Paris show: Euro Honda CR-V unveiled

HONDA has unveiled its facelifted European CR-V ahead of its Paris motorshow debut this week, along with details of its new frugal diesel powertrain.

Looking almost identical to the revised CR-V shown by Honda North America in September, the small-SUV has undergone comprehensive restyling.

A two-layer honeycomb mesh grille replaces the previous chrome-effect three-blade version, its re-sculpted headlights have integrated LED daytime running lights, a redesigned front bumper sports a skid plate, while the lower air-takes house restyled rectangular fog lights.

New LED tail-lights flank a refreshed tail-gate sporting new chrome-effect trim, while a restyled bumper houses higher-positioned reflectors.

Honda Europe announced it is replacing the current 110kW/350Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine in its all-wheel drive variant with an advanced 117kW/350Nm turbo-diesel unit from Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology series.

The Japanese car-maker says when matched to the six-speed manual gearbox the engine is 11 per cent more efficient that its predecessor, returning fuel economy of less than 5.6 litres per 100km.

A new nine-speed automatic transmission will be available on the new model, which Honda said reduces fuel consumption by 20 per cent to less than 5.8L/100km.

The CR-V is in its fourth generation and a new facelifted version will arrive in Australia at the end of this year, but Honda Australia was unable to confirm exact specification or pricing for the local car.

Australian specifications, including the availability of the new diesel powertrain will be announced closer in the coming months.

The current Australian CR-V line-up consist of two 2.2-litre diesel all-wheel drive variants – the DTi-S and DTi-L – three 2.4-litre petrol all-wheel drives – the VTi, VTi-S and VTi-L – and two front-wheel drive variants with a 2.0-litre petrol engine – VTi and VTi Navigation.

Honda launched the current generation CR-V in 2012 and in November last year added the first diesel variants to its Australian range.

Australia sources its diesel CR-V from the UK where it is made at Honda’s Swindon factory and petrol variants come from Thailand.