Honda Malaysia continues to provide assistance to local communities, particularly those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and flood disaster. Its latest initiatives are Flood Safety Kits for the recent flood victims in Pahang, facemasks for schoolchildren, and laptops for underprivileged students. The distribution of the items by Honda Malaysia were conducted in compliance with all health and safety Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
The laptops, in particular, are greatly needed in view of the increase in online learning sessions due to the Movement Control Order affecting school activities. To address this urgent need, Honda Malaysia arranged for laptops to be delivered to four secondary schools in Melaka. The laptops were given to students who come from low-income families who lack devices for Home-Based Teaching and Learning classes.
In addition to the laptops, the company provided 500 boxes of facemasks to 10 primary schools and 10 secondary schools in Melaka. Each school was allocated with 1,000 pieces of facemasks for the students to remain protected and adhere to the SOPs.
East Malaysia was not forgotten as Honda Malaysia sent essential items such as 1,000 pieces of face shields to frontliners at the Hospital Queen Elizabeth in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
“The on-going battle with COVID-19 has been a great challenge for students to keep up with their studies, especially those from low-income backgrounds. With the New Normal, students have no choice but to opt for online schooling. Devices such as computers become a necessity for students to cope with distance learning and this has affected students who have limited access to technology devices. We hope through our contribution the students will have a better study environment and be more motivated to continue their education,” said Honda Malaysia’s Managing Director and CEO, Toichi Ishiyama.
“Honda strives to be a company that society wants to exist,” he added. ”Thus, Honda wants to be with the community always, during good and bad times, coming ‘Together As One’ with Malaysians.”
The Honda HR-V Sport Hybrid i-DCD is being enhanced for 2021 with a new feature and exterior upgrades. While not announcing the price, Honda Malaysia said that customers can make a pre-booking at any authorised Honda dealership or by using the online pre-booking platform.
The refreshed appearance encompasses the LED Headlights, LED Guide Taillights and LED Front foglights, with new chrome door handles and a 3-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel. A new Platinum White Pearl colour replaces the existing White Orchid Pearl finish.
Petrol engine or hybrid choices
The HR-V Sport Hybrid is one of four variants in the HR-V range, the others being the RS, V and E (priced from RM104,000.21). While the other variants have a 1.8-litre SOHC i-VTEC engine and CVT, the HR-V Sport Hybrid uses a powertrain consisting of a 1.5-litre DOHC i-VTEC engine (with direct fuel injection) and Integrated high-power electric motor. Coupled to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, its output is comparable to that of a conventional 2-litre engine.
i-DCD Sport Hybrid powertrain
Besides the exterior changes, all variants also come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity as well as 2 new USB ports. There is also a new 7-inch display panel for the infotainment system in the dashboard.
Other standard features of the enhanced HR-V include (depending on variant) a multi-angle rearview camera, cruise control, paddle shifters, 8-way powered driver’s seat, leather upholstery.
Comprehensive safety systems
The occupants are well protected with Passive Safety systems such as 6 SRS airbags and a computer-engineered ACE (Advanced Compatibility Engineering) structural design by Honda which effectively dissipates collision forces.
Active Safety systems to help the driver avoid accidents include Honda LaneWatch to monitor blind spots, Emergency Stop Signal, Automatic Brake Hold, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) and Hill Start Assist.
“Honda Malaysia is excited to introduce the enhanced HR-V to Malaysians. Being one of the top three best-selling Honda models, the HR-V has contributed greatly to our achievement as No.1 in the Non-National segment in 2020. This enhanced model is a result of customers’ feedback as we continuously strive to introduce products that meet the needs of customers,” said Honda Malaysia’s Managing Director and CEO, Toichi Ishiyama.
Third bestselling Honda model in Malaysia
The HR-V was first introduced in Malaysia in 2015 and there are currently over 98,600 units on Malaysian roads. The facelifted model was launched in January 2019 and was expanded with the RS and Sport Hybrid variants. Last year, the HR-V was Honda Malaysia’s third bestselling model, contributing 17% to its total sales volume.
