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Honda ramping up CR-V production in Mexico
The small utility vehicle market is booming right now, and there may be none better in the non-luxury space than the fuel-sipping Honda CR-V. Honda has to be thrilled with their little 'ute, mostly because customers are snatching up the vehicle with little or no incentives, and it's far and away the best-selling CUV in the US. The CR-V has been so successful that Honda has increased production in Mexico by 20,000 units annually to expand sales into Brazil and Argentina. Honda is hiring an additional 600 employees to its El Salto plant in Mexico to account for growing production. The move is part of Honda's plan to double North American production of the CR-V.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
raz 9:00AM (11/27/2007)
LOL, look how quickly people abandoned their explorers for smaller SUVs.
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Devin 9:10AM (11/27/2007)
Why??? That vehicle is by and far the ugliest CUV on the market. I realize that Honda's have always been known for their reliability, but c'mon, is dring around in that really worth getting that extra percepted reliability? Short answer, no.
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Big J 10:18AM (11/27/2007)
Couldn't agree more.
Bob-omb 10:48AM (11/27/2007)
The Ford Escape is a CUV. Therefore, the Honda CR-V is not the ugliest CUV on the market. QED.
AlfaMike 10:52AM (11/27/2007)
The CRV is a testament to the skill of Honda engineers, not their design team. It's practical, comfortable, and has the best fuel economy of any cute ute on the market, along with a reasonable price point. It succeeds DESPITE its looks; it's the only vehicle with a cleft palate that has ever been a sales success; ask the Edsel.
cvcolorado 11:10AM (11/27/2007)
Can't argue on the ugly, but heck, you can't see that from the inside. I'll take reliability over esthetics's anyday
AlexP 11:09AM (11/27/2007)
It's not hard to get great fuel economy when your Fit-sized (on the inside... At least that's how it feels) CUV is underpowered.
James 11:23AM (11/27/2007)
you must be one big mofo to feel cramped in a CR-V........
frodough 11:45AM (11/27/2007)
Sorry - but the 2nd worst McVanillamobile in McHonda's lineup. No true AWD, no torque, crap handling, uninspired design inside and out. Built strictly for the McSheeple and nothing else. Anybody too stupid to go with a C-RV over a Forester XT or a RAV-4 deserves to drive a McHonda along with changing their last name to Doe. Switch the Honda H badge to yellow double-arches, cover it in wool and be done with it.
AlexP 12:19PM (11/27/2007)
James: I drive compact and subcompact cars.
TBlueMax 9:41AM (11/27/2007)
Good for Honda. If only they could fix that front bumper protrusion that is oddly reminiscent of the lower lip of Benjamin Buford "Bubba" Blue from the Forrest Gump movie. This similarity is most striking when viewing the current CR-V in profile.
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/01/officially-official-2007-honda-cr-v/
Scroll down to the 4th and 7th pictures to get the best "Bubba Gump" view.
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the marais 10:13AM (11/27/2007)
Where is the Saturn Vue? IMHO, the Vue is wayyy more stylish and desirable.
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AlexP 11:07AM (11/27/2007)
It's the only SUV-ish vehicle I'd personally buy.
The CR-V at the moment is getting higher ratings than the Corolla (reliability-wise) in Canada, as for looks and appeal... Well, it doesn't look that atrocious, but I don't understand why people would buy this over a midsize sedan, it's so freaking tiny.
Mii 10:24AM (11/27/2007)
Please more vitriol bashers. Hoping your opinion will influence others, so then maybe I can buy one with an incentive.
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frodough 11:45AM (11/27/2007)
Wow, so thats why people buy generic economoblies? Always wondered.
Mii 12:12PM (11/27/2007)
Happy to have enlightened you frodough.
Hamud 10:47AM (11/27/2007)
Well, If they are increasing production thinking on brazilian sales, then they better review their plans, the CR-V costs more than 120K R$ here and thru this entire year sold a bit more than 1600 units. Just as a comparo, the Toyota Hilux SW4 (an SUV made on the base of a pickup the size of a Tacoma) sold 3 times more in the same period, and it cost 20K more.
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Bob-omb 10:48AM (11/27/2007)
And people love Buicks in China. What's your point?
Doogs 11:08AM (11/27/2007)
My wife just got one of the new CR-V's two weeks ago (baby on the way and all that). The interior is first-rate, and I have to say it looks pretty dapper in person. The grill isn't as bad, and the design of the fenders flowing into the front bumper is a lot more prominent.
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AlexP 11:15AM (11/27/2007)
But why did you buy it? I mean, if it's such an appealing vehicle (I said Fit-sized earlier, but it's actually more Prius/Cobalt-sized) I should understand what's so great about it.
I mean, the Malibu got raving reviews and I understand why it's so great after seeing it in person and sitting in it (man, seats are soooo comfortable compared to the last generation's), but what you're essentially (I need to point out that I did spend time with the CR-V) buying is a small, anemic CUV that doesn't come with any of the benefits of other vehicles in his category, the only good things it has are fuel economy and the interior, but of course you have to like Honda's interior design cues (which can be traced to the last generation of Civics) in the first place. EPA fuel estimates are so wrong now compared to what I can achieve with said gas guzzling engines it's not even funny.