Crv 07

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Crv 07
Topic Started: May 21 2008, 11:20 PM (361 Views)
advo	May 21 2008, 11:20 PM Post #1
Administrator Posts: 177 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: May 14, 2008	The new Honda CR-V March 08, 2007 04:15 PM Posted Image Although the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V were equally responsible for creating an entirely new market segment in the mid-1990s, in as far as Malaysia is concerned, it is the CR-V that more people know about because UMW Toyota Motor didn’t really make a big effort of selling one of Toyota’s more successful models. Other than the few years before the economic crisis of the late 1990s, the company didn’t import large numbers of the RAV4 for sale (although gray importers did bring in many). Thus it is the CR-V that has usually been the ‘generation starter’ in the small SUV class. So once again, even though Toyota is selling a third generation of the RAV4, it is the new CR-V – also in its third generation – that starts off the next generation of these SUVs in Malaysia. Launched today, the new generation of the CR-V comes after some 2.5 million have been sold worldwide since the model line started in October 1995. A million copies of the first generation were sold, followed by another 1.5 million of the second, of which around 6,500 units were assembled and sold in this country, http://www.motortrader.com.my/NUS/articles...851/compare.JPG With the third generation, Honda’s designers have taken the CR-V a notch higher, aiming to endow it with a premium image. While traditionalists may feel that the styling no longer has an ‘authentic’ SUV appearance and looks a bit more like a MPV, it’s a sure bet that Honda didn’t make such a radical departure without reason. Like other successful companies, Honda spends a great deal of time and money asking its customers – not their CEO - what they like and expect and does its best to give them exactly that. Clearly, the trend is towards more MPV-like shapes which are also called ‘cross-overs’ by some companies which can’t decided whether their models are SUVs or MPVs or stationwagons. For a long time, market surveys have shown that many customers of small SUVs (and even the larger ones) buy such vehicles for reasons that have little to do with driving off-road. They buy a SUV for its rugged image, utility and also the higher seating position. 4-wheel drive is not necessarily a must either and in some countries, there are actually 2-wheel drive only variants. The more curvaceous shape, which is 10% more aerodynamic, gives the impression that the new CR-V (by the way, the initials have always stood for Comfortable Runabout Vehicle) is larger than its predecessor, the increase in length is actually about 20 mm and even the wheelbase of 2620 mm has not changed. However, it is wider by 35 mm at 1820 mm and the new frontal presentation emphasises its width too. While people like the higher seating position, it also means that entry requires a ‘climb’ up and to make things easier, the floorpan has been lowered, putting the door sills 32 mm lower. The new structure, though having a generous ground clearance of 185 mm, still manages to have a lower centre of gravity, which will benefit handling and stability. To make entry more convenient, the doors now open wider – up to 80 degrees – which is not only good for large-sized passengers but also those who may be using wheelchairs, or even for putting in a childseat. The rear end styling has been done with the premium image in mind and there is no longer an option for the spare wheel to be hung outside the door. In the second generation, Honda offered two rear doors designs – one with the spare wheel on it and one without, depending on market preferences. SUV traditionalists would like to see the spare wheel outside for the ‘authentic look’ but from the practical point of view, it is also troublesome when you want to open the door because of the weight. Honda’s surveys also found that a larger number of customers preferred a top-hinged door, as opposed to the side-hinged 2-piece design of the first and second generations. Among the reasons given was to have a shelter when it rains! For the engineers, it was probably a welcome request since a 2-piece door would be structurally not as strong as a single piece. Top-hinging also meant that the spare wheel could no longer be mounted on the door (although some companies have used swing-away spare wheel frames) and has been stowed in the floor of the cargo bay. Realising that a top-hinged door would require effort to lift, the designers made sure that the weight of the door as well as the strut characteristics would make it light enough to raise. Besides having one handlegrip and two slots to pull the door back down, they also provided a nice electromagnetic door latch which unlatches the door with just a press of the switch panel. For the new CR-V, there are two engine options: 2.0 litres and 2.4 litres. Only the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine is offered for reasons of cost and suitability to the market. This 16-valve all-aluminium engine has only a single overhead camshaft (SOHC) and is essentially a larger version of the 1.8-litre unit found in the latest Civic. According to K. Mochikawa, Chief Engineer for the new CR-V, the choice of SOHC for the engine was made after assessing various powerplants available. The weight and characteristics of the engine met the performance requirements and with i-VTEC, it retains the flexibility and responsiveness which the previous CR-V’s engine possessed. The long-stroke engine has a high compression ratio of 10.5:1 and develops 110 kW/150 ps at 6200 rpm with an impressive 190 Nm of torque at 4200 rpm. Fuel consumption, according to