Facelifted Honda CR-V launched in Thailand

We could be seeing the updated 2021 Honda CR-V hit Philippine roads soon. After its launch in the United States and Japan, the updated version of Honda’s popular crossover has now been revealed in the Land of Smiles. 

As Honda Cars Philippines sources its units from Thailand, it is very much likely that this could be almost exactly the same as what the company will bring onto our shores.

As with the American and Japanese markets, changes are mostly minor starting with the new front bumper which comes with a more angular design. Chrome is also reduced by a large percentage and replaced with a high-gloss black material such as on the front grille. The full LED headlights have been updated with new sequential turn signals while the taillights have also been updated with smoked lenses. The updated rides on newly designed two-tone 18-inch alloy wheels which look sportier. A new Cosmic Blue Metallic exterior color has been added to the lineup.

Inside, not much is changed in the updated CR-V. The faux wood accents and black seating material remain the same. The 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system also seems to be unchanged. The biggest difference inside is the revised center console which comes with a Qi wireless charging pad. The power tailgate also now comes with a kick-to-open function. 

For the Thai market, the powertrain options in the 2021 Honda CR-V remain the same. Still powering it is a 2.4-liter DOHC i-VTEC gasoline engine or a 1.6-liter i-DTEC turbodiesel. The gasoline option produces 173 hp and 224 Nm of torque, paired to a CVT. The turbodiesel makes 160 hp and 350 Nm of torque, paired to a 9-speed automatic transmission.

As for safety, the top-spec variant remains the only variant to be equipped with Honda SENSING. The safety suite includes Collision Mitigation Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low Speed Follow, Lane-Keep Assist, Road Departure Mitigation with Lane Departure Warning, and Automatic High-Beams. It also comes with Honda’s LaneWatch camera and a Driver Attention Monitor.

It is unknown if these same specifications and new features will make it on the 2021 Honda CR-V once it’s launched here in the Philippines. We do believe that Honda Cars Philippines should probably consider updating the 1.6-liter i-DTEC option locally to match the Thai-spec’s power and torque figures in order to be more competitive.