The Honda CR-V, sold as the Honda Breeze in China since 2019, is a compact crossover SUV manufactured by Honda since 1995. Initial models were built on the same platform as the Civic.
Honda CR-V at a glance
| Maker | Honda |
|---|---|
| Production | since 1995 |
| Class | compact crossover SUV |
| First platform | Honda Civic |
| Name meaning | Comfortable Runabout Vehicle |
| First generation | 1995, RD1 |
| First engine | 2.0-litre B20B four |
| North American sale | from February 1997 |
| Chinese name | Honda Breeze, since 2019 |
| Global rank | second best-selling SUV in 2020 |
| Built in | Japan, UK, USA, Mexico, Canada, China |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the CR-V.
History of the Honda CR-V
Honda’s first in-house SUV
The first-generation CR-V, known as the RD1, was Honda’s first in-house designed sport utility vehicle, created by Hiroyuki Kawase. When it was introduced in Japan in October 1995 it was sold only at Honda Verno and Honda Primo dealerships and exceeded the Japanese compact car rules on exterior width, which meant a higher annual road tax.
To America
For North America the CR-V was displayed at the 1996 Chicago Auto Show and went on sale in February 1997. It came in a single trim, later called LX, powered by a 2.0-litre B20B four; the engine had an 84 mm bore against 81 mm for the Integra’s 1.8, and used a one-piece cylinder sleeve construction unique among B-series engines. The chassis and suspension were largely similar to the fourth-generation Civic.
Production and place in the range
Honda began producing the CR-V in Japan and the United Kingdom for world markets, adding North American plants in the United States and Mexico in 2007 and Canada in 2012. It is also built in Wuhan by Dongfeng Honda and marketed as the Breeze in China. As of 2022 the CR-V sat between the smaller ZR-V, sold as the HR-V in North America, and the larger Passport and Pilot.
Design and features
- Civic-based start: the first generation shared its platform with the Civic.
- B20B engine: a 2.0-litre four with a unique one-piece cylinder sleeve.
- Global production: built on three continents.
- Breeze twin: a separate Chinese version since 2019.
Honda CR-V versions
- First generation RD1 (1995): the original Civic-based SUV.
- North American market (1997): single LX trim.
- Honda Breeze (2019): the Chinese version.
- ZR-V and HR-V: the smaller models below the CR-V in the range.
The CR-V shares its early platform with the Honda Civic and sits beside the HR-V and the larger Pilot. More Hondas are in the Honda collection.
Sources
- Honda CR-V, English Wikipedia: first generation, engine, production, position
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