For more information or to locate an authorised dealership in Malaysia, visit www.honda.com.my.
Honda Malaysia has again claimed the No.1 position in the Non-National segment of the Malaysian car market, with a total of 60,469 vehicle delivered in 2020. This is the sixth consecutive year that the company has been in the lead position after the two Malaysian makes.
Announcing the achievement, Honda Malaysia’s Managing Director & CEO, Toichi Ishiyama, said: “The year 2020 may have been challenging but we have managed to maintain our undisputed No.1 position in the Non-National Segment for the sixth consecutive and for that, we are truly humbled by the support we have received.”
City accounted for 34% of sales
Mr. Ishiyama said that the City, being the most popular Non-National B-segment model among Malaysians, was the biggest contributor (34%) to the total volume. “Officially launched in October 2020, the all-new City recorded highest monthly sales in its history with over 5,500 units sold in the month of December 2020. It also received positive response from the market with more than 15,200 bookings to date, making it one of the highest booking figures for a newly launched model in Honda Malaysia in the second half of 2020.
The second best-selling model was the Civic, followed by the HR-V, which contributed 20% and 17% to the total sales volume, respectively.
Mr. Ishiyama also expressed gratitude to the Malaysian government extending the sales tax exemption incentive. “We sincerely thank the Malaysian government for the extension of sales tax exemption until June 30, 2021 which will allow many Malaysians to purchase cars with extra savings. As we move on in 2021, we will continue to support the government’s efforts to curb the pandemic which is still active nationwide,” he said.
City RS e:HEV due this month
While the City S, V and E variants (priced from RM74,191.27, excluding 10% sales tax) with the new 1.5-litre DOHC i-VTEC powertrain have been on sale since October, the all-new City RS e:HEV variant will be available from this month. The RS e:HEV variant is a world-first with its intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) powertrain.
The new City RS e:HEV will be available this month.
This electrified powertrain is an advanced hybrid powertrain with 2 motors and an Electric Continuous Variable Transmission (e-CVT). Together with a 1.5-litre petrol engine, the i-MMD powertrain can generate up to 253 Nm of torque, an exceptional output for its size. Maximum power output is 108 ps which can take the City beyond 170 km/h and yet consume fuel at a claimed rate of 26.5 kms/litre.
2020 will be remembered for many things and it has certainly been a year of much change for lives and for businesses. Perhaps it was already coming but e-commerce using online facilities accelerated this year, partly driven by the need to provide contactless communications and interaction. Car companies began ‘opening’ stores online, and provided owners with a new channel to book appointments for servicing and request other services.
Additional Shopping Tools function
Honda Malaysia is among those companies which has been steadily enhancing its online services and today announced a New Car Pre-Booking Online Platform for customers. The additional function is embedded in the Shopping Tools on the company’s official website. Other shopping tools include a loan calculator, models comparison and Honda Insurance Plus.
Just 4 steps needed
Using the function, customers just need to go through 4 simple steps and the booking fee can be as low as RM99 (terms and conditions apply). They can make the pre-booking for any of the models shown on the website as well as select variants, colour and available accessories. When they have made the pre-booking payment, a confirmation email with all the necessary information including details of the dealer handling the transaction will be sent. Within 72 hours, the customer will be contacted by a designated Sales Advisor from the dealer.
Customers who make the pre-booking can also track the status of the booking at any time. The function will be available in the HondaTouch application by early next year.
All the models available from Honda Malaysia can be pre-booked using the new function in the Shopping Tools.
“This New Car Pre-Booking Online Platform is part of Honda Malaysia’s effort to provide greater accessibility to customers to own a Honda car in this digital era via an online car purchase process. It allows Honda customers to stay ahead of the crowd and pre-book their preferred Honda model through a most convenient and user-friendly process which is right at their fingertips, anytime and anywhere,” said Honda Malaysia’s Managing Director & CEO, Toichi Ishiyama.
