Capability and technology combing in Honda’s CR_V

The Honda CR-V has evolved, introducing a 160PS 1.6-litre diesel engine to replace the old 2.2-litre unit, a ninespeed gearbox, city braking technology, a new infotainment setup and a bafflingly smart adaptive cruise control system.

Specify the CR-V with a manual gearbox and you can also have it in front as well as four-wheel drive guise. But you shouldn’t. That’s because Honda has replaced the old five-speed auto with a nine-speed automatic that then sends drive to all four wheels.

The CR-V was never marketed as a particularly sporty drive and the updates to the car’s suspension and steering don’t aim for that goal. Instead, the steering has been revised to offer an 8 per cent quicker ratio, while revised bushings, dampers and other suspension fettling aim to deliver a smoother ride. Refinement is something valued by CR-V owners and the latest car features added sound insulation material, thicker carpets and chunkier door seal rubbers. The net result is a 6 per cent reduction in cabin noise at speed.

The cabin has been tweaked courtesy of a reshaped chrome-effect inlay running the width of the dashboard, and through the use of higher quality materials on key surfaces. The dashboard has been redesigned to allow better visibility and access to the seven-inch touchscreen displaying the Honda Connect system.

The latest CR-V also features a one action fold down rear seat system, with the rear seats featuring a 60/40 split function. With the seats in place you get an excellent 589-litres of luggage space which transforms to 1,648-litres with the seats folded. The load length is up to 1,570mm, allowing the CR-V to easily swallow two adult mountain bikes (without having to remove the front wheels) or four sets of golf clubs.

You’ll need a budget starting from around the £22,500 for a 2.0 i-VTEC petrol model: that’s for 2WD. The 4WD petrol variants start from just over £25,500.

As it stands, it’s going to take something extremely talented to dislodge this car from the top spot in the sales charts.

The Honda CR-V is available with a super smart nine-speed automatic gearbox.