Honda CR-V 2017 News

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has this week handed down five-star crash safety ratings to the Honda CR-V, LDV T60 and Haval H2.

Honda Australia has trumped its Japanese rivals by suddenly announcing a five-year, unlimited distance warranty across its entire passenger product portfolio effective from July 1.

Honda has revealed pricing and specification for its all-new CR-V mid-size SUV that ushers in a new seven-seat variant and a single turbocharged petrol powertrain, with pricing starting from $30,690 before on-roads for the base-level VTi.Set to arrive in Honda showrooms in July, the Japanese carmaker claims it has included more than $2000 of added value into the fifth-generation CR-V compared with its predecessor.Honda has dropped the naturally aspirated 2.0 and 2.4-litre engines from the range, opting instead for an uprated version of the 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder unit found in the Civic that now makes 140kW/240Nm teamed with a CVT auto.Standard equipment over the  VTi  includes 18-inch rims, satellite navigation with live traffic updates, and Honda's 'LaneWatch' camera.For the first time, Honda will introduce a seven-seat variant to the range, in the form of the second-from-top spec VTi-L which will do battle with other mid-size family haulers such as the Nissan X-Trail, Mitsubishi Outlander and upcoming Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace.The range kicks off with the front-drive VTi which includes 17-inch alloys, LED daytime running lights, keyless entry, reverse camera, dual-zone climate control, cloth trim, 7.0-inch colour touchscreen with Bluetooth, USB, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, active noise control, six airbags, hill start assist, trailer stability assist and tyre pressure monitor.Next up is the VTi-S, available in front-wheel drive from $33,290 or all-wheel drive (AWD) from $35,490.Standard equipment over the VTi includes 18-inch rims, electric tailgate with height adjustment, satellite navigation with live traffic updates, front and rear parking sensors, 'LaneWatch' camera, automatic dusk-sensing headlights, electrically-retractable door mirrors and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.The seven-seat-only front-drive VTi-L from $38,990 adds a panoramic sunroof, leather-appointed trim, heated front seats, eight-way adjustable electric driver's seat with lumbar support and seat-position memory, automatic rain-sensing wipers, curtain airbags that extend to the third row, and third-row ceiling vents.Rounding out the line-up is the $44,290 AWD VTi-LX, which is $1500 cheaper than its outgoing equivalent and includes privacy glass, LED cornering headlights, LED foglights, high-beam support, heated front seats and door mirrors, four-way adjustable electric front passenger seat, auto-dimming rearview mirror, DAB+ radio and leather-wrapped gear knob.The lower three variants have increased in recommended retail price by $900, $1000 and $200 respectively.It also adds a suite of driver assistance technologies, including adaptive cruise control with low speed follow, forward collision warning, collision mitigation braking system, lane departure warning, road departure mitigation system and lane-keep assist.The lower three variants have increased in recommended retail price by $900, $1000 and $200 respectively, while the VTi-L and VTi-LX have been reduced by $300 and $1500.Honda has claimed that with the extra specification going into the new-generation CR-V has meant the entire range has increased in value by between $2100 on the front-drive VTi-S and $5850 on the VTi-LX range-topper.So far this year Honda has sold 2016 examples of the CR-V, leading only the Ford Escape and Renault Koleos in the list of medium SUV contenders and well behind the segment-leading Mazda CX-5 with 8139 sales.

Honda has unveiled an all-new CR-V range that, for the first time in Australia, will have a turbocharged engine line-up and a seven seat option.

Honda Australia is hoping 2017 will be the year the brand makes its comeback with the next-generation CR-V mid-sized SUV spearheading a renewed core line-up including the new Civic hatch and Civic Type R.Honda' s customer and communications general manager Scott McGregor said the 2017 CR-V and Civic, together with the current HR-V small SUV would reignite interest in the brand.“I think people might be a little apathetic toward Honda at the moment, and we’ll bring a renewed interest in the brand with those three models,” McGregor said.The fifth generation CR-V made its debut in the North American market in October this year but won’t arrive in Australia until the third quarter of 2017.Honda Director Stephen Collins has confirmed that when the new CR-V lands here it will be available in both two- and all-wheel drive, but don’t expect a diesel engine.“We’ve got no plan for a diesel engine – full stop,” Collins said.“We know the diesel segment is decreasing, and we think that with the engine line-up we'll have in the petrol we’ll be very competitive.”I think people might be a little apathetic toward Honda at the moment, and we’ll bring a renewed interest ​...It is also understood the CR-V may come as both a five- and seven seater, although Honda is remaining tight lipped on the subject.“We’ll launch all variants at the same time – we’ll have one big bang. All I want to say is that we will expand the appeal of the car and our goal really is to get CR-V back in among the top players in the mid-sized SUV segment,” he said.Collins pointed to Mazda’s CX-5 as the standard Honda wants to aim for with its CR-V.“I think clearly CX-5 is the benchmark and the volume they’re doing is consistently 1500 or more a month. So I think for us to get in among the top we’d want to be doing about a 1000 a month."Collins said that the new CR-V together with the next-generation Civic hatch, which is due to land in Australia early in 2017, and the Type R, which will arrive later in 2017 will make up Honda’s core models and boost growth. The sedan version of the 10th generation Civic arrived in Australia earlier this year.“This year we’ve stabilised. We’ve had two years of 40,000 and we’ve really tried to stabilise our business. The three core cars forus are HR-V. CR-V and Civic, and I think next year they will make up close to 70 per cent of our volume.”

Debut of Honda's fifth-generation CR-V for the North American market previews what to expect for Australian-bound models next year.

The all-new Honda CR-V will arrive in Australia in the second-half of 2017, but don’t hold your breath for a diesel option.