Say hello to…
…the latest Honda CR-V, the sixth generation for the brand’s mid-size SUV. Two engine options are available; a hybrid 2.0-litre petrol, that’s similar to the one in the new Civic, and a plug-in hybrid that has an EV range of 50 miles and a CO2 figure of 18g/km. All versions are fitted with an automatic gearbox.
The non-plug-in hybrid, tested here, is all-wheel drive as standard, while the PHEV version powers the front wheels.
Honda offers the CR-V in two trim levels:
- Elegance
- Advance
Standard equipment on the Elegance includes blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, speed limiter, lane keeping assist, keyless entry and start, full leather upholstery, adaptive dampers, drive modes, 10.2-inch info display, dual zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, auto wipers and lights, power-fold door mirrors, powered front seats, heated front seats, parking sensors, reversing camera, 9-inch infotainment screen, Android Auto, Apple Carplay and 18-inch alloys.
Advance adds front cross traffic alert, active lane change assist, head up display, front memory seat, heated rear seats, ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, uprated stereo and adaptive headlights.
Is The Honda CR-V Suitable For My Fleet
Pick the low-CO2 PHEV version and the company car tax is just 8%. However, the list price for the PHEV is some £8,000 above that of the non-plug-in hybrid which Honda calls an eHEV. Overall the CR-V is an immensely practical and well-equipped SUV, making it highly suitable for fleet work. The boot capacity is a more than competitive 579 litres and there’s plenty of room for five adults thanks to a proper middle seat on the rear bench.
Leasing A Honda CR-V
Intelligent Car Leasing is offering the new CR-V in Advance specification for £731 a month on a 3+36 contract with 20,000 miles a year. Running costs are predicted to be £53 per month according to Gensen Reports. However, being a regular hybrid, rather than the PHEV, the high CO2 means the Class 1A NIC is £159 a month.
Driving A Honda CR-V
The previous CR-V was an impressive SUV if taken in isolation. It had a big boot, was easy to drive and was impressively efficient (this writer ran one for six months and achieved better than the official mpg figure).
However, when judged against the competition, there were a few areas that weren’t as competitive as they could have been. The new CR-V fixes these issues.
Firstly, the new car is substantially better looking. Gone are the complex lines and details and in comes a clean new styling.
Next is the new infotainment system which is, thankfully, much easier to use and now includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.
However, perhaps the most welcome improvement is to the way the car drives.
The Honda CR-V has always been easy and comfortable to drive, but it now also offers more involvement. Honda uses the word ‘sporty’ which is perhaps going a bit far, but driving along a twisty road is now pleasurable and the body control is much improved. And all without sacrificing comfort.
The eHEV has several drive modes including an off-road button for extra grip and hill-decent control alongside eco, normal and sport.
There’s also adjustable brake energy regeneration, but it’s not like some fully electric cars that offer one-pedal driving.
If there’s any disappointment with the CR-V it’s in two areas. The automatic speed warning seems impossible to silence; stray one mile an hour over the speed limit and the car will chime three times.
The second issue was the efficiency from the hybrid engine. In the Honda Civic, which uses the same engine, we achieved more than 50mpg – a stat that’s well-over the official fuel figure. But in the CR-V we saw an average of 35.1mpg against a claimed 42.8mpg.
However, power delivery from the engine is good and well-judged for everyday use. As we mentioned with the Civic, it’s amazing and very welcome to see and (more precisely) hear that Honda has managed to build a CVT gearbox that doesn’t whine.
In fact, the gearbox is both smooth and responsive, no doubt helped by the instant shove you get from an electric motor – even if the car isn’t ultimately fast compared to fully-electric rivals.
Overall the complete package of the CR-V makes it an easy SUV to recommend.
FleetandLeasing.com Verdict On The Honda CR-V
While the PHEV is more suitable than the eHEV for company car users, all CR-Vs are impressively well built, well equipped and now a more fun drive too.
Honda CR-V
- Model: CR-V 2.0 eHEV Advance
- Power: 184hp
- Torque: 335Nm
- Max speed: 116mph
- 0-62mph: 9.5s
- Fuel economy: 42.8mpg
- Test economy: 35.1mpg
- CO2 emissions: 151g/km
- BIK tax band 2021/22: 27%
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