HONDA’S diesel CR-V, which launched in January, is only the second oil-burning car sold by the brand here.

While diesel dominates sales of large SUVs, at the more compact end they remain in the minority despite offering better fuel economy, more torque for towing and generally greater resale value.

As with key rivals such as the Mazda CX-5, the diesel donk in the CR-V comes at a premium over the petrol, which may explain the sales differential.

All CR-Vs are superbly practical offerings, and the DTi-S is no exception here, but it also lacks the deft and dynamic road manners of the Mazda.

Still, it’s a worthy addition, and shows that arriving late to a party is still preferable to bailing altogether.

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