Anyone for some easy-peasy, push-button motoring? Start-up: push the button. Go forward: push the button. Reverse: push the button. Parking brake: p… well, I’m sure you’ve got the idea by now.

The scene of all this automotive button-pushing was the pleasingly supportive driving seat (adjustable: push the button) of the all-new Honda CR-V, sampled by Asian Image on the car’s UK launch in Leicestershire.

Those buttons to be pushed are just the outward signs of a lot of technology in the hybrid electric vehicle version of the car, which the Japanese maker believes will account for most of the model’s sales.

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There’s a 1.5-litre turbo-charged petrol-engine version, too, which AI tested on the day but the leccy-powered one was the scene-stealer.

The hybrid CR-V is non-plug-in. It does all its charging on the go. And go it does, with a whisper-quiet alacrity that belies the fact that there is a two-litre petrol engine as well as an electric motor under the bonnet.

First off, I test-drove a top-of-the-range hybrid. There are three levels of specification, with the star of the show being the EX with all-wheel drive. 

Honda knows its CR-V buyers, after selling zillions of them over the years, and the top-spec motor is expected to be the model of choice.

The hybrid has three drive-modes: Electric, Hybrid and Engine. Put simply, electric drive is when the car is running silently on pure electricity and drawing its power from the battery via a drive motor; this mode will usually be used when accelerating from standstill or during low speed cruising. 

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In hybrid drive, both the petrol engine and electric motors are sharing the work, for example when accelerating at speed. Engine drive, as the name implies, is when the petrol engine is directly powering the car, such as during sustained high-speed motoring.

And it’s all absolutely seamless – just push the button.

The same goes for the electronically-controlled all-wheel drive system, designed to automatically step in when loss of traction is detected.

The cabin is a welcoming place to be, with leather upholstery and rewardingly tactile surfaces throughout, except for a couple of panels of faux wood. 

There’s a wealth of equipment, too, including heated seats and steering wheel which proved just the ticket on a chilly day.

Practicality? The car is full of clever storage ideas, generous amounts of legroom and a boot capacity of more than 1,700 litres with the rear seats folded. You will also find a hands-free-access tailgate, one-motion folding seats and a flat boot floor. Seven seats can be specified for the first time.

The new CR-V’s silhouette may be familiar, but the company says the design is new from the ground up. I particularly liked the front-end treatment which is much sleeker than its predecessor.

The 1.5-litre petrol-engine version with six-speed manual gearbox was perky in the power department, but sounded a little raucous under heavy acceleration – or maybe it was just the contrast to the serene hybrid.

The EX will set you back a tad over £35,000 OTR, and it certainly pushes the button marked ‘satisfaction’.

The all-new Honda CR-V goes on sale this month.