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S. Muralidhar

HAVE you wondered about the inspiration behind some of the most cryptic abbreviations suffixed to car names? Many of these are alpha-numeric, difficult to expand and explain, yet they stick in your memory. BMW X5, Nissan NSX, Toyota RAV4, Volvo S80 and Honda CR-V come to mind.

We in India are not so used to abbreviations as car names, except for the more staid versions such as the Mercedes E 220. The Honda CR-V will be the first, probably in a line of new-generation, top-class cars, with somewhat inexplicable names.

The object of attention this week is Honda CR-V. Honda Siel Cars India's (the Honda subsidiary here) brochure for the CR-V, calls it the `Creative Life Vehicle'.

Names apart, the second-generation Honda CR-V, to be fully imported from the company's Japanese plant, promises to be one of the most advanced sports utility vehicles (SUV) that we will get to drive. So, after the Mitsubishi Pajero, the Chevrolet Forester and the Suzuki Grand Vitara, will come the Honda CR-V.

Sturdy and extremely comfortable, the plush interiors have given the CR-V impressive credentials as a cross between a sedan and an all-terrain SUV. On the outside the Honda CR-V exudes the ruggedness of an SUV that reflects also on Honda's focus on safety. The symmetrical lines of the bonnet and the headlamp cluster of the CR-V run along the same design element that can be seen on the Honda Accord and the even the City. The vertical taillamp cluster, high mounted for greater visibility, adds to the Honda CR-V's image of a top-end SUV and reminds one of the Volvo V70 (another one of those abbreviations).

The Honda CR-V's Indian version will feature a light-weight, compact and quieter two-litre, DOHC, i-VTEC engine, compared to the larger and less fuel efficient 2.4 litre engine that the American version sports. In the two-litre engine, Honda has combined the new VTC — the latest breakthrough in variable timing control — with the Japanese company's renowned VTEC (short for variable valve timing and electronic control) innovation to achieve excellent performance parameters.

The CR-V's i-VTEC engine forms part of Honda's LEV (low emission vehicle) series. While VTEC electronically switches valve timing and valve lift to match low and high-speed ranges, VTC provides continuous phrase control to the intake valve according to engine load rotation, ensuring ideal combustion in all rpm ranges. This combination gives the CR-V the balance between high power and fuel economy with effectual emission control.

The engine on the CR-V, which Honda has been constantly trying to improve, generates a heart thumping 142 bhp and is said to be measurably smoother, with enhanced energy for strong starts, cruising and climbing steep inclines.

Speaking of inclines and difficult terrain, the Honda CR-V features the company's exclusive dual pump Real Time Four Wheel Drive (4WD). This pre-programmed 4WD system automatically activates when either of the front wheels loses grip on driving surfaces, ensuring maximum torque and good traction as long as it is needed.

Standard four-wheel disc brakes are integrated with an anti-lock braking system for additional security in avoiding accidents. An added feature, the electronic brake force distribution (EBD) compensates for differences in cargo weight load, dividing braking force between the front and rear wheels to provide a good balance.

The Honda CR-V will also be offered with a new toe-control-link strut suspension in the front and a reactive-link double wishbone suspension at the rear to provide a smoother ride and enhanced stability during braking. Compact in size, the new suspension is said to leave more room for interior comfort. With a low centre of gravity and wide tread it also adds to improved stability, an important plus during these times, when SUVs are increasingly under focus for their tendency to turn turtle.

The CR-V will also be available with the new direct-control four-speed automatic transmission (AT). The new AT (more abbreviations) with an active lock-up for efficient fuel economy, features Honda's exclusive Grade Logic Control system. This system constantly compares vehicle speed with engine load and computes the ideal shift pattern for the road ahead. Wonder what is left for the driver to do.

Other features will include dual SRS airbags, three-point ELR seatbelts, dashboard mounted parking brake, keyless entry system, automatic air-conditioning, cup holders, accessory power outlet and even a foldaway picnic table.

Honda's tag line for the CR-V, `Adventure in the city, luxury in the wild', has impressed 1.2-million buyers in 140 countries since the SUV was first introduced in 1995. If that has sent your pulse racing too, you can get a piece of the action by July. Expect to be put back by over Rs 20 lakh, though.

Question 'N' Auto

I wish to graduate to a car from the two-wheeler I drive currently. I would prefer to buy a second-hand car and I wish to shift to a mid-sized one three years from now. My usage would be about 100 km a week and my budget is below Rs 1 lakh.

I would also prefer a mid-size car to the smaller hatchbacks. Can you suggest me one? Is it safe to purchase vehicle models whose production has been stopped but the manufacturer is still in existence?

Raguraam, Madurai

Graduating to a car from a two-wheeler is a good idea as long as you have already factored in the additional running costs that owning a four-wheeler brings with it — more so, if it is a used vehicle. It makes eminent sense to buy a second-hand small car now, if you are clear about shifting to a mid-sizer in three years.

But with a budget of less than Rs 1 lakh, your choice is limited. Used cars that are over five years old tend to lose resale value quickly. Finding a mid-sized car in the five-eight-year bracket for your budget will be difficult.

However, you will be able to locate a decently maintained non-airconditioned Maruti 800 in that price range. The cheapest mid-size car in the second-hand market is currently the Daewoo Cielo and prices range from about Rs 1.5 lakh to about Rs 2 lakh.

For the most part, buying vehicle models whose production has been stopped by any of the existing manufacturers may still be safe. Examples are the Ford Escort, Maruti 1000 and the Daewoo Cielo and Daewoo Matiz. While these companies continue to support these products with spares and service, fall in resale value will be high for these models.

Either which way, if you go ahead with your plans to buy a used car, it will be safer to do so from an authorised dealer, a company operated outlet such as Maruti True Value or private used-car sellers such as T. S. Mahalingam & Sons.

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