Honda Breeze PHEV unveiled, Chinese CR-V with Accord grille gets plug-in hybrid treatment

In China, Honda has two joint venture partners in the form of GAC Group (GAC Honda) and Dongfeng Motor (Dongfeng Honda). As such, some models are sold exclusively by the respective partners and that includes the CR-V which is also sold as the Breeze under GAC Honda.

Following the Honda CR-V PHEV which made its debut at Auto China 2020 in September, this time at Auto Shanghai 2021, it’s the turn of the Honda Breeze to receive the plug-in hybrid treatment.

Also read: Honda CR-V PHEV unveiled: 2-motor i-MMD hybrid with 184 PS

Honda officially markets this as the Breeze Sport Hybrid e+ but for the sake of convenience, we’ll just call it the Breeze PHEV.

The Honda Breeze itself is almost identical to the CR-V apart from sporting a slightly more decent-looking front grille that is inspired by the Accord. Apart from that, everything else is the same as the regular CR-V.

Just like the Chinese-spec CR-V, the Breeze is available with a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol unit (190 PS/243 Nm) badged as Sport Turbo or an i-MMD petrol-hybrid powertrain marketed as Sport Hybrid.

Though Honda has yet to reveal the powertrain used in the Breeze PHEV, it could likely share the same unit as the CR-V. The powertrain consists of a 2.0-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine (145 PS/175 Nm) as well as an electric motor (184 PS/315 Nm).

Honda promises the Breeze PHEV will give owners an “EV-like feel” and a “torqueful drive” in virtually all areas of everyday driving while eliminating range anxiety during a long drive.

The new PHEV variant is scheduled to begin sales in the second half of the year according to Honda with prices and variants expected to be announced later. Alongside the Breeze PHEV, Honda also debuted the SUV e:prototype which is essentially an electric HR-V.

Also read: Honda SUV e:prototype is an electric HR-V that would be launched in 2022