“Through this online process, we aspire to offer greater convenience and a safe experience for our customers, no matter which part of Malaysia they are at,” he said.
Of course, making bookings can still be done at authorised Honda showrooms but with the Pre-Booking function, you won’t have to rush to a Honda showroom to place a booking if you want to be among the first to own a model about to be launched.
You can access the function directly by prebook.honda.com.my. Links are also provided from the various models displayed on the website at www.honda.com.my.
The Takata airbag matter may have quietened down after many years of frantic efforts by many car companies to get owners of affected vehicles to have the dangerously flawed airbag inflator replaced. Nevertheless, with millions of vehicles affected – the largest ever recall exercise in history – there are still vehicles out there which have not had the crucial replacement done.
Honda Malaysia was among the companies which was very pro-active and should be commended for its strong commitment and efforts. And it has not stopped trying to make sure that every single affected vehicle has its airbag inflator replaced. Of course, a 100% score is probably impossible but it should be close to that achievement.
The company now has identified another 2,784 units of Honda vehicles which also need to be recalled as a preventive measure to carry out the replacement of the driver’s side airbag inflator. These vehicles are the 1999 model year Accord and 2000 model year CR-V. All currently sold models are not affected.
1999 Honda Accord
Warranty ended but replacement free
Yes, they are pretty old models, which goes to show how far back the problem went. Fortunately, the manufacturers have not dismissed the matter as being something ’beyond the warranty period’ and have taken the necessary action even over 20 years after the vehicle was sold. This is, after all, literally a matter of life and death.
In case you have forgotten what the fatal flaw was, it was related to the inflator module for the airbag system. In certain cases where inflation was triggered, the internal pressure – already very high – would become critically high and break the module. This would send sharp metal pieces shooting at the driver or front passenger, some cases causing serious injuries that led to death.
So it’s a very, very serious problem that needed to be fixed. While there were incidents, some fatal, all over the world, Honda Malaysia says that it has no report in Malaysia of any incidence or injury caused by the Takata driver front airbag for these two particular models.
2000 Honda CR-V
As before, the owners of the affected will be informed via notification letters. They will be asked to contact any authorized Honda dealer to make an appointment to make the replacement (subject to parts availability).
Current owners may not be known
However, one problem that could be faced is whether the current owners of the vehicles get the recall letters. As the vehicles are already 20 years old, ownership is likely to have changed and Honda Malaysia may not have the contact details of the current owner. And the original owner who receives the letter may also not know who has the vehicle now, so the latter can’t be forwarded.
Honda Malaysia hopes that members of the public who have relatives or friends owning these two models can help to make them aware so they can contact Honda Malaysia for assistance in getting the replacement inflator module. All parts and labour related to this recall will be borne by the company.
Owners of who are unsure if their vehicle is affected can obtain information by calling Honda Toll Free number at 1-800-88-2020 or visit the Honda Malaysia Product Recall page to check their vehicle status.
Honda Malaysia also wishes to remind the public that there are Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) introduced during the Movement Control Order (MCO) which are still in force nationwide. To protect the well-being of customers and Honda personnel, the company requests customers to make an appointment in advance and adhere to the SOPs when they are at the service centre.
In just a month after being officially launched, some 9,000 bookings have been received for the all-new 5th generation Honda City. To date, over 2,400 cars have been delivered nationwide from Honda’s assembly plant in Melaka.
Clearly, the new model has many appealing attributes that have drawn this impressive number of orders, although it could also be that there are many people who want to enjoy the sales tax exemption before it ends on December 31, 2020.
Sales tax-free pricing
The three variants already in showrooms (the City RS e:HEV will be available at the beginning of 2021) are currently priced (without insurance) as follows: City 1.5S: RM74,191.27 | City 1.5E: RM81,664.82 | City 1.5V: RM86,561.45.
