Honda first launched the HR-V just before the turn of the millennium and I recall ‘Joy Machine’ being used at the time when marketing the then funky looking SUV. But ceasing sales just six years later, it maybe wasn’t all that the Japanese maker thought it would be for the buyer.
Relaunched a decade later, in 2015, a very different HR-V was born. And, as nice as it was, it now blended into a sea of boring SUV’s. So much so that I couldn’t actually tell you the last time I noticed one on the roads.
The latest HR-V from Honda stands out however.
Yes, it is still similar enough to many of its rivals such as the Toyota C-HR, the Renault Arkana, or the Qashqai from Nissan. But Honda have made its HR-V much less bland, the Coupe-Esque sloping rear being a sleek feature so it can stand out from the crowd.
The HR-V range starts from £32,950 with the ‘Elegance’ which features wireless Apple CarPlay, magic seats for versatility, air diffusion system, heated front seats, Honda connect with navigation, Econ mode, My Hona+, digital driver’s display, Honda SENSING, front and rear parking sensors, 18-inch alloy wheels, rear view camera, privacy glass, keyless entry and start, and adaptive cruise control.
An ’Advance’ starts from £35,480 and adds heated leather steering wheel, adaptive driving beam, and power tailgate. The ‘Advance Style’ starts from £38.030 and adds wireless charger, premium audio, and roof rails. Whilst the range topping ‘Advance Style Plus’ adds multi-view camera system, two-tone roof, and panoramic glass roof – this model is priced from £39,525.
All models come with the same self-charging engine, a 1.5-litre i-MMD e:HEV petrol/hybrid producing 131ps with 253Nm seeing 0-60mph in 10.6 seconds with a range of up to 460 miles per tank of petrol. Power is put to the ground via an automatic gearbox.
There are several style and equipment packs available for both inside and outside of the latest HR-V. Pricing ranges from around £500 to £2,500 depending on which options you choose.
Outside, the HR-V can be ordered with two-tone paintwork, and there are some lovely colours available. It maybe isn’t as big as some direct rivals, but with that it is much easier manoeuvred and parked.
Inside, the front seats offer plenty of comfort and it is very spacious. Despite it’s sloping roof, which you’d imagine would hinder head room in the rear, it’s proves very accommodating for all of average height and even a wee bit above.
Honda’s ‘Magic Seats’ in the rear are very clever as they allow to be folded up in order to stand tall items in the now vast rear footwell. They can also fold more flat than most, for a van-like loading space when required. The boot in normal guise isn’t great, but more than ample for most users.
The HR-V is comfortably at home with city life, where the powertrain allows it to nip about with no difficulty. It’s far from quick, though, and on the open roads and meandering B roads is a little too vocal due to the nature of the CVT ‘box. It’s high stance and soft suspension makes it a comfortable cruiser which absorbs our tired and in need of repair roads with ease, rather than a car you’d want to take on a brisk run around the countryside.
Living semi-rural, a return of over 45mpg was achieved over a week spent with the ‘Advance Style Plus’ model tested and pictured. So I have no doubt that getting close to the claimed 52.3mpg would be achievable on motorway runs.
The HR-V comes with Honda’s standard three-year/90,000-mile warranty. Servicing should be done annually or at 12,500-miles – whichever comes first.
