Honda recently announced its first all-electric SUV, the Prologue, which will go on sale in select markets in 2024.
South Africa is not yet confirmed to be one of these markets, as this will depend on the pricing and model availability when the Prologue launches, Honda South Africa told TopAuto.
While a fully-electric variant might not be coming any time soon, on the bright side, the company said it will “establish Honda’s hybrid line-up in South Africa; therefore we are looking at introducing additional hybrid vehicles to the market.”
It did not reveal when, or which of these new hybrids will make their way to local showrooms.
However, the automaker made public earlier in 2022 that throughout the year it will launch an all-new CR-V Hybrid followed by an Accord Hybrid in global markets, and in the future, a Civic Hybrid will also join the family.
Considering the CR-V regularly outsells the Civic in our country, and the Accord is no longer sold here, paired with the fact that South Africans are rather fond of SUVs, it’s expected that this will be the model to make landfall here first.
It will mark the second hybrid Honda to be sold domestically, following the successful 2021 introduction of the Fit Hybrid hatchback.
The manufacturer anticipates that electrified Honda vehicle sales will reach 500,000 units by 2030, completing one step toward its goals of accomplishing 100% zero-emission sales by 2040.
What to expect from the CR-V Hybrid
Honda for the first time unveiled the 2023 CR-V earlier in July, the SUV boasting a rugged design and an “advanced, sporty hybrid system.”
The powertrain in question is a 4th-generation “two-motor system” that combines a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine with a pair of electric motors mounted side-by-side on the rear axle.
This configuration produces a combined output of 152kW and 335Nm – 12kW and 95Nm more than the most powerful current-generation CR-V.
Honda has not yet made public the fuel consumption of the newer CR-V, although it’s expected to improve on the already-frugal 7.1-7.3l/100km of the models it will be replacing.
These new hybrids are also positioned as the top-of-the-line trims for their respective model ranges, and inside the cabin, the SUV is equipped accordingly.
The CR-V Hybrid gets a raft of high-end technologies as standard such as an eight-way electrically-adjustable driver seat, a 7-inch digital instrument panel, a 9-inch control display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, hill-descent control between 3-20km/h, traffic jam assist, traffic sign recognition, low-speed braking control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear seat-belt reminders.
Additionally, it scored the Top Safety Pick+ and 5-star ratings from the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Honda CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid
Loading ...