After December 31, when the 10% sales tax is included again, the prices will be: City 1.5S: RM76,800 | City 1.5E: RM84,800 | City 1.5V: RM89,800.
Most popular colour choice
According to Honda Malaysia, the City 1.5V is the most popular variant, accounting for 54% of total bookings received. Of the 5 exterior colour choices offered, Platinum White Pearl appears to be the favourite, with 28% of customers wanting it for their new car.
Not surprisingly, the majority of orders (44%) are in the company’s Central region, with the Northern and Southern regions accounting for 22% and 19%, respectively.
“The 5th Generation All-New City is very well received in the market and the bookings increased by an additional 80% within a month of its official launch. This outstanding Honda model continues to capture the hearts of Malaysians be it working adults, young executives or young families,” said Toichi Ishiyama, Honda Malaysia’s Managing Director & CEO.
“Many customers also took the opportunity to purchase their new car during the sales tax exemption period. The attractive pricing of the All-New City in addition to the advanced features are plus points which resulted in the encouraging bookings received,” he added.
Related: The Game-Changer Strikes Again with the 5th Generation Honda City
5-year unlimited mileage warranty
The City comes with a 5-year warranty and no mileage limit. Owners will also be entitled to free labour service for 5 times during the first 100,000 kms or 5 years after registration.
To view or test-drive the new City, visit any of the 102 Honda authorised dealerships nationwide. Information on Honda models and the locations of dealerships can be found at www.honda.com.my.
The Honda CR-V is one of the two models which began the ‘soft-roader’ trend, offering passenger car comfort and convenience in the SUV. The first generation was launched in the mid-1990s, around the same time as Toyota’s RAV-4 but unlike Toyota, Honda decided to assemble the model locally. This gave it a price advantage which also helped it to dominate the SUV segment.
Two decades later, it continues having a dominant position as the updated version of the fifth generation officially goes on sale. More than 36,000 units have been sold since it was launched in 2017.
Upgraded Honda SENSING SYSTEM
As the segment leader, the CR-V has set the benchmark for others to follow (or beat) and with this updated version, Honda Malaysia aims to pull away by using Next Generation Advanced Technology features. In particular, the Honda SENSING system has been upgraded to a full suite with 8 systems – some of which work together – to assist the driver.
A Rear Seat Belt Reminder has also been added, alerting the driver when the rear passengers have not fastened their seatbelts. This complements the ISOFIX mounting points for compatible childseats, which have been required by law since the beginning of 2020.
While Honda SENSING does not directly contribute to the CR-V being awarded the full 5-star rating by ASEAN NCAP, the G-CON structure, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) and 6 airbags do. Additionally, the CR-V has Honda LaneWatch (a blindspot monitor), Hill Start Assist, Emergency Stop Signal, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, Auto Brake Hold and even a Driver Attention Monitor.
New features
Other new features include handsfree/keyless opening of the rear hatch by using the foot, and Remote Start which allows starting of the engine from a distance. This then allows the air-conditioning system to be run, cooling down the cabin before entering. Certainly a welcome feature in out hot climate!
As for the looks, there’s a new black grille and bumper as well as a New Wing-style Chrome Fascia. At the rear end, the latest version can be identified by the new Dark Chrome, Smoked Finish Taillights, and rear bumper garnished with the new Wing-style Chrome Fascia as well as chrome twin tailpipes. The 19-inch alloy wheels also have new Dual-Tone styling.
