Speculation: Honda CR-V 1.6L Diesel Launching Next Year; May Start at Rs 25 Lakhs

We Indians can take pride in saying that we arm-twisted the mighty Honda to take a plunge into the diesel drum; that, and the fact that new technologies have made the historically crude diesels to hum and not clatter.

Honda had always been a diesel hater of sorts, but they are now discovering why we Indians have been saying that a diesel motor is far more efficient than a petrol engine when you need to move mass economically.

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It started with the sedan Amaze. We lapped it up. Then they did a transplant on the venerable City. We loved it more. And now expectant eyes and inquisitive ears of auto journos are tuned to every buzz and rattle emanating from Honda India. Autocar India says that the competent old-timer, Honda CR-V, is finally going to receive a diesel version in India for the first time ever.

Honda CR-V with the 2.2 i-DTEC engine has already been out and about in U.K., Australia and elsewhere. In fact, it also has the 1.6L Earth Dreams motor, which is a bigger version of the same 1.5L i-DTEC we have here in India.

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It is this engine that Honda has plans to introduce in India and it produces 118bhp of power but more importantly 300Nm of all important torque. According to the report, the 1.6 i-DTEC CR-V diesel will only be available in two-wheel drive and manual transmission.

To offset the lack of power with the smaller engine, the 1.6 i-DTEC equipped CR-V weighs less than the 2.2 i-DTEC equipped CR-V. The 1.6L CR-V has done away with the 4×4 system plus the new 1.6L aluminum engine itself weighs 47 kg less than the 2.2L engine. Overall, the 1.6-liter CR-V weighs 116 kg less than its elder sibling, does 0-100 kmph in about 11 seconds with a top speed of somewhere close to 180 kmph, which is more than enough in our country.

With the smaller engine, Honda will want to gain the advantage of fuel efficiency as well as the resultant lesser costs. Autocar says the launch could take place sometime next year but the more interesting but is the possible projected price, which they say could start from Rs 25 Lakhs. At this price, CR-V will compete with Captiva and other crossover-kinds.

CR-V has always been regarded as a very potent and plush product and with a diesel, we believe, Honda will just be able to hit the bulls-eye!

Related ReadingWe Have NO Plans to Launch New Civic in India: Jnaneshwar Sen

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