What's this then?
It's the new Honda CR-V. Well, we say new, in fact it's actually a much-revised version of the current car, but it's a crucial one for Honda nonetheless. The great Japanese car maker has been battered by falling European sales of some key models in the past year and it's using the Paris Motor Show this week as something of a line in the sand. Quite apart from some significant new models intros (new HR-V, Civic facelift and Type R hot hatch) Honda knows it needs to turn around its fortunes by making its cars more appealing to European buyers.
So what's changed on the CR-V?
The most obvious changes are on the outside at the front. The new swept back headlights and 3D-style grille make the CR-V look a little less American and a little more Japanese. And a little more like a futuristic robot. It's nice, and it keeps the generally quite handsome CR-V looking fresh against newer competition such as Nissan's X-Trail and Land Rover's forthcoming Discovery Sport. The tailgate and rear bumper also get a few small design tweaks.
Underneath though, there are more profound changes. Out goes the long-lived 2.2-litre i-DTEC diesel engine and in comes a 160hp version of the much-praised 1.6-litre four-cylinder diesel. Honda says that this new engine has 350Nm of torque yet returns a CO2 emissions figure of under 130g/km when paired with a six-speed manual transmission and four-wheel drive. If you want an auto, Honda has a brand new nine-speed automatic, which raises the CO2 emissions to a mere 135g/km. Those are some tempting numbers.
The front-drive 1.6-litre, 120hp CR-V diesel remains more or less the same, mechanically, but its emissions have dropped ever so slightly to 117g/km.
Will it be different to drive?
Yes, probably. Honda has said that the new CR-V has been engineered specifically with Europe in mind. The current car has always been pleasant to drive, but it lacks a truly premium feel - it's too much like an American car, imported here. Hopefully when this new version goes on sale early next year, it will look, feel and drive a little more slickly and that should boost its sales a bit, something that would help to safeguard jobs at Honda's Swindon plant where the CR-V is made.
Neil Briscoe - 1 Oct 2014