Honda Hits Back In 4X4 Debate

Some 4x4s are more equal than others...

Honda has been listening to this 4x4 debate rumbling along and has historically maintained a dignified silence. But, on the announcement that 4x4s should carry a health warning, enough is enough.

Our product, the Swindon-built CR-V is classed as a small off-roader and so by the current "one size fits all" approach would need to carry the health warning.

The basis for the British Independent Think Tank's proposal is centred on emissions and pedestrian safety. By their standards all 4x4s are significantly more polluting and dangerous to pedestrians than other vehicles.

If they had cared to visit the Euro NCAP site that measures pedestrian safety they would have found that of all the cars listed only a handful attain 3 stars for pedestrian safety.

Guess what? The CR-V is one of them.

That makes the Honda CR-V one of the most pedestrian friendly vehicles on the road - safer than over 90% of all vehicles…

How about a sticker highlighting this?

And when it comes to the CR-V and emissions - it just proves further how the Think Tank does not appear to be thinking...

The 2.0 SE petrol CR-V has a lower CO2 emission and a better m.p.g. than a 2.0 Vauxhall Vectra Elite (215 vs 221)*. We don't want to pick on Vauxhall here - it's just that it demonstrates a point.

So - a better mpg and CO2 emissions than a "smaller" standard vehicle in the class below - can we better that?

Well, yes we can actually - the diesel CR-V has a CO2 that is lower than some vehicles two sizes below - (eg a Nissan Almera 1.8 SE). The fuel economy it delivers beats a 2.0 Ghia Ford Focus.

Our point is simple - all 4x4s are not the same - PLEASE recognise this.

* Data source - Test Drive Magazine - December Issue - new car data.