Honda's swansong diesel CR-V announced

UPDATED: 17/09/2015HONDA Australia has dropped the diesel-powered version of its CR-V SUV, but it is offering a Limited Edition version with a frugal Earth Dreams diesel powertrain before the model is taken off the roster.

The Japanese car-maker confirmed with GoAuto that exchange rate pressures have impacted the decision to discontinued the UK-built oil-burner – the petrol models are sourced from Thailand – and its numbers are relatively low compared with the more popular petrol models.

Honda said that there is still remaining stock of the old 2.2-litre diesel-powered CR-V, but once they are gone and the allocation of 90 Limited Edition versions are sold, it is the end of the line for the high-riding oiler.

It previously offered a pair of all-wheel drive variants, including the DTi-S from $35,990 plus on-road costs and the DTi-L from $43,040, that went on sale in January last year, more than a year after the petrol versions lobbed.

The move means Honda no longer offers a diesel powertrain in its Australian line-up following its decision to drop the diesel-powered Civic earlier this year due to low take-up, which was not helped by its manual gearbox-only status.

Honda Australia public relations manager Melissa Cross said that the majority of mid-size SUV sales in Australia were skewed towards petrol powertrains, and confirmed that CR-V diesel sales last year made up just 10.6 per cent of overall volume for the model.

Ms Cross did however leave the door open for a return of an oil-burning CR-V if market conditions change.

“If the exchange rate situation changes, we will review the business case on this model,” she said.

Just 90 examples of the CR-V DTi-L Limited Edition will be available, and it is priced from $44,290 plus on-road costs, representing a $1250 premium over the outgoing DTi-L flagship on which it is based.

Under the bonnet is a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine producing 118kW and 350Nm ensuring a fuel consumption figure of 5.9 litres per 100 kilometres and CO2 emissions of 154g/km.

The limited variant also uses Honda's new nine-speed automatic transmission.

Though it is smaller than the outgoing 2.2-litre diesel engine, the 1.6 is 8kW more powerful, and sips 1.0L/100km less fuel. It is also more fuel efficient than diesel auto versions of the Mitsubishi Outlander (6.2L) and the Toyota RAV4 (6.5L).

The DTi-L Limited Edition gains the styling changes that arrived early last year with the petrol-powered variants – the pre-facelifted version of the diesel has been selling alongside the updated petrol model as they are sourced from different factories.

The changes include a new front grille and headlights with LED daytime running lights, a refreshed front bumper design with fog-lights, chrome door handles, new tail-lights and rear bumper and new 18-inch alloy wheels.

In the cabin the SUV features a 5.0-inch Multi-Information Display, leather steering wheel with audio controls, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, Honda's Display Audio as part of a 7.0-inch colour touchscreen, sat-nav and a reversing camera.

The limited model gains an electric tailgate that can be opened via a button on the lower dash, via the key fob or by pressing buttons located on the tailgate itself.

Safety features include an emergency stop signal, tyre-pressure monitor, hill-start assist, high-beam assist, stability assist and LED active cornering lights.

In January the car-maker announced that it had discontinued slow-selling hybrid models including the CR-Z sportscar, Jazz Hybrid, and the Civic Hybrid sedan.

Honda is enjoying a mini resurgence this year, with January to August sales sitting at 26,859 units, an increase of 28.5 per cent compared with the same period last year.

The lift in fortunes can be put down to a resurgence in sales for its Jazz light hatch that is up by 79 per cent year to date to 6604 sales, and the strong launch of the HR-V crossover that has captured 7297 sales since it arrived in mid-February to become one of the small-SUV segment's top sellers.