2021 Honda CR-V preview

Price rises of up to $3200 are among the headline news in Honda’s 2021 revamp of its popular midsized SUV, the CR-V.

The new model, which will be available from the start of September, gets a facelift plus added equipment, tech and safety features as part of the overhaul.

Pricing has increased on each of the seven variants in the line-up, with the steepest $3200 rise reserved for the flagship VTi-LX all-wheel-drive, which has increased from $44,290 to $47,490 plus on-road costs.

At the other end of the range, the entry-level CR-V Vi is now priced from $30,490 plus on-road costs, representing a $2200 increase. A full pricing list of all seven CR-V variants is included at the bottom of the story.

Style-wise, the facelifted range features redesigned bumpers with silver and grey accents, darkened taillights and a blackout grille, while inside the cabin there’s an updated centre console designed for improved access and storage.

All 2021 CR-V’s bar the base-model Vi now come with Honda Sensing, the brand's safety suite which includes lane keep assist, radar cruise control, and autonomous emergency braking.

Also standard across the range (including the Vi) is a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and dual-zone climate control.

Depending on trim level and optioned extras, the CR-V range can also feature 18-19-inch wheels, eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, hands-free rear tailgate, wireless phone charging, LED headlights and fog lights, tinted windows and rear privacy glass.

Similar to its predecessors, the entry-level Vi is powered by an 113kW/189Nm 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine, while all other higher-level variants are fitted with the existing 140kW/240Nm 1.5-litre turbo engine.

All the engines are married to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and are available in front-wheel-drive, all-wheel drive and five and seven-seat configurations across various trims.

There’s still no word on the hybrid CR-V which is available in other markets, such as the USA. The all-wheel drive hybrid model features a 2.0-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder petrol engine and twin electric motors, with a total power output of 158kW.

Honda Australia CEO Stephen Collins told media in late 2019 that that hybrid models will be available in all the brand’s future line-ups, but in the case of the CR-V this apparently means with the next new-generation model, not this 2021 facelift.

This fifth-generation Honda CR-V was unveiled in the USA in 2016 and arrived in Australia in July 2017, so is still only a relatively young model. It competes in the Medium SUV class where its year to date sales of 5613 units place it sixth in the busy 23-strong category, well behind market leaders the Toyota RAV4 (15,544) and Mazda CX-5 (10,219).

2021 Honda CR-V pricing: