Our fleet: Honda CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC SE-T - May 2014

The Honda CR-V is coming to the end of its tenure on the Fleet News fleet, but during the past few months it hasn’t failed to impress.

A downward trend in emissions has put a growing SUV segment on the radar of company car drivers and the CR-V is Honda’s attempt to tap into that lucrative market.

Emissions of 119g/km put the 1.6-litre i-DTEC SE-T in a 19% benefit-in-kind tax bracket, with a 20% tax-payer paying less than £1,000 per year.

However, some have questioned whether the 1.6-litre engine leaves the driver feeling short-changed. The answer is a resounding no.

Honda used the same lightweight 1.6-litre i-DTEC engine in the Civic and the downsized engine comprises of an aluminium cylinder head joined to an open deck aluminium block, weighing 47kg less than Honda’s 2.2-litre i-DTEC engine. 

All the individual components have been redesigned to minimise their weight and size and advanced production techniques have helped reduce weight even further. 

It has resulted in an extremely efficient engine, with a claimed combined of 62.8mpg, a top speed of 113mph and 11.2 seconds from 0-62mph.

We’ve managed to achieve north of 50mpg and power has never been an issue in a car that feels sure-footed and responsive in town and on the motorway.

It not only rivals other D-segment models, but could sway C-segment drivers wanting something with a bit more space.

Compared to the competition, the CR-V’s dimensions mean that headroom in the rear is good and it will comfortably sit three adults, while the flat floor also offers lots of legroom.

With the rear seats folded, boot capacity has increased by 148 litres over the old model to 1,648 litres. With the seats up, the capacity is still a cavernous 589 litres.

In terms of practicality and performance, the Honda CR-V should be a serious contender for those company car drivers considering a SUV.