Honda's fourth-generation CR-V goes on sale in October. It's lower and shorter than its predecessor, but is said to offer the same interior space - and there's more room for luggage than before. Loading is easier, too, as the lower lip of the boot space has been lowered by 25mm and the new CR-V has a powered tailgate.
Inside, there is a better rear seat position which improves headroom and redesigned rear seats which are said to fold flat in a single, swift movement.
Honda has improved the aerodynamic efficiency of the CR-V by using a flat underfloor and carefully shaped wheel arches, giving a 6.5% improvement in aerodynamic drag.
The new CR-V will be available with 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines, both developed from the outgoing model. Stop/start systems are standard on new CR-Vs with manual transmission. For the first time a two-wheel drive CR-V will be available, due to demand: Honda says 51% of compact petrol-engined SUVs in Europe have two-wheel drive.