In addition to bringing the CR-V back to Japan, Honda also partially updated the ZR-V, the car that filled the void left behind when the CR-V temporarily disappeared from the local line-up. Also known as the US-market HR-V, the ZR-V is billed as a C-segment crossover that shares its underpinnings with the 11th-generation Civic and is sized between the HR-V and CR-V.
Set to go on sale in March this year, the revised ZR-V drops the 1.5 litre VTEC Turbo engine and is now strictly a hybrid only. The e:HEV powertrain is a familiar one, with a 2.0 litre naturally-aspirated inline-four petrol engine running on the Atkinson cycle producing 141 PS (139 hp or 104 kW) and 182 Nm.
This generates electricity via an electric motor to charge a battery, which in turn powers a separate traction motor rated at 184 PS (181 hp or 135 kW) and 315 Nm. When necessary, the e-CVT can clutch the engine to directly drive the wheels.
The available trim levels have also been reduced from two to just one, with the X being axed to leave just the Z. Further derivatives include the Black Style and Cross Touring, bringing the total number of ZR-V configurations to three.
The Black Style is identified by its honeycomb grille instead of the previous vertical unit, while the Cross Touring is deemed a “special edition” and features more rugged exterior. This includes side rocker panels (a dealer option) and a different front bumper with an attached skid plate, with the interior being in a lighter shade with orange stitching to cater to customers that fancy the outdoors. More details including pricing will be provided next month.
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The Japanese market is shifting; Honda is replacing the standard HR-V with the Indian-market-derived WR-V and the larger ZR-V (US HR-V), forgoing the ASEAN model. Increased competition, such as the BYD Sealion 6 PHEV, forces traditional brands to compete on tech and value.
It is interesting to see how Japanese automakers are responding to this new era of demands for powerful technology, luxe comfort and space.
Maybe if Honda brought it here, we wouldve still had he RAV4 on sale