Sector: Crossover Price: TBA  Fuel: 62.8mpg  CO2: 119g/km

Honda freely admits it’s a petrol specialist, which in Europe is a problem. Diesel is king here, especially for the compact SUV sector. Throw in any ambitions to take corporate sales and a petrol engine – unless it’s mated to a hybrid system – is preposterous. So Honda has added its new 1.6-litre i-DTEC turbodiesel to the CR-V line up, giving it an entry-level diesel – a 2.2 iDTEC is also offered – that delivers fleet-friendly CO2 emissions of 119g/km and a combined consumption figure of 62.8mpg.

All good, though that 1.6-litre turbodiesel does sometimes feel a touch overwhelmed under the CR-V’s bonnet. Those used to the easy, torque-rich delivery of its European, or even Japanese, rivals will find it lacking a bit. The numbers say there’s 300Nm of torque from 2,000rpm, but the reality feels a bit flatter than that. Revs don’t really help, adding little but more noise and the CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC doesn’t feel particularly brisk regardless of how it’s driven.

Which all makes Honda’s focus on its improved dynamics rather odd. The 1.6-litre engine weighs some 47kg less than the 2.2-litre diesel, and add the loss of four-wheel drive – for front wheel-drive only – and the combined weight loss is 116kg. That’s allowed Honda to tweak the suspension to provide a more eager steering CR-V, the vagueness of its relations’ responses having been removed with this fleet-friendly machine. That only exacerbates the engine’s issues really, as the sharper steering and better control – at the expense of a touch of low speed ride comfort – aren’t matched by an engine with much in the way of enthusiasm.

All of which might sum up the CR-V’s customers, as while its new engine doesn’t delight, it’s on the numbers. But at just under 120g/km, Mazda's CX-5 offers an 30bhp, while a Skoda Yeti is more fun to drive. The Honda excels in good looks and plenty of space, which is fine, but it would be better with a petrol engine – preposterous as that may sound.