A Nimble Giant

Honda has added its flagship 1.6 litre i-DTEC diesel engine into the CR-V, giving drivers SUV size and practicality, with sub-120g/km emissions

This year Honda has really upped its game in creating highly efficient, low emission cars thanks to the introduction of the 1.6‑litre i-DTEC diesel engine. First seen on the Civic 1.6, which was launched in January 2013, it has now been added to the CR-V and does the trick of turning an SUV into an agile performer, with car-like handling.
    

The 1.6 litre engine, without going into too much detail, has had a total overhaul making it more lightweight. In fact Honda says it’s the lightest diesel engine in its class. This engine, combined with the two-wheel drive system, and other emission-saving features, means the CR-V 1.6 emits only 119g/km of CO2 and has a fuel economy of 62.8mpg on the combined cycle. This is impressive, given its size.
    
The CR-V was a pleasure to drive. With 118bhp and 221lb ft of torque, it has sufficient power. It is extremely nimble, again, for a vehicle of its size. The rear parking camera was particularly helpful at guiding the car into a parking space. It was very comfortable, and the high-up seating position meant you had good all-round visibility of the road. As you’d expect from an SUV, you feel safe and confident on the road.
    
Fuel wise, I achieved 56.1 mpg on a 118‑mile trip, which was decent enough.

Fleet opportunities
Getting the CO2 value below 120g/km should open doors for the CR-V within the fleet and user-chooser market. In the current tax year 2013/14, CR-V 1.6 S and SE grades will benefit from P11D tax rates starting from 18 per cent, only increasing by 1 per cent in tax year 2014/15, making for a highly tax efficient vehicle. It also qualifies for just £0 road tax for the first year and as low as £30 annual road tax thereafter.
    
The interior space is very generous, and it has a 1669 litres of luggage capacity. What’s more, you can easily fold down the rear seats at the pull of a handle for more versatile cargo space.

Other green technologies include a Lean NOx Catalyst (LNC) to help reduce NOx emissions. The ECON button improves the efficiency of the air conditioning system to reduce the load on the engine. To notify drivers on how they can drive more fuel-efficiently, the car’s speedometer illuminates; white when the car is idle and during sudden acceleration and deceleration. It turns to green if the car is driven in an economical way. And during gentle acceleration and deceleration, when only slightly over the optimum throttle, it turns yellow-green.

Honda CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC
ENGINE: 1597cc, 4-cyl turbodiesel
CO2: 119g/km
MPG (combined): 62.8
VED: Band C
BIK: 18%
PRICE (OTR): £22,800