There’s no better accolade for a carmaker than when the giants of the industry identify a particular model in another stable as impinging too much on their market share. And the one car that’s certainly bugging Honda’s bigger rivals is its hugely successful CR-V.

A runaway success in its first 15 months on sale in SA following its local launch, Honda's CR-V has even surpassed Honda’s every expectation of its performance on the marketplace to establish itself as SA's top-selling compact SUV.

Honda puts CR-V’s runaway success down to how well its combination of stylish looks, a luxurious interior, refined performance and exceptional value for money so well satisfies the needs of a growing number of South African motorists. And now in line with Honda ongoing quest to offer its customers best-in-class products across the board, the CR-V range has been updated to even further enhance its appeal.

More power

CR-V’s most important step ahead is the arrival of a new and more powerful mainstay 2.4-litre petrol engine to the range to replace the old 2.0-litre unit to increase power from 110 to 122kW a hike torque from 190 to 218 Nm. That all makes for a significant improvement in tractability to ensure more effortless cruising and much improved towing ability.

Available in 2.4 RVi and RVSi models, buyers are still able to choose between a six-speed manual and a five-speed automatic gearbox driving CR-V's four-wheel drive system.

Other changes across the CR-V range include myriad detail changes to interior specification and standard equipment levels in direct response to customer feedback. The basic RVi now includes the likes of steering-mounted audio controls, while Vehicle and Trailer Stability Assist systems have also been added to the upmarket RVSi versions.

More safety

RVi derivatives now also benefit six airbags, active head restraints, Isofix child seat mountings and automatic locking and selective locking as standard kit, while scratch-resistant chrome door handles and colour-coded wing mirrors add to its upmarket status.

RVSi models share RVi’s comprehensive standard specification but now also offers a full leather interior, electrically adjustable drivers seat, an electric glass sunroof and rain-sensing windscreen wipers as standard, too.

Although the highly regarded CTDi turbodiesel only joined the CR-V range in June last year to quickly already establish itself as the most refined and car-like turbodiesel SUV on the market, Honda has increased the standard specification levels to match and even improve on the top-end RVSi petrol version for the 2008 season.

CTDi carries all the RVSi’s elaborate in addition to a full-size spare wheel and central locking with an auto-locking and selective unlocking mode.

More spec

Looking closer at the spec and performance of the 2008 CR-V range, the new 2.4-litre i-VTEC unit is clean, economical and eager, thanks to high-tech management systems and emissions control. The manual CR-V 2.4 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.6 sec (11.2 sec for the auto) and on to a 190km/h top speed. Of course, the i-CTDi is the more fuel efficient of the models with a combined-cycle consumption of only 6.5 litres/100km and 173g/km CO2 emissions. Even so, the 2.4-litre i-VTEC mill achieves a 9.5l/100km overall consumption figure and 225g/km CO2 emissions.

On the road, the torquier, more derivable 2.4 mill feels more than adequate on the open road and we found both the auto and the manual a pleasure to drive. How they perform at reef altitudes, however, remains to be seen, although the CR-V’s versatility really showed through on the test drive.

More driving

CR-V’s turbodiesel is the same common-rail mill found in the new Civic and links that useful 103kW, 340Nm mill to a six-speed manual gearbox. The petrol versions come in the choice of a six-speed manual, or a five-speed auto 'box.

Those drive CR-V’s all-wheel drive system that automatically transfers torque to the rear wheels when needed to significantly improve stability during start-up and cornering on slippery surfaces, while also helping to reduce engine and road noise.

Another certain contributor to its success is CR-V’s pricing. And now packed with spec that makes it even more value for money, Honda is poised for even more market share success in that segment — CR-V starts at R285 700 for the baby 2.4 RVi manual and tops off with the R338 000 CTDi.

So whether it be on the dirt, the tar or on the twisties where the relatively tall CR-V particularly stars, it ran well on launch — yes, it’s a bit noisy in the wind and the auto box does hunt to an extent, but overall, it performs well enough to fully justify that sales demand it has created itself.

And with price increases that now hardly justify the significant spec enhancements (the increase is far less than the spec improvements suggest) Honda has bestowed on it for 2008, there is no reason to believe that CR-V will not even further tighten its sales grasp on its increasingly popular market segment…