Off-road pair turning up the heat

Things 'R' looking good for performance 4x4 fans! Honda has just pulled the wraps off a very special version of its new CR-V, and admitted the sporty four-wheel-drive model could come to the UK by the middle of next year.

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Dan Strong

09th November 2006

The newcomer was unveiled at the SEMA Motor Show in Las Vegas this week. Developed in house by the Japanese manufacturer, the car takes the standard CR-V and adds a touch of Type R magic to the looks with a series of performance-focused extras.

Although there's no trademark Type R red badge, the new variant has low spoilers at the front and rear, plus much deeper bumpers in order to give the mud-plugger a more aggressive stance. Along the sides, extra sill and door protection is shaped to make the car appear more muscular, while tail-light clusters gain a dark tinted housing.

Fresh headlamp lenses are also finished in black, and silver-rimmed driving lights have been added, too. The whole package is finished off with large 18-inch alloy wheels. Improvements to the cabin are more subtle, but fast-car fans are likely to welcome them as much as the external changes. Fully adjustable bucket seats and drilled alloy pedals are two of the highlights of a series of modifications intended to make the CR-V's interior look more inviting than the standard model.

Changes under the bonnet include a new exhaust system and air filter to uprate the Honda's 3.5-litre V6 powerplant to around 300bhp. This should mean the car is quick enough to keep up with even its most focused rivals.

For now, though, bosses at the company have no plans to bring this unit to the UK and will stick to offering 2.0-litre 150bhp petrol and 2.2-litre 140bhp i-CTDi diesel engines.

Prices for the sports pack are likely to add an additional £1,750 to the CR-V's basic cost at dealers. That means entry-level versions should be available for around £20,000.