Honda TH drops CR-V diesel, but PH sales very strong

Diesel is still the preferred choice in PH

It's only a matter of time before the sixth-generation Honda CR-V makes its ASEAN debut since our closest neighbor Thailand is already testing the new model for the region.

But while they're doing that, we've also noticed something has disappeared from their website:  they're no longer offering diesel variants of the current-generation CR-V.

This of course had us thinking. Will that soon be the case for Honda Cars Philippines?

First of all, HCP is sourcing out the current-generation CR-Vs from Thailand, hence our musings. But after a quick chat with local Honda executives, we got a clear indicator: the current-gen CR-V diesel will likely be here to stay until the new one comes.

Honda PH shared with us the year-to-date sales ratio of the current-gen CR-V, and we found out that diesel variants account for 82% of CR-V sales in the Philippines. Yes. It's that dominant. The diesel CR-V is still the preferred choice of buyers over the 2.0-liter gasoline variant despite its price difference, so it's a no-brainer to keep it in the local lineup unless production in Thailand of that variant stops completely.

While that's the case for the current-gen CR-V, it's a different one for the upcoming model. So far, only the gas 1.5-turbo and 2.0-liter hybrid are the engine offerings in North America, and the leaked Chinese market version also tells the same story. As it stands, diesel may not be offered anymore for the 2023 CR-V, since Honda is optimizing their gas engines across their product range amidst their plan to further electrify their lineup.

Do you think the next-gen CR-V would be as popular as the current-gen diesel? Let us know in the comments.