There are three variants with a choice of two engines – a 193 ps/243 Nm turbocharged 1.5-litre VTEC unit or a 2-litre i-VTEC unit with 154 ps/189 Nm. Only a CVT is available but the CR-V with the smaller engine can be ordered with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
1.5-litre turbocharged VTEC engine
Pricing before and after December 31
The new CR-V, with 5 colours choices, is now in the showrooms nationwide with the following prices (excluding insurance and sales tax) until December 31, 2020: CR-V 1.5 TC-P 4WD – RM162,910.18 CR-V 1.5 TC-P 2WD – RM157,615.91 CR-V 2.0 2WD – RM139,912.53
After December 31, when the sales tax exemption stops, the prices will be: CR-V 1.5 TC-P 4WD – RM169,900 CR-V 1.5 TC-P 2WD – RM164,300 CR-V 2.0 2WD – RM145,400
Visit www.honda.com.my for more information or to locate a showroom in Malaysia.
Honda Malaysia has introduced its new HondaTouch application to enhance convenience for Honda owners and other customers. Available on Apple iOS and Android smartphones, the application is a that can be shared by customers, Honda Authorised Dealers and Honda Malaysia.
The app has 10 ten distinct features which are particularly useful for owners, providing them with accessibility to their vehicle and its information wherever they are. These features include Service Appointment Booking, Service Appointment Reminder, Real-Time Service Status Tracking, Service History, and Find Your Nearest Dealer.
Through a complete dealer listing in the application, Honda owners can directly make service appointments with their preferred dealers in any part of the country. The respective dealers will be alerted, and confirmation of appointments will be sent to the owners via the application.
Manage service matters by phone
Additionally, an owner can keep tabs on all information about his or her Honda vehicle such as service appointment reminder, service status tracking as well as monitor the progress of the car servicing status through the application. The service history is also stored, making it easy to refer to previous visits to the service centre.
An important feature of the HondaTouch application is Emergency Assistance. This is useful in the event of a breakdown or accident as owners can contact the roadside assistance service for immediate assistance. Honda owners will also receive notification on their Insurance Renewal Reminder through the application – great for those who are forgetful!
Also for non-owners
For those who are not owners of vehicles, it is possible to register to use HondaTouch too. Through the application, they can be informed of Promotions, Events and Updates and other activities by Honda Malaysia.
Through HondaTouch, it is also possible to make a New Car Pre-Booking. With this feature, customers can easily place a booking for their preferred model from Honda Malaysia’s line-up from anywhere at anytime.
The application can be used to manage service appointments with dealers.
Commenting on digital platform introduction, Honda Malaysia’s Managing Director & CEO, Toichi Ishiyama, said: “The HondaTouch application is designed to provide convenience and ease of communication between Honda Authorised Dealers and customers, allowing easy access to obtain vehicle service information; vehicle assistance, and updates from Honda Malaysia. Ultimately, it is our vision to create value for mobility and to improve the daily lives of our customers through regular engagement; and the intuitive HondaTouch application does exactly that.”
The HondaTouch application is free for download via the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. For information on Honda vehicles, visit www.honda.com.my.
After a month-long teaser campaign, the all-new Honda City in its 5th generation is officially launched for sale. In spite of the current mood of uncertainty due to the pandemic, there are already some 5,000 people who have put their money down for one and no doubt, the number will grow now that the new model is in showrooms.
The highlight of the teaser campaigns has been the new City RS e:HEV variant, which has a hybrid powertrain. Having been the first company to assemble a hybrid model locally, Honda Malaysia continues to offer it in the City with a new 2-motor hybrid system powered by intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD). Malaysia is the first country in the world to launch the RS e:HEV variant and the honour is partly because this market accounts for 40% of the hybrid vehicles Honda has sold in its Asia & Oceania region.
However, if you’re keen to get one, it’s not available right away and deliveries will only start in January 2021. So while shouting a lot about it, Honda Malaysia is not revealing its price yet but you can book one if you want and be among the first owners.
Since the hybrid model won’t be here for a few more months, we’ll focus on the other three variants first and then go back to it. As before, the variants are S, E and V, all with a 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine with a DOHC and 16-valve cylinder head. Output from this proven engine is 121 ps/145 Nm which goes through a CVT to the front wheels.
Until the end of this year, the prices will be exempted from 10% sales tax. After that, if there is no extension of the exemption, they will revert to the prices as shown below (without insurance).
