Review of the new Honda CR-V 2.2 i-CTDi Diesel

Before you put pen to paper and commit to purchase a Honda CRV 2.2 i-CTDi for around £20,000, you've got to be ruthlessly honest with yourself. In fact, you've got to undertake an exercise in merciless self-flagellation the like of which virtually no other car imposes upon you. How so? Well, this Honda is a 4x4 that even its manufacturers tacitly admit is next to useless off road. They know it and you know it. Therefore, you are not in the pretence game. You're buying this car to drive on the road and are accepting the compromises and perceptions therein.

Of course, you could kid yourself that this diesel model you've bought is better equipped should you ever feel the need to tackle a gently inclined gravel drive but let's get real. The benefits of this 2.2-litre oil burner are really felt when a); flying past yet another fuel station with half a tank still showing and b); feeling a juicy surge of torque when you jink off the roundabout and down the motorway on-ramp.

The advantages of this car over its petrol sibling are largely in convenience and that additional engine muscle. Company car buyers will be able to swing the argument in terms of carbon dioxide taxation but for the vast majority of CR-V drivers, trying to justify this diesel version in terms of pounds and pence over its petrol sibling just isn't going to happen. Here's why. Most will use their CR-V as a suburban scoot with the occasional trip to the coast thrown in and never rack up the sort of mileages that will claw back the price premium the diesel model is saddled with.

Despite Honda's best intentions, the CR-V is no sports car and the diesel engine suits it really rather well. It's fascinating to see how this engine, once the state of the art, is now no longer at the very pinnacle of diesel engine development, offering a little more lag and a tad less refinement than the best powerplants in its class. It remains a very impressive performer and there's always the slightly guilty pleasure of driving a car with an engine that's a bit bigger than is strictly necessary.

"The CR-V 2.2 diesel feels one of the most complete compact 4x4s around"

It handles well too. Unlike many 4x4s in this sector of the market, the CR-V doesn't feel the least bit top heavy. So many of its rivals pitch and lurch along, generating what chassis engineers describe as 'head toss' in their unfortunate occupants. The CR-V is different thanks to a taut suspension backed up by Honda's revolutionary Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) system. This electronic stability control package is one of the most advanced around, offering another dimension to the more rudimentary stability control systems that nip at a brake to keep the car on the road when things get skiddy. VSA applies brake pressure to the wheel that slips and redirects driving force to the wheel with better traction. Using no fewer than seven sensors, VSA brakes the outside front and rear wheels during a tail slide and applies braking force to the inside front and rear wheels if the nose runs wide.

A multi-plate clutch and twin hydraulic pumps ensure that power can be directed to the wheels that can best deploy it, the Real Time 4WD system only directing power to the rear wheels if the system senses a difference in rotational speed between the front and rear. Hydraulic fluid is pumped to the rear in proportion to the amount of slippage. Honda is once again open that this system is designed to aid road driving if it's wet or snowy and not as an effective off-road driving tool. Fully independent suspension all round with a multilink rear set-up is the key to the CR-V's tidy cornering abilities and the centre of gravity has been dropped by fully 35mm compared to its predecessor.

The shape of the CR-V hints at the fact that this is no shrunken Hummer. The coupe-like roofline is reminiscent of the Lexus RX series, while the stance is low slung and hunched. The front end is very distinctive, with an unusual 'smiling' grille section that fits flush to the projector-style headlamps. A choice between 17 and 18-inch alloy wheels also underscores the Honda's on-road mission. Other 4x4 cues have also been ditched, one by one. The tail-mounted spare wheel has been excised, replaced by one that sits under the load compartment floor. The tailgate also opens like a conventional hatchback - side openings being deemed a little passe.

The internal dimensions aren't far removed from the old CR-V, a car which always was one of the more spacious compact 4x4s. Load space has been increased, despite the internally housed spare, while access has been improved by bigger doors that open wider. The interior features metallic elements on the dash with soft textured black trim, while the front seats cater for this nation's ever-expanding posteriors, being larger and more comfortable than before. The sunroof on top-spec models has also been supersized and can be closed off with two electric blinds which are trimmed in the same material as the roof lining. This feature was debuted in the Civic and, like the Civic again, the CR-V features a relocated gear lever. Now at the base of the centre stack, it's been brought closer to the steering wheel, creating more floor space. Equipment levels are generous with an eight-way powered driver's seat, leather upholstery, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera offered according to trim level. Should you really want to play the urban gangster, there's even a 19-inch wheel option. No chrome spinners though.

The rear seats split 60:40 at the base and 40:20:40 at the back and slide back and forth to maximise either leg or luggage room. They even recline to really let rear passengers flake out on longer trips. When not required, the rear seats can be tumbled forwards and stowed upright to create a space big enough for a pair of mountain bikes. You won't even need to remove the front wheels. Extra versatility is served up with the 'Double Deck' luggage storage system created by a shelf that sits just over a foot off the load floor. This hinged slab allows luggage below to remain easily accessible but out of view.

The Honda CR-V diesel offers a distinctly car-like feel which, for a vast majority of customers, is the one thing they want allied to that commanding ride height and keen practicality. Although it aims at a limited brief, it does the job with ruthless efficiency.

TOP 5 CR-V DEALS

The results below show the top CR-V deals on buyacar

Honda CR-V 2.2 i-DTEC EX 5dr Diesel Estate
Price £25,036 Read CR-V Reviews	Save £3,174
Honda CR-V 2.2 i-DTEC ES 5dr Diesel Estate
Price £21,624 Read CR-V Reviews	Save £2,986
Honda CR-V 2.2 i-DTEC ES-T 5dr Auto Diesel Estate
Price £24,218 Read CR-V Reviews	Save £3,077
Honda CR-V 2.0 i-VTEC ES 5dr Auto Estate
Price £20,785 Read CR-V Reviews	Save £3,180
Honda CR-V 2.2 i-DTEC EX 5dr Auto [Advanced Safety Pack] Diesel Estate
Price £28,334 Read CR-V Reviews	Save £3,326
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