Honda CR-V seats don't match what is shown in the brochure

When serial CR-V owner Tony Wadeson heard Honda was about to launch a new model for 2013, he jumped at the chance to put his name down for one.

This was to be his third CR-V, and confident that this latest, most advanced version would be more than a match for his previous much-loved cars, he went all out and ordered the range-topping model.

EX trim has leather seats as standard. Tempted by what he saw in the brochure, Tony decided that the full ivory option would be the best way to show them off.

Days after placing his order, Tony, already impatient for his new car to be delivered, couldn’t resist flicking through the brochure again. Delving into the pages, though, he was surprised to discover a second, conflicting photograph of the ivory seats.

Page 14 of the brochure clearly showed the seats to be decked out in ivory from top to bottom, while page 40 suggested their plastic surrounds were in fact black. His dealer couldn’t shed any light on the situation – there weren’t any showroom models yet – and confused and unhappy about the prospect of part-black seats, Tony called Helpdesk.

We advised him to contact Honda directly. The brochure told two different stories, and under the Sale of Goods Act Tony was within his rights to have the car delivered to him as it was described at the time of purchase.

Honda wasted no time in looking into things and, after investigating, clarified that Tony would be getting the part-black seats as he now suspected; the all-ivory seats are reserved for foreign markets, which is how the brochure error had occurred.

Honda apologised, and in recognition of the confusion the brochure had caused Tony, offered him a tailgate spoiler worth £395 as a goodwill gesture. Honda also confirmed that it is updating its brochure to show only trims available to UK buyers.

What if this happens to you?

• Read the brochure thoroughly to see the exact specification of any options you're interested in.
• If you're unsure about anything, especially if the brochure contains conflicting information, ask your dealer to clarify in writing what you'll be getting.
• Keep the brochure, so that if the car turns out to be not what you were sold you'll have proof to that effect.

We've prepared lots of useful advice, including a full guide on warranties that could help you with either a new or used car.

If you need our help, email us at helpdesk@whatcar.com with a few details and we'll be in touch.