It looks like Honda has access to a highly polished crystal ball because its new CR-V is an SUV with the touchy-feely qualities to keep the green brigade from throwing a fit.
The CR-V's centre of gravity has been lowered by 35mm to improve on-road driving manners, while a 30mm wider stance also helps here.Honda says the CR-V's off-road ability has been improved with a revised Real Time 4WD system to detect front-wheel slip and send power to the rear wheels, but even it admits that the CR-V is only good for 'light off-road driving'.
The new 2.0-litre petrol engine is based on the Civic's 1.8-litre design, but the CR-V's 2.0-litre unit comes with 148bhp and 140lb ft of torque.
Diesel fans will appreciate the 2.2-litre turbodiesel unit with 138bhp that's carried over from the previous CR-V but with much improved economy and emissions.
Along with its greener credentials, the CR-V also lessens its SUV appearance's impact with a coupe-like curve to the rear window line.
Despite the more rounded rear end, luggage space is generous, and the boot space can be divided with the 'Double Deck' shelf that splits the cargo bay into upper and lower sections.
The rest of the interior continues to offer plenty of passenger space, with the gear lever now located on the dash to free up floor space.
Six airbags, active head restraints and electronic stability control are all standard, along with Trailer Stability Assist for towing.
Honda is confident the new CR-V will attain a five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating, four-stars for child protection, and thee-stars for pedestrian safety.
The CR-V goes on sale in the UK in January 2007, with prices announced closer to the on-sale date.
© Source: original article on topgear
