The Honda CR-V is now in the dealership!
For those that love their SUV and all of the benefits it adds to their busy lives, it is time to fall in love all over again - the brand new 2012 Honda CR-V is finally here.
We are very fortunate to have the national Honda distribution centre right on our doorstep. It means that when Honda releases a new model it all comes through Nelson. When the new model happens to be one of the most popular SUV's in New Zealand that is exciting news!
We now have two demonstrators in our central Nelson showroom on the corner of Hardy & Rutherford Street ready and waiting for you to take them for a test drive.
You can experience for yourself just why this SUV has been so popular for so many years.
The Honda CR-V starts from $39,900 (+orc) with some great finance options available. The best option though is to just go for a drive, as there is nothing quite like experiencing excellence for yourself.
The Honda CR-V story so far.
The Honda CR-V is a compact SUV (now called crossover in North America), manufactured since 1995 by Honda. It was loosely derived from the Honda Civic to satisfy a public demand for a sport-utility vehicle from Honda.
Introduced in Japan in 1995, the CR-V was Honda's first in-house designed SUV. The CR-V was introduced in Japan at Honda Verno dealerships only. For North American market, it was displayed at the 1996 Chicago Auto Show and went on sale in February 1997.
Upon introduction, the model had only one trim level, which would later be known as the LX model trim; it was powered by the 2.0 L straight-four B20B producing 128 hp (95 kW) and 133 lb·ft (180 N·m) of torque. Outer dimensions for this engine would be identical to the Integra's 1.8 L engine, but internally the engine had a larger 84 mm (3.3 in) bore to add the extra displacement needed to produce more torque. The engine utilized a one-piece cylinder sleeve construction unique from any other B-series engine due to overlapping combustion chambers. The chassis was a unibody design with a four-wheel double wishbone suspension. Inside, the rear seats were able to fold down, and a picnic table was stowed in the rear floor area. A common external trait that was visible with this generation was plastic cladding covering the front bumper, rear bumper, and fender wells. In most countries, CR-Vs had a chrome grille; however, in the US, the grille was made out of the same black plastic as the bumpers. A major difference between the LX and EX trims was that the EX had anti-lock brakes and 15 inch alloy wheels while the LX did not. Drivetrain options were: front-wheel drive or Honda's Real Time 4WD. The B20B engine did 0-60 mph in 10.2 seconds. Whereas the updated B20Z fired off the line and went to 60 mph (97 km/h) at 8.4 seconds if a professional driver is used, top speed was limited to 120 mph (190 km/h).
The Third Generation.
A redesigned CR-V was launched for the 2007 model year. The third generation CR-V was powered by Honda's standard K-series 2.4 L inline-four engine, similar variants of which can also be found in the similar generational Honda Accord.
Unlike previous models, the 2007 CR-V featured a rear liftgate and no longer had the spare wheel attached to the back door. The 3rd generation CR-V was lower, wider, and shorter than the previous models; the length decreased was attributed mostly to the fact that the spare wheel no longer added length to the back of the vehicle. A lowering of the center of gravity was another benefit of the spare wheel being located underneath the rear cargo area, and part of the design evolutionary process.
The 4th generation 2012 Honda CR-V represents a further stage in the design evolution of this market leader. The best way to experience this is in the flesh - come down and see the team today!