Focus on the Honda stand at the
Paris Motor Show may well be on the exciting new
Civic Type R and the all-new
CR-V SUV, but Honda is also likely to be displaying the 2007 model-year FR-V.
We drove the
Honda FR-V last year and were impressed by its quality and the six-seat layout it shares with the Fiat Multipla. It also drove well. Honda has enhanced the interior by removing the wood and replacing it with metal in a carbon-like finish. Non-leather trimmed cars now come with a new greyish-blue soft-touch fabric too and the obligatory auxiliary jack for your MP3 player has been added.
Exterior changes are minimal, extending to a new dark chrome grille and minor tweaks to the headlights, door handles and other small items.
The only significant change to the line-up is the replacement of both the 1.7-litre and 2-litre petrol engines with a new 1.8-litre unit (as tested in the
new Civic earlier this year), though British customers are likely to favour the excellent 2.2-litre turbodiesel option.
Prices will be announced in due course.
Shane O' Donoghue - 22 Sep 2006