Honda UR-V revealed – Dongfeng’s Avancier for China

Honda has two joint venture partners in China, so sometimes there will be two faces of the same car in the world’s biggest auto market. This time, it’s Dongfeng Honda with the new Honda UR-V crossover, which is its take on the Honda Avancier we saw in April. That one was by Guangqi Honda, the other JV partner.

These pics are from autohome.com.cn, and they show an Avancier with a revised front end. The upper and lower grille sections are connected in a big ‘U’ shape like the HR-V, and the headlamps are attached to it like a mask.

This is in contrast to the more traditional passenger car-style fascia of the Avancier, which sports a Solid Wing Face look and a chrome grille like the new Civic’s. The headlamps seen here aren’t LEDs, but perhaps the top-spec production car will have them to match the Avancier.

There’s change at the back, too, and the elements being rearranged are the taillamps and garnish, and the number plate slot. The UR-V’s distinctive cue is the strip of red that bridges the taillamps, something the Honda BR-V also uses. Also relocated are the logo and chrome garnish, and the recess for the license plate, which has been moved downward. The reflectors are vertical instead of horizontal here, and the elements on the bumper (twin pipes, diffuser section) are also slightly different.

The new front/rear design has increased overall length by 9 mm to 4,825 mm. With a width of over 1.9 metres and a 2,820 mm wheelbase, the Avancier/UR-V is a big SUV that sits above the Honda CR-V. It takes on the Toyota Highlander and Ford Edge in China, although those two have an extra row of seats.

The Avancier is powered by a 2.0 litre “Sport Turbo” VTEC Earth Dreams Tech engine, paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission that has steering shift paddles. The engine packs a strong 268 hp and 370 Nm, with power going to all four wheels via an on-demand 4WD system.

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