Honda CR-V now from $28,290

Honda Australia has announced a new entry-level version of its popular Honda CR-V, priced at $28,290 plus on-road costs and powered by a 113kW/189Nm 2.0-litre SOHC i-VTEC non-turbo petrol engine with CVT automatic transmission.

That makes the naturally-aspirated, front-wheel drive five-seat 2018 Honda CR-V Vi – available from September 1 – $2400 cheaper than the previous price leader of the mid-size SUV range, the CR-V VTi, which is priced at $30,690 and, like all other CR-Vs, powered by a 140kW/240Nm turbo-petrol engine.

Like the rest of the line-up, the new CR-V Vi – which lowers combined fuel consumption to 7.6L/100km -- is available exclusively with a continuously-variable transmission (CVT).

Despite the standard auto, the new Vi version of the CR-V undercuts the price of all but one of the entry-level 2.0-litre 2WD manual versions of the rivals that currently outsell it, including the Mazda CX-5 Maxx ($28,690), Toyota RAV4 GX ($29,450), Nissan X-TRAIL ST ($28,490) and new Hyundai Tucson Go ($28,190).

“The CR-V Vi grade competes strongly on value and specification against other entry-level medium SUVs,” said Honda Australia director Stephen Collins.

“We’ve priced it under the automatic Mazda CX-5 Maxx and Toyota RAV4 GX, which is great news for buyers.”

Standard safety equipment for the Honda CR-V Vi includes six airbags, reversing camera, tyre-pressure monitoring, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Hill Start Assist (HAS), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), LED daytime running lights and tail-lights, electric park brake with auto-hold, 17-inch alloy wheels and full-size spare wheel.

However, the base CR-V Vi misses out on autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and other driver aids within the Honda Sensing safety suite found on premium CR-V models.

Despite AEB being a prerequisite for a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from 2018, the CR-V Vi carries over the five-star rating announced for the current model in October 2017.

Nevertheless Collins said Honda Australia remains committed to rolling out its Sensing tech as standard in new models where possible, but the CR-V Vi was unavailable with AEB and mid-range variants remain without Honda Sensing from the Thai plant.

The Vi – a badge last seen on the previous Civic hatch -- also lacks the 7.0-inch touch-screen infotainment system from upstream CR-V models, instead making do with a 5.0-inch unit with Bluetooth but no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto connectivity.

“CR-V pioneered the SUV segment in Australia and now with the Vi model it’s even more affordable,” said Collins.

“Our customers were telling us they’d like to see a CR-V for around $30,000, so we’ve been able to deliver a great option in the new Vi grade.”

CR-V sales are up more than 165 per cent so far this year with more than 10,000 sales, driving 80 per cent of Honda Australia’s 28 per cent sales growth in 2018.

Honda says that makes it Australia’s fastest growing SUV, as well as the second best selling privately purchased medium SUV after the CX-5.

Collins said the Vi would attract only incremental sales of less than 100 a month, meaning the mid-range VTi-S will remain the most popular CR-V variant.

“We don’t expect it to be a huge selling variant,” he said. “But it will broaden the range, get more customers into showrooms and play an important role in putting CR-V on the shopping list of more mid-size SUV buyers.”

The Honda Australia boss said the next addition to the CR-V line-up will be a new entry-level seven-seat 2WD model (most likely Vi-badged) powered by the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four.

But he confirmed that a seven-seat AWD version of the CR-V continues to remain unavailable from the Thai factory.

Honda Australia, which celebrates its 50th birthday next year, expects stronger sales of the CR-V and the facelifted HR-V also launched this week to help drive 52,000 total sales this year – up from 47,000 in 2017 and its previous 2018 target of 50,000.

Following its biggest sales month ever in June, Honda says it is now Australia’s third best selling vehicle brand for private sales behind Toyota and Mazda, with a market share of 7.8 per cent.

How much does the 2018 Honda CR-V cost?
Vi 5-seat 2WD -- $28,290
VTi 5-seat 2WD -- $30,690
VTi-S 5-seat 2WD -- $33,290
VTi-S 5-seat AWD -- $35,490
VTi-L 7-seat 2WD -- $38,990
VTi-LX 5-seat AWD -- $44,290
* Prices exclude on-road costs