Honda City 1.5S: RM76,800 | Honda City 1.5E: RM84,800 | Honda City 1.5V: RM89,800
The platform has essentially the same elements as before although, in the spirit of kaizen (constant improvement), there would be improvements in materials and engineering to increase efficiency and comfort.
ASEAN NCAP 5-star rating
The latest City has already been tested by ASEAN NCAP and given the maximum rating of 5 stars, which is not surprising. Besides its strong and protective body structure, the car also has a comprehensive range of safety systems that will help the driver avoid accidents and in the 1.5V, six airbags to provide cushioning during a severe accident.
While virtually all cars today come with reverse sensors to help during parking, Honda Malaysia also includes a reverse camera in all three variants. Unlike many reverse camera systems which present only a single image, the one in the City can show three angles – wide, normal and top-down. The different views aid proper positioning of the car in a bay so it won’t appear in some social media post as an example of poor parking.
Same functionality, practicality
Inside, the new City maintains the same functional and practical layout with improvements in the quality of materials. There’s an extra 111 mm in overall length which has been put to good use by improving rear legroom while an additional 54 mm in the overall width should also do something for lateral comfort.
The standard equipment is quite extensive although the cheapest 1.5S variant does not have cruise control nor paddle shifters, and the air-conditioning system requires manual managements. However, all variants now have ducting to the rear so more cool air can reach the passengers.
The 1.5E and 1.5V variants also have Remote Engine Start which allows starting the engine before you even open the doors. While modern engines don’t really need to warm up before moving off, being able to start the engine remotely means that the air-conditioning can be activated to cool down the interior.
The audio system is a standard type on the 1.5S but 1.5E and 1.5V come with an 8-inch display panel that looks like a tablet was stuck on the centre of the dashboard. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are provided so smartphones can be easily linked and apps transferred to the display. For ease of operation, the icons on the display are large so they will be easy to select. Management of the audio system can be done using switches on the steering wheel.
Honda continues to use rotary dials for the air-conditioning system which is actually better than other methods. With rotary dials, adjustments can be easily done even without looking, certainly better than having the settings done via a touchscreen.
For those who need to recharge their devices, there are two USB ports, along with a 12V plug-in power outlet. Both are located at the front but, strangely rear passengers get two 12V sockets, (located below the air-conditioner vents) instead of USB ports which would be more useful.
Evolutionary styling
The styling of the new City can be considered evolutionary with a sleeker profile as a result of the lower roofline. The front end has also been completely restyled with slimmer headlights. Those on the 1.5V are LEDs and all variants come with LED daytime running lights that also provide a distinctive visual ‘signature’. The rear lighting units on all variants are all LEDs, which has given more design flexibility.
The City RS e-HEV
As this variant won’t be available until January 2021, we’ll just provide an overview for now and tell you more in detail when the car actually goes on sale. As mentioned earlier, the RS e:HEV variant is a world-first with its intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) powertrain.
This electrified powertrain is an advanced hybrid powertrain with 2 motors and an Electric Continuous Variable Transmission (e-CVT). Together with a 1.5-litre petrol engine, the i-MMD powertrain can generate up to 253 Nm of torque, an exceptional output for its size. Maximum power output is 108 ps which can take the City beyond 170 km/h and yet consume fuel at a claimed rate of 26.5 kms/litre.
The fuel efficiency comes from intelligent use of the two power units, alternating between three driving modes of EV Drive, Hybrid Drive and Engine Drive. There are no paddle shifters but there are Deceleration Selector Paddles that allow the driver to slow down while also getting power regeneration to recharge the battery pack.
The RS variant will have a sportier interior with Ultrasuede upholstery and Red Stitching as well as Sport Pedal Pads. The instrument panel also uses a 7-inch TFT screen to display a wide range of information to the driver.
