Honda CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC price, specification and release date

Honda CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC to go on sale in October, with a price tag of around £22,800

The Honda CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC will arive in showrooms in October later this year, with prices starting at around £22,800 for the entry-level S trim and £26,880 for the range-topping SR trim.

The demand for economical, two-wheel drive SUVs is so great that Honda has fitted the 2013 CR-V range with the same economical 1.6-litre diesel found in the Civic. This frugal diesel engine returns 62.8mpg and has the potential to cover 800 miles on a single tank of fuel. What's more, the CR-V comes with one year's free road tax, which will cost just £30 a year thereafter, thanks to its low 119g/km CO2 emissions.

Three trim levels are available on the CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC, with the entry-level S trim starting at £22,800. Standard kit includes DAB radio, dual zone climate control, cruise control, USB connectivity, steering wheel mounted controls, five-inch Mulit Info Display, 17-inch alloys and electrically adjustable and heated wing mirrors. An optional T Grade is also available on the S trim, which adds sat-nav and Bluetooth for £765. The mid-spec Honda CR-V SE trim adds front and rear parking sensors, rear view camera, Bluetooth, leather steering wheel and gear shift and auto wipes and lights as standard. Priced at £24,660, SE models can also be fitted with the optional T Grade upgrade, which will add sat-nav.

With a price tag of £26,880, the range-topping SR trim features all the equipment on the S and SE models but also includes Alcantara and leather upholstery, heated front seats, premium sound system, privacy glass, Bi-HID xenon headlights with active cornering and washers plus driver and passenger lumber support and 18-inch alloy wheels.

All Honda CR-V models feature a huge 1669 litres of luggage capacity with a 60/40 split rear bench and come with two-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission. Due to the increased weight of the SR model – thanks to the extra standard equipment – it does suffer slightly when it comes to economy, returning 60.1mpg and emitting 124g/km of CO2 compared to the S and SE models' 62.8mpg and 119g/km of CO2.

Both the CR-V and 1.6-litre diesel engine will be built at Honda’s assembly plant in Swindon before going on sale in October.