Honda Australia rolled out its updated CR-V mid-sized SUV earlier this year, and the refreshed line-up now starts at $44,900 driveaway. The range has been broadened to include more hybrid variants and a lower entry price, with front- and all-wheel drive options available alongside five- and seven-seat configurations. The e:HEV petrol-electric system pairs a dual electric motor setup with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, pushing 135kW and 335Nm through a continuously variable transmission.
Honda claims the hybrid arrangement can travel over 1000km on a single tank, and the company says it meets growing demand for technology that requires no behavioural change from customers. The e:HEV variants list combined cycle fuel consumption at 5.5 litres per 100km, while the turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol versions use 7.1L/100km. All-wheel drive adds 0.2L/100km in both cases.
The cheapest way into the range remains the five-seat VTi-X petrol at $44,900 driveaway, but the hybrid e:HEV X starts from $49,900. A seven-seat VTi-L7 petrol is priced at $54,900, while the hybrid line runs to the top with the e:HEV L at $53,900, the e:HEV LX AWD at $58,900, and the flagship e:HEV RS with all-wheel drive at $64,400.
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Accessories and first impressions
The loan vehicle is a five-seat e:HEV X.
Honda’s national driveaway pricing strategy, a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, and capped-price servicing at $199 per visit are key differentiators.
Service intervals are set at 12 months or 10,000km, whichever comes first — that’s 5000km shorter than most rivals in the segment, which is worth factoring into ownership costs over time.
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Safety rating and standard equipment
The CR-V wears a four-star ANCAP safety rating, despite carrying a full suite of active and passive safety technologies under the Honda Sensing banner. The lower score comes from a 68 per cent Safety Assist rating and a 76 per cent Vulnerable Road User Protection score, not from its Adult Occupant Protection (88 per cent) or Child Occupant Protection (also 88 per cent) results.
Standard equipment includes 11 airbags, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow and traffic jam assist, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, and traffic sign recognition. Higher-grade variants also pick up Google built-in, Honda Connect, a 360-degree camera, head-up display, heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, and DAB+ digital radio.
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