Real-Life Driving Experience in the 2015 Honda CR-V
Fresh from a phenomenal year with an all-time sales record in Indonesia thanks to its low-cost family car, Honda welcomes 2015 with the latest generation of its CR-V sport utility vehicle, in a clear sign that the Japanese automaker remains fully committed to the premium segment.
Starting at Rp 400 million ($32,000), the 2015 Honda CR-V costs more than twice as much as the seven-seater Mobilio, the MPV that accounted for nearly 50 percent of the company’s 159,000 total domestic sales last year.
The CR-V has been in Indonesia for 15 years, so the first thing I looked for was any changes in the 2015 model, during a recent test drive from Jakarta to Bandung and back. And right away I spotted a new button in the center of head unit, labeled “Nanoe.”
That, it turns out, is the air purifier, which apparently works to “eliminate odor, keep food and drinks fresh in the cabin, and make your skin and hair healthier and softer,” according to marketing officer Julian Karfili, who briefed the group of reporters before the test drive began.
Honda claims the new CR-V is the first SUV to be fitted with Nanoe — as though hair and skin concerns are a prime consideration when shopping for an SUV.
Besides that, the bolder exterior of CR-V created the biggest impression, with large headlamps rounded by LED-laden daytime running lights and integrated into the new grille.
The power plant of the new CR-V is a choice between 2.0- and 2.4-liter gasoline i-VTEC engines (North American and European consumers also get a 1.6-liter i-DTEC diesel engine).
The 2.4 delivers 140 kilowatts of peak power and 222 Newton-meters of torque, while the smaller engine tops out at 114 kW and 190 Nm. Both engines come mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox, while a six-speed manual is also available for the 2.0.
I got to test the top end of the 2.4, called the Prestige, that has all the bells and whistles: electric sunroof and a separate monitor for the rear camera and other information, including mileage. Beneath this screen is a seven-inch touch screen for infotainment and navigation system. This model goes for Rp 477.5 million in the Greater Jakarta area.
Like its predecessors, the new CR-V is equipped with Honda’s passive and active safety technology, including a body frame built with G-force control (G-CON) technology to minimize the force of impacts. And as it happened, we got an unintended demonstration of how it worked.
The CR-V behind mine was rear-ended by a Toyota as we slowed for a traffic jam on the Cikampek toll road, and my car was bumped too. Upon surveying the damage, all I found on my Honda was a light scratch on the tailgate. We continued on our way, leaving the miscreant Toyota stalled by the side of the road, its hood open and the engine smoking.
Our first stop in the Bandung area was Mount Tangkuban Perahu. The CR-V isn’t a driver’s car the way the Civic is, but when you’re cruising mountain passes and effortlessly passing other cars while using the paddle shifters, it’s a joy.
As we got nearer to the mountain’s crater, the smell of sulfur filled up the cabin. That’s when we remembered the Nanoe button. Surprisingly, it worked: the air cleared up in less than a minute.
At the mountain’s resort, the Honda staff gave me a fresh car so that they could take the other one to have the tailgate fixed. We headed downhill, in the direction of Bandung, which was when I realized the new car was almost out of gas.
The replacement was originally meant only for photo sessions at Tangkuban Perahu, so no one had bothered to fill up the tank. But the Honda folks were adamant that there was enough to get to Bandung. It’s a Honda, after all, they said.
The drive down allowed time to check out some of the features of the car. The head unit has a wood trim, and the tailgate opens and shuts with the touch of a button. It comes with an anti-pinch system, the same technology that prevents an elevator door from closing on a wayward limb.
Honda’s vehicle stability assist and anti-lock braking system provided a world of reassurance during the downhill drive in the rain that evening. And sure enough, I made it to a gas station on the outskirts of town.
The experiences of the day all helped explain why the CR-V is the best-selling model in its class, both in Indonesia and worldwide. Honda has sold more than 153,000 CR-Vs over the last 15 years in Indonesia, and 7.2 million around the world, more than any other compact SUV.
Tomoki Uchida, the president of Honda Prospect Motor, the Japanese carmaker’s local arm, says the CR-V has rightly earned a solid reputation here.
“From generation to generation, the CR-V has always created breakthroughs and set new standards for SUVs,” he says.
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