Wouldn’t it be nice to get a Honda CR-V +Sport trim?

You know what’s great about the automotive industry? Sure, there’s the chance to drive different vehicles and help people make educated choices. But it’s just surrounding yourself with every facet of motoring, not just locally, but from around the world. And when we see what vehicles different countries get, and compare it to our local market, there are times we wish we’d have the same opportunity. Take, for example, Australia. Or in this case, Honda Australia.

Honda Australia offers a plethora of choices for those looking for their next compact crossover in the form of the CR-V. Our local versions were met with praise when reviewed by Jacob a few months ago, as they had all the bells and whistles plus a frugal set of engines. Definitely a winner despite it being Honda’s first diesel product in the Philippines. In the land down under, the CR-V is offered in essentially six trim levels; VTi 2WD, VTi 2WD Limited Edition +Sport, VTi-S 2WD, VTi-L 2WD 7 seater, VTi-S AWD, and VTi-LX AWD. If you’re getting the feeling that there’s no diesel engine in Australia for the CR-V, you are right. Turbocharged 1.5-liter engines, the same found in our local Civic RS, are the only option.

But what we want to focus on is the Limited Edition +Sport trim of the Honda CR-V. What immediately caught our eye is that blacked out honeycomb sports grille and 18-inch alloy wheel combination. You get the +Sport badging, and, when chosen in white, we have to say it looks pretty darn good. What’s even better is that while the base model VTi 2WD is priced at 33,590 AUD (about P1,326,00), the Limited Edition +Sport is priced at 35,490 AUD (P1,401,000) adds the above mentioned exterior kit plus Lane Watch side camera system, front and rear parking sensors, and rear privacy glass. That’s 4100 AUD(P162,000) worth of added features for a 1900 AUD (P75,000) price premium over the regular CR-V VTi on which it is based. Excellent deal, if you ask me. Catch is, it’s only limited to 900 units in Australia.

While I may not be a fan of limited edition models that feature unique badging and colors only, adding technology and safety at an unbeatable price is the way to go. While the chances of seeing the same trim level and feature set of the Limited Edition +Sport is almost impossible in the Philippines, it would be great for manufacturers to give it a try once in a while. After all, who would pass up exclusivity and more features, for less?