new CRV

[SPQR]

I saw the new 2013 CRV at the one and only Honda Dealer in Darwin last Sunday. It was a top spec Luxury model in White. It looks good in the 'metal/plastic/fabric/leather' from up-close. The grille looks a bit too deep and droopy-heavy from a distance but fine from up-close because it's not a flat slope; it's a bit round and bulging outward in the middle. The car visually seems smaller than the previous model, probably because its slightly lower to the ground. I haven't decided yet if I like the BMW shark-fin antenna...But I suppose that's what you get with navigation standard.

Does anyone know when we'll be getting the diesel version next year? It is coming to Austalia.

[UNLS1]

diesel should be mid 13
been driving the lux for the last week and i love it. in fact ive just placed an order for one for the mrs!

[SPQR]

Thanks UNLS1. My Mrs has a Luxury CRV of the previous version (just superseded) which I also like to drive sometimes. Will OZ also get a 7 seat option?

In the UK, the new model diesel is still the 2.2 litre that renders 110kW of power @ 4,000 rpm and 350Nm of torque at 2,000 rpm but it comes with an auto now, which OZ will be getting.

[UNLS1]

there will never be a 7 seat option. not while we have odyssey.
looking forward to the diesel too!

[SPQR]

I don't much like the Odyssey: For a supposed people mover, it's too low and in reality it's no more than a station wagon. The version of the Odyssey in the USA is a real people mover. I think they'd sell more 7 seater CRVs than the Odyssey.

I really wonder what it would be like to drive a Honda diesel. I've driven an Audi Q5 Auto with the turbo 3.0L diesel and it was fantastic. Lots of grunt and response. I've been in the new model turbo 2.0L diesel BMW 3 Series Auto and again it was fantastic & etc...

Are Japanese diesels as good as the European ones in terms of the way they drive? Why do they make them of such small capacity? Why won't they do a 3.0 turbo diesel like the Audi which is truly impressive?

Too many questions...Has anyone driven a horrendously expensive, not so impressive inside, Mazda CX5 diesel? What are they like? Why do they cost so much? Oops! more questions. Sorry.

[UNLS1]

i dont think there is a need for a 3.0 diesel. that motor powers big cars like Q7 ect.
from what i have read the honda diesels are rather good and ive been next to a euro diesel and i could hardly hear it!
I guess we have to just wait for the cars to get here so we can drive them. The civic 1.6 turbo diesel comes out in 2nd qtr of the next year but only in manual.

A few months ago i drove the CX5 petrol twice on a drive day. wanted to see what all the fuss was about. ive also been driving the CRV 2.0 and i believe the CRV feels a bit better. same motors but the crv seemed to pull a bit harder. Also the room is far better in the CRV then CX5. I really dont know why everyone is mad crazy about the CX5. its a good car and its up there but its not ahead of the CRV compared to petrol engines in fact i like the drive and room of the crv more.

[SPQR]

I suppose there is dearth of quality Japanese diesel cars. People get desperate and buy Mazdas... I found the CX5 underwhelming inside. The CRV is classy by comparison in this price range. But I still wish for a thumping great diesel like the 3.0L turbo found in the Audi range. I agree that they'd only sell one in the whole of OZ though (to me).

[Fredoops]

Honda diesels are known to be very un-diesel like.

It's quiet and suprisingly revvy if the old 2.2 DTEC is any guide.

The only gripe (about the crv) is the fact that drivetrain is not all that different from the last gen, the torque rating of the diesel is just going to munch that auto tranny (ala MDX)

[UNLS1]

yeah much like V6 accords. I hope they get it right

[SPQR]

...The only gripe (about the crv) is the fact that drivetrain is not all that different from the last gen, the torque rating of the diesel is just going to munch that auto tranny (ala MDX)

I've noticed that you don't appear to like Honda automatic transmissions. Have you had a bad experience? This is a genuine question as I have a CL9 Euro that has just clocked over 140,000km and so far, I've only experienced a lack of the original smoothness, that was fixed today after I had the transmission flushed and filled with new fluid.

[SPQR]

I got into the new CRV today... Niiiiice. The driving position seems better to me than the just superseded model (that my wife drives). I wasn't paying attention enough to notice whether the Luxury has memory function on the driver's seat.

Two problems that I have with my wife's car is that she's a lot smaller than me and so the seat is all the way forward. I'm big so I need the seat all the way back (even that's not enough) but when (1) I'm in the middle of a tropical deluge (with bucket size rains drops), it's a very wet experience waiting for the slow motorised seat to go all the way back and (2) watching the power window switches get soaked (doors are a stupid place for switches)...These problems would be fixed by seat memory. Does the new Luxury have memory function on the drivers seat?

My CL9 Standard doesn't have the problem because it has semi-automatic lever-action seats...(boom-boom)

[Fredoops]

I've noticed that you don't appear to like Honda automatic transmissions. Have you had a bad experience? This is a genuine question as I have a CL9 Euro that has just clocked over 140,000km and so far, I've only experienced a lack of the original smoothness, that was fixed today after I had the transmission flushed and filled with new fluid.

Mine's got torque converter whine at low RPM and minor slippage before the fluid flush, after the flush, whine's still there, looks like its going to stay.

Also my uncle V6 MDX is on it's 2nd tranny @ 160k km, and it's probably gonna go again soon, they dont come cheap...

And then theres the "There is no transmission filter" & "No ATF change needed till 100k km" when I call up the dealer, had I known earlier about more frequent fluid change is needed i probably would not have to live with the whine.

And what pisses me the most, is that Honda auto tranny issues had been around since the mid to late 90's, and it seems to me that bugger all had been done to change the design till now where they are are just going to drop the auto altogether in favor of CVT (ala new Accord), that's like, 15+ years, you'd think they gonna look at it after 1 product cycle (5-6 years), nope, they hang around for 3 cycles...