To enhance the appeal of the City RS, it will be offered with Honda SENSING, a suite of driver assistance systems that are the most advanced in its class. Using a front wide view camera mounted on the windscreen, it can adjust the cruising speed, identify pedestrians and even cyclists and warn the driver or activate the brakes, if necessary. The system can also help to keep the car within its lane and alert the driver if there is wandering off the lane (or even road). Also included is an automatic high-beam system which switches to low beam if there is an oncoming vehicle so as not to dazzle the driver.
Honda LANEWATCH, which was first offered in the Accord, now reaches the City and will be available in the RS variant. This innovative feature provides the driver with a view of the blind spot on the left side of the car by using a small camera mounted below the left door mirror. The display appears whenever the signal light switch is activated. The good thing about this approach is that the driver does not have to turn the head much to see the display at the centre of the dashboard, as opposed to looking for a warning light on the door mirror.
As with other models, Honda Malaysia also offers Modulo accessories specially for the new City. There are 4 packages to suit different requirements with prices starting from RM3,007. The cost can be included in the financing of the car and therefore repaid over a number of years… something which no accessory shop would give you.
Test-drive and viewing of the new City can be done at all authorised Honda dealerships nationwide (although some may be subject to specific MCO conditions). To locate a dealership, visit www.honda.com.my.
The rush of new model introductions, some delayed by the MCO earlier in the year, continues and today, Honda Malaysia has announced that an updated Honda CR-V will be in showrooms before the end of this year. Bookings are now accepted at all 101 authorised dealerships nationwide.
The CR-V was the first model that Honda Malaysia assembled at its new plant when the facility opened in Melaka in 2003. Since then, over 100,000 units have been sold, of which more than 36,000 have been of the 5th generation which was launched in 2017.
Restyled front bumper of New CR-V has a bolder look than the previous one (below).
“We are confident that the New CR-V will not only continue to live up to this stellar track record, but also regain its status as No.1 in the Non-National SUV segment as it offers a complete package comprising bold exterior, VTEC Turbocharged engine as well as Next Generation Advanced Safety Technology – Honda SENSING. We believe the enhanced New CR-V is an ideal SUV for families and professionals with a keen sense of sophistication and style,” said Honda Malaysia’s Managing Director & CEO, Toichi Ishiyama.
The changes
The exterior of the New CR-V receives cosmetic changes with a new black grille combined with Honda’s signature LED headlights. The restyled front and rear bumpers have a wing-style chrome fascia, while the rear end has new dark chrome and new smoked finish taillights, plus a new tailpipe finisher. The 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels have a new design as well.
Owners of the New CR-V will no longer have to press a button to open the tailgate. It now comes with a Handsfree Power Tailgate which will open (and close) when a foot is positioned under the rear bumper.
The CR-V has a 1.5-litre VTEC turbocharged Earth Dreams engine with an output of 193ps/243 Nm, which makes its more powerful than a conventional 2.4-litre engine. Having a smaller displacement helps in fuel efficiency which can be enhanced with activation of the ECON mode.
The CR-V is available with all-wheel drive (AWD) that is managed by an Intelligent Control System. Torque is distributed optimally to the wheels, providing better traction and control on all surfaces.
Full Honda SENSING suite
The New CR-V will come with a full suite of Honda SENSING that that consists of eight systems, all of which work with a camera mounted at the top of the windscreen. The systems are Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Low-Speed Follow (LSF), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), and Auto High-Beam (AHB).
In addition, Honda LaneWatch (shown above) is now a standard feature. This is a noteworthy innovation by Honda which provides a real-time image of the blind spot along the left side of the vehicle from a small camera mounted on the left door mirror. The image, which is clear day and night, is displayed on the infotainment screen in the middle of the dashboard, so the driver does not have to turn the head so much to view.
Pricing for the New CR-V is not revealed yet but it would, of course, have full exemption of the 10% sales tax until December 31, 2020. Visit www.honda.com.my for more information or let a Honda dealer know of your interest to be updated.