factory tests, is said to be 10% better than the previous engine. The power reaches the road primarily through the front wheels via a 5-speed automatic transmission, making the CR-V the first in its class here to offer an extra ratio (now there are two overdrive ratios) for a wider spacing of gears. To provide 4WD capability, the CR-V has Honda’s Dual Pump Realtime 4WD system which will automatically transmit torque to the rear wheels when conditions necessitate 4WD. The system monitors wheel rotation the rotation of the front wheels exceeds that on the rear wheels, the dual pump connects the clutch by oil pressure which occurs due to the rotary difference and transmits driving force to the rear wheel. It all happens without the driver knowing but enhances grip and stability. “Though we have made the new CR-V more sedan-like in feel and performance, it still has good, if not better, capabilities off-road. In fact, we have also improved the Realtime 4WD system for better performance in the new model,” said Mr Mochikawa. For reasons of space efficiency, most manufacturers adopt the MacPherson strut independent front suspension but have various geometrical solutions to enhance handling and stability as well. For the new CR-V, tuning of the suspension has given better straightline feel and greater responsiveness to steering inputs. The rear suspension is a Reactive Double Wishbone arrangement which has the advantage of less intrusion into the cargo bay and compactness. The stabilizer bar has been thickened, reducing roll. Posted Image While the overall dimensions of the new CR-V are not a lot larger than before, usable cabin space has been increase by 70 mm and it’s been put to good use by providing more versatility in the layout. The rear seats are now split into three sections and as before, can be folded forward entirely to extend the cargo bay floor to 1.43 metres deep. In the maximum cargo configuration, there is a volume of 955 litres available. Incidentally, there is no more picnic table… The cargo area has a ‘double decker’ layout where there is a hard panel which can be set halfway up and can hold up to 10 kgs. Over it is a retractable tonneau cover which helps to hide items in the boot from outside eyes. Elsewhere around the cabin, there are 20 storage areas in all – certainly provisions which will be welcome by those who use the CR-V. For the driver, the ‘cockpit’ is more functional with a new and stylish instrument panel that has blue ambient lighting. Besides bar graph style fuel and coolant temperature displays, there is also a Vehicle Information Display (VID) panel which tells the driver of the average fuel consumption from the engine and range on the remaining fuel. Besides a tilt-and-telescope adjustment for the steering wheel, the shift lever which used to stick out of the dashboard adjacent to the steering column has been moved to a more conventional position in front of the centre console. The change is probably in keeping with the objective of giving a more premium image as the earlier arrangement was rather simple and in a sense cheap looking too. But there’s still a lot of legroom below the dashboard although that foldaway table between the front seats is now a fixed console tray. This means that you can no longer walk between the seats to the back – kids will miss that! The air-conditioning system is a high-quality dual-zone type with an automatic mode. The dual zone feature means that it is possible to adjust the air temperatures separately for the vents on the driver’s side as well as the passenger’s side – that’s a feature which is usually found on more expensive cars! Posted Image The audio system include a 6-CD disc-changer and there’s an auxiliary jack which can allow for the connection of an i-Pod so you can take your 1,000 tunes with you when driving the CR-V. The system also has MP3 capability to it is right up to date in specifications, with 6 speakers to deliver high-quality sound. Safety has always been a priority for Honda and so the CR-V comes with enough safety features and devices to protect the occupants and help the driver avoid accidents. ABS + EBD is standard and there are two front airbags complemented by ‘active’ headrests which can reduce neck injuries. More importantly, the entire bodyshell has G-CON, a Honda-developed technology which disperses the impact forces of a collision. Honda engineers have done thorough testing and development in the company’s own crash test centre and have even ensured that the CR-V is pedestrian-friendly in the event that pedestrians are hit by the vehicle. The new CR-V, assembled at the plant in Melaka, is priced at RM147,800, inclusive of insurance, which is a pretty good price and should influence the prices of rivals to follow. Those who want to customise the vehicle can also buy it with Modulo accessories which are specially designed for the new CR-V. There are two Modulo packages available, priced at RM3,500 and RM6,400 (prices for those without the Honda Privilege Card will be higher), the latter package including aero bumpers. Though these packages will bump the price past RM150,000, you can pay off the extra cost over a number of years – something which no accessory shop would allow you to! It seems that the launch of a new Honda CR-V also marks the final product launch by a Honda Malaysia CEO as Seiji Kuraishi also left Malaysia for a senior position at the Tokyo head office after the launch of the facelifted CR-V the last time. At the launch today, the company’s present CEO, Yasuhide Mizuno,also announced that he would be moving on to Honda Australia next month. It must be a promotion since Australia is a larger market and he would be glad to not have NAP issues to deal with! Posted Image



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