Tokyo, September 18, 2001 ---
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has announced a full model change for its popular
CR-V*1. Over 1 million*2 CR-Vs have been sold around the world since it
was first released in 1995, creating its own market niche and bringing the
comfort of a passenger car to the SUV. The new model will go on sale starting
Thursday, September 20, at Honda Verno dealers throughout Japan.
The car's design concept was, "CR-V --- More active utility." The new CR-V
has been thoroughly revamped, yet the original design concept has been maintained.
It was designed to meet the following three criteria: it must deliver the
driving performance needed to meet the demands of all road conditions, while
providing the comfortable ride of a passenger car; it must provide a spacious,
functional environment; and it must present refined styling that is suitable
for any occasion.
Equipped with Honda's 2.0-liter DOHC i-VTEC engine, the new CR-V delivers
powerful driving performance and outstanding fuel economy of 13.0 km per
liter*3 for all model types, meeting Japan's Transport
Ministry regulations for 2010. It also offers superb environmental performance,
with all model types recognized by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure
and Transport as ultra-low emissions vehicles.
The new CR-V employs Honda's global platform, achieving greater interior length and height and expanded utility in a body of about the same size as the previous model. The spacious cabin interior provides 527 liters*4 of cargo storage space, the largest in its class.
The side frame has been positioned lower, to prevent the CR-V from riding up on sedans and other passenger vehicles in a frontal collision, thus reducing potential damage and injury. A body designed to reduce injuries to pedestrians and other G-force Control technology is also employed, giving the CR-V the world's highest level of crash safety performance.
Customers can select from two models: the Performa, with its spare tire mounted on the tailgate for an active, energetic image, and the Fullmark, with body-colored bumpers for a sleek, urban look.
| *1: |
The initials CR-V stand for "Comfortable Runabout Vehicle". |
| *2: |
Between October, 1995 and July, 2001 (Honda survey). |
| *3: |
Fuel consumption when driven in 10-15 mode (Japanese
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport figures). |
| *4: |
As calculated by Honda using VDA formula. |
 |
 |
| CR-V, Fullmark iL (4WD) option pkg. |
CR-V Performa iG |
New CR-V-Main Features
Exterior
- The design combines strength with refined styling that is suitable for
any occasion. Built to look sharp but tough, the overall body is designed
around a protective motif.
- Customers can select from two models: the Performa, with its tailgate-mounted
spare tire, black bumpers and tailgate garnish, conveys an active, energetic
image, while the Fullmark combines body-colored bumpers with a spare tire
stored under the luggage compartment floor to create a sleek, urban look.
Performance
2.0-liter DOHC i-VTEC engine
All models come equipped with the new-generation 2.0-liter DOHC i-VTEC engine,
which features Honda's own originally developed VTEC (Variable Valve Timing
and lift, Electronic Control) and VTC (Valve Timing Control) intelligent
engine control technologies.
Further technological innovations including a variable-length intake manifold
and rear-port, dual exhaust system, which result in power output of 116kW
(158PS)*5 and fuel economy of 13.0 km per liter*6, along with ultra-clean
exhaust emissions that earn the CR-V recognition from the Japanese government
as an ultra-low emissions vehicle.
| *5: |
Net value |
| *6: |
Fuel consumption for a 4WD vehicle with automatic transmission,
driven in 10-15 mode (Japanese
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport figures). |
4-speed automatic transmission
- Features new control logic and a linear solenoid for direct clutch pressure
control. This allows high-precision control of gear ratios for optimum performance
in response to changing driving conditions.
- Active Lockup II provides lockup control over a broad range, from 2nd to
4th gears, contributing to higher fuel efficiency and smoother driving.
4-Wheel Drive
- Real-time 4-wheel drive powers only the front wheels under normal
driving conditions, distributing just the right amount of power to the
rear wheels for added stability on slippery road surfaces when needed.
The compact, lightweight, dual pump system fine-tunes the system to
achieve highly precise control and responsiveness.
Suspension
- In the front, a toe-control link strut suspension has been adapted
to the short nose design to provide high roll stiffness, high-speed
stability, and linear handling. This highly space-efficient design,
along with a more compact engine, achieves a minimum turning radius
of 5.2 meters --- the top in its class.
- The rear suspension employs an active-link, double-wishbone design
with the spring and shock absorber housed under the floor, permitting
a lower floor and more efficient use of cargo space. All parts have
been made more rigid, for excellent stability and body integrity.
Body
- Torsional rigidity of the frame has been greatly improved through
the use of computer simulations and actual vehicle testing. In the front
section, the cross-sectional size of the upper member has been increased
along with the plate thickness of the load-bearing members, while in
the rear section the wheelhouse gussets and rear frame members have
been repositioned to achieve the high level of driving stability of
a regular passenger car.
Safety
- Honda's original G-CON (G-force Control) technology is incorporated
to create a new body with a crash safety design that is among the best
in the world. It can protect passengers in a 55km/h full-frontal collision,
a 64km/h front offset collision, 55km/h side collision, and a 50km/h
rear collision.
- To further improve safety in real-world collisions, Honda has implemented
its own vehicle-to-vehicle collision testing program with its own independently-established
standards*7. This collision testing is much
more demanding than the traditional tests in which the car is crashed
into a fixed barrier. The CR-V's high-safety design meets even these
stringent testing requirements.
- The side frame has been positioned lower, to prevent the CR-V from
riding up on sedans or other passenger vehicles in a collision, thus
reducing potential damage and injury.
- The number of body sections designed to reduce pedestrian injury has
been increased. The vehicle is also equipped with impact-absorbing,
collapsible radiator brackets --- the brackets that hold the radiator
in place bend backward to absorb the force of the impact in a collision.
- The interior is designed to protect occupants' heads in a collision,
and the front seats are formed to reduce neck injuries.
- An SRS dual front airbag system is standard equipment in all models,
and an i-Side Airbag System (with passenger-side body position detector)
is also available for the front row as a manufacturer's option.
- Also standard are ISO FIX compatible child seat anchoring bars (left
and right back seats), and tether anchors as well.
| |
*7: |
Test involves a 50% front offset collision with a 2-ton
class vehicle, both vehicles traveling at 50km/h. |
Environmental Performance
- Exhaust gas pollutants (HC, NOx) have been greatly reduced. All vehicle
types have been recognized by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure
and Transport as ultra-low
emissions vehicles, surpassing ministry regulations for exhaust emissions
by over 50%.
- All vehicle types meet ministry fuel consumption standards for 2012, achieving
fuel economy of 13.0 km per liter*8 --- top in their class.
- Recycling is taken into consideration right from the production stage.
Almost all molded interior parts are made using olefin, a material with
superb recylability. In all, over 90%*9 of the entire vehicle is recyclable.
| |
*8: |
Fuel consumption for a 4WD vehicle with automatic transmission,
driven in 10-15 mode (Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure
and Transport figures). |
| |
*9: |
Figures according to Honda's own computational formula. |
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September
18 , 2001