Honda CR-V 1997 - 1998.

Honda had cooperative ties with Rover, assisting with the design of Rover passenger cars and even selling rebadged Land Rover Discoveries in Japan. Then BMW bought Rover from BAe.

Honda displayed a CRV four wheel drive, to Japanese specifications, on its stand at the 1997 Motor Show. Interesting touches include a four speed automatic transmission with a column shift to make room to walk through between the front seats and space to fit aircraft-style folding tables to the front seats. The CRV has more than a passing resemblance to Land Rover's small four wheel drive, Freelander (previously Highlander or Land Rover CB40), but maybe it is just coincidence? The Honda CRV was released in the UK in early 1997 and in Australia in September 1997.

- 4wd.sofcom.com/4WD.html

Honda CRV 1997, 1998, manufacturer's specifications.

• station wagon, 5 seats, 4 doors, driver and passenger airbags
• loa: 4470mm, width: 1750mm, height: 1705mm
• 2L, petrol, 4-cyls, efi, 4-valves/cyl, DOHC
• transmission: 4a/5m, sensors engage drive to the rear wheels automatically
• suspension: indep/indep, brakes: disc/drum
• Went on sale in Australia: September 1997
• price: 30K (manual), 32K (auto') (Aus), Sep' 1997
• price: 29,950 drive away, auto +2K, Nov' 1998 run-out

Honda CR-V contemporary competition: Toyota RAV4, Land Rover Freelander

See also the current CR-V, Honda and HR-V pages