Honda CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC SE

What is it?

Honda’s fourth-generation five-door CR-V SUV now with a tax-efficient 1.6-litre diesel and front-wheel drive.

Adapting the 1.6 diesel engine from the small Civic, Honda’s engineers have concentrated on light-weighting the whole car by jettisoning the four-wheel drive system, changing the springs, dampers and brakes to provide all the benefits of an SUV – the rugged practicality and high up driving position – with the driving dynamics of a smaller hatchback.

The result is a car that is substantially lighter – by 127kg – than the CR-V 2.2 diesel. 

Although the engine is smaller that the 2.2 diesel – power drops from 150PS to 120PS, while torque drops from 350Nm to 300Nm – it gives little away in real on-the-road performance.

The critical difference, though, is in the CO2 emissions, where the gap turns into a chasm.

Whereas the 2.2 4WD CR-V has CO2 emissions of 149g/km and a company car tax band of 24%, the 1.6 i-DTEC has CO2 emissions of 119g/km and a company car tax band of 18%.

A big difference – the sort of difference that makes this new1.6 diesel CR-V a very appealing company car proposition.

So is it?