The Honda CR-V is perhaps the Japanese auto giant’s most profitable and successful crossover SUV, ever. The Honda CR-V is now one of the most common sights on the roads of the UAE, and even though rivalry among its class is tough, Honda’s stalwart has had no problems reeling in potential buyers to the showroom floor. The outgoing fifth-generation iteration of the CR-V made its debut in late 2016, and just like its predecessors, this all-new model was also based on the Civic sedan’s platform. In terms of its positioning within the Honda hierarchy in the UAE, the CR-V sits right in between the smaller HR-V and the flagship Pilot.
While the Compact Crossover segment has loads of competitors to go up against the formidable Honda CR-V, some of the prime rivals include the Toyota RAV4, Ford Escape, and Volkswagen Tiguan. In terms of its exterior dimensions, the 2019 Honda CR-V measures in at 4.586 meters X 1.855 meters X 1.678 meters in length, width and height, respectively. The distance between the front and rear wheels stretches to 2.660 meters, while on the inside, there’s almost 590 liters of boot space behind the second row of seats. In the UAE, Honda offers the new CR-V in seven different color choices, such as Lunar Silver, Modern Steel, White Diamond, Crystal Black, Obsidian Blue, Basque Red, and Gunmetal.
Over the years and its many makeovers, the Honda CR-V has continually shed much of its bulk and boxy styling - with the latest avatar being the most modern and sculpted design yet. The front now houses the brand’s new split-grille theme that’s flanked by futuristic LED headlights with their thin DRL strips, muscular hood with its protruding side contours, and a well carved bumper with a sporty intake and faux skid plate. The angular sides of the new CR-V feature dual-tone 18-inch alloy wheels, flared fenders, stylish window line with chrome surrounds and a sharp beltline. The sporty rear end gets a pronounced spoiler, large and interesting-looking LED tail lamps with chrome detailing in between them, sculpted tailgate, and a sleek bumper with an integrated diffuser.
The interior of the new CR-V is just as crisp and modern as its exterior, boasting a minimalistic dash & switchgear, high-quality trim, smart-looking digital driver’s display and a center stack-mounted transmission lever. Due to its strict five-seater configuration and smart packaging, the Honda CR-V’s cabin is truly spacious but also feels open and airy. The quality of almost all of the materials and their respective fit-and-finish leave little room for complaints, while the seats are thoroughly comfortable yet quite supportive over long journeys. Depending on the trim, the new Honda CR-V can be optioned with automatic LED headlights, LED fog lamps, hands-free tailgate, power sunroof, smart entry with push-button start, power-folding door mirrors, dual-zone climate control, leather power-adjustable (only for the driver & co-driver) seats, active noise cancellation, cruise control, remote engine starter, 8-speaker sound system, 7-inch touch-infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth connectivity, electronic parking brake, paddle shifters, and Honda’s Multi Angle rearview camera system.
Base variants of the 2019 Honda CR-V are front-wheel-drive (FWD), while higher variants get all-wheel-drive (AWD) as standard. Under the hood is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder i-VTEC motor that pushes out 184hp at 6,400 rpm and 244Nm of torque at 3,900 rpm, and is mated to a CVT gearbox. Whilst quick accelerations may not be its forte, the 1.5-ton CR-V (AWD) manages to get past 100 km/h in less than 10 seconds, registering a top whack of approximately 200 km/h. Meanwhile, prices for the 2019 Honda CR-V start at AED 92,900 for the LX trim with front-wheel drive.
