Let's welcome the 6th Generation Honda CR-V with more of a premium feel, new engine and more safety features. The CR-V has been a staple in the compact crossover SUV market. My colleague Ané Albertse had the 5th generation CR-V, and you can check out her thoughts here.
Related: Honda FIT e:HEV (2024) Review - A Goldilocks Hybrid
The CR-V is one of Honda's popular SUVs, and for good reason. The vehicles were near bulletproof, could withstand an onslaught from families globally and still soldiered along with no stress in the world. "Comfortable Runabout Vehicle" and the 'comfort' part has been ramped up a notch. We're keen to check out the latest version.
Styling
Now, with the 6th Generation of CR-V, you get a leaner exterior design with Honda's latest design language, which, in this instance, errs more to polygonal rather than curvy. The CR-V exterior looks sleekly mature. In front, the front fascia has a presence to it attributed to the wider stance and long bonnet. The arrangement is subtle and bold. From the side, the subtleness continues, but the key design notes here would be the sharp contour line and well-proportioned, at a glance, glass expanse with the trailing edge of the C pillar running parallel to the taillight, nice touch. One thing we noticed about the rear is that it looks reminiscent of a BMW SUV with the shape of the tail lights and even just the overall rear fascia. It's not over the top, though; in fact, the whole design is pleasing to the eye as it blends itself well.
Interior
There is now a larger premium cabin than the 5th generation, and the 7-seater SUV is bigger than ever. Much like the Honda FIT we had over the 2023 Festive Season, the CR-V doesn't slouch when it comes to a spacious cabin that places an emphasis on high-level craftsmanship, and there's some new technology to boot as well. Such new tech would be the new digital instrument cluster and 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The system includes analogue controls as well, like a rotary volume knob and physical control buttons. Surrounding that infotainment is the familiar dash you'd see in the Civic, with the elongated honeycomb mesh housing the air vents and woodgrain trim. Aircon controls are a mix of digital and analogue, and just below them are the USB ports and wireless charger. The latest CR-V features the new Body Stabilizing Seats, which pride themselves on superior ergonomics for better comfort and reduced fatigue with much adjustability—8-way power adjusters for the front driver seat and 4-way power-adjustability for the front passenger seat. Interestingly, the CR-V features Active Noise Cancelling in the cabin to reduce noise inside.
Powertrain and Handling
Powering the CR-V is an updated version of the 1.5 litre turbocharged petrol VTEC 4-cylinder engine producing 140kW and 240Nm. Power is sent to the front wheels via a refined CVT transmission. CVT refinements include a thicker case and quieter belt design to improve drivability and performance. You also get Step Shift Progamming to simulate gear shifts, revised Torque On Demand control, and Honda G Design shift. Thanks to the Enhanced Global Architecture, the latest CR-V features improvements to the ride and handling while still using MacPherson struts in the front and multilink suspension in the rear. This would complement the elegance and sportiness of the vehicle for a well-rounded package that would be a pleasure to drive. Claimed fuel consumption is 7.4l /100km.
Safety
The Honda CR-V comes with updated Honda Sensing, which consists of the following:
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Collision Mitigation Braking System
- Lane Keeping Assist System
- Forward Collision Warning
- Lane Departure Warning
- Lane Keeping Assist System
In addition to the Honda Sensing, you'll find the following safety features:
- 8 Airbags - Front, side, curtain, knee airbags
- 360° View Parking Camera
- Indirect Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
- Front and Rear Parking Distance Controls
- Trailer Stability Assist
- Hill Start Assist with Hill Descent Control
- ABS and EBD
- Brake Hold
- Vehicle Stability Assist
- Agile Handle Assist
- Driver Attention Monitor
- New Rear Seatbelt Reminder
- ISOFIX Child Seat Anchors
Price
The latest Honda CR-V comes with a 5-year /90 000km service plan, 5-year /200 000km and 3-year AA Roadside Assistance.
| Model | Pricing |
| Honda CR-V 1.5T Executive FWD | from R959 900 |
| Honda CR-V 1.5T Exclusive FWD | from R1 039 900 |
*Pricing stated here was correct at the time of publishing and is subject to change without prior notice.
