVT) transmission.

The full suite of active safety items including auto emergency braking (AEB), lane departure warning (LDW), lane keep assist (LKAS) and blind-spot monitoring (BSM) remains strictly limited to AWD models only - so, the all-wheel drive version of the the VTi-S and the flagship VTi-LX. It is not available even as an option on 2WD grades.

The inclusion of the VTi-E7 grade means the CR-V is available in a total of six grades priced from $28,290 to $44,290. See the full CR-V range and pricing below.

Honda CR-V 2019 list pricing (before on-road costs):

Does the inclusion of a more affordable seven-seat CR-V put it on your list for 2019? Tell us what you think in the comments below.