Petaling Jaya, 8 October 2007 - Customer demand within the first 4 months of launch for the new Honda CR-V has exceeded the full year target, and still going strong, attesting to the premium sedan driving appeal of the sports utility vehicle (SUV).
The 3rd generation CR-V was launched on March 8, 2007 in Malaysia. Honda Malaysia had targeted to sell 3,600 units in the first year of its launch. But, having gained mass acceptance and rave reviews, sales as at September 2007 have reached close to 3,900 units, with another 986 units in order book as at September 30, 2007.
The CR-V has gained a strong foothold in the SUV segment in Malaysia since its launch. In the period of March to August 2007, the CR-V holds 47.3% market share in the non-national SUV segment as compared to 13.7% for the corresponding period in 2006.
In the USA alone, sales of the new CR-V soared over 20,000 units within one month of its launch.
Global cumulative sales of the CR-V from 1995 (when the first generation CR-V was launched) till May 2007 stand at over 2.76 million units.
In expressing his delight over the positive acceptance of the CR-V by Malaysians, Honda Malaysia Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Atsushi Fujimoto said, "I am very pleased with the overwhelming response from Malaysians. Our target was to sell 3,600 units within the first year of launch but despite the current industry situation, response for the new CR-V was beyond our expectations. We managed to exceed our target within 4 months and this is largely due to Honda customers for their continuous support and confidence in our products and services. "
"Delivering quality products and services to our customers has always been our priority. We at Honda continuously strive to achieve no. 1 in Customer Satisfaction through improving the product quality and introducing innovative new models that meets the needs of our customers. We believe the premium sedan driving experience offered by the new CR-V is an accepted uniqueness to this SUV," added Mr. Fujimoto.
Besides pleasing its owners, this CR-V is also setting industry benchmarks and raising the standards of SUV in Malaysia. Industry recognition came last month in the form of the Autocar ASEAN Overall Car of the Year 2006/2007 Award! The CR-V beat close to 70 other rivals for this coveted title. The CR-V also took home the category award for Mid Size SUV.
This CR-V incorporates elements that further elevate the Honda brand, which are dynamic and emotional design, sedan-like driving comfort and performance, unrivalled versatility and advanced safety technologies.
Some of the more popular features of this CR-V are the Double Deck load shelf for smart, organized storage; spacious interior, telescopic steering wheel and world-class safety features incorporated into the SUV.
The new Double Deck load shelf in the cargo area allows items in the cargo area to be segregated neatly for an organized storage. The upper deck that stretches across the load bay can hold up to 10kg and can be removed to fit snugly down into the recess for a different cargo space requirement.
The versatile CR-V comes with passenger seats that can be easily reconfigured to enhance its already capacious cargo area. The 40:20:40 Split Rear Seats provide wide seating surfaces that are both comfortable and functional. The second passenger row can be folded down and tumbled forward to greatly increase the cargo area storage space.
The CR-V's steering wheel has both tilt and telescope adjustments to better accommodate drivers of various sizes just like in a sedan.
Honda's dedication to safety and passengers' peace of mind is exemplified in the innovative front seat active head rest which intuitively move forward and upward to minimize potential neck injury from rear-end collisions.
This new CR-V has created feelings of instant attraction amongst Malaysians with its emotional design. Based on Honda's survey findings among new CR-V owners, the CR-V is perceived as an elegant and comfortable SUV as it incorporates features that offer SUV practicality and more car-like driving dynamics with greater comfort in a luxurious interior and a bolder, emotional exterior. The new CR-V has attracted the attention of demanding professionals who appreciate a fuel efficient SUV that accords comfortable driving experience and can stylishly function as a daily vehicle, a family car or a vehicle that complements an active outdoor lifestyle.