The HR-V is a vital automobile for Honda dealers within the UK and Automotive Management recently took delivery of 1 for a long-term test.
Over the subsequent few months this premium-grade SUV shall be put through its paces to higher understand the oppotunity this latest automobile offers for the Honda dealer network and its customers.
Currently Honda is enticing customers with a £1,000 off limited time ‘Honda Dream Greater Event Discount’, which implies the HR-V range starts at £31,250 for the entry Elegance grade..
On top of that, a £2,500 deposit contribution for PCP finance gives automobile buyers an additional reason to contact their local Honda showroom.
The model we’re testing is an Advance grade HR-V, which sits just above Elegance and offers comforts similar to heated steering wheel and front seats, power tailgate, artificial leather upholstery and USB charging ports for front and rear occupants.
What are the Honda HR-V’s key selling points?
This SUV suits buyers who aren’t ready for a plug-in automobile, as beneath its skin is Honda’s efficient e:HEV hybrid powertrain. That’s a self-charging combination of a 1.5-litre petrol engine and a dual electric motor with a lithium ion battery and a set gear transmission, and it manages to deliver 52mpg fuel economy on the WLTP combined cycle test.
Honda’s intelligent power control unit manages the powertrain to make sure an optimal balance of economy, emissions and performance. It consistently and routinely cycles between electric drive, hybrid drive or engine drive depending on which is probably the most fuel-efficient mode at that specific situation, in order that when the automobile is cruising at a relentless speed it uses the engine but when extra acceleration is required for an overtake it’ll herald hybrid mode.
The HR-V also suits buyers who want comfort, ease-of-use and high perceived quality. This isn’t a big family automobile, nevertheless the inside space is excellent and rear passengers won’t ever want for legroom. The compromise is a comparatively modest 319-litre boot, able to holding two large suitcases, however it’s a compromise many purchasers shall be pleased to make.
That ease-of-use might be best illustrated by the choice of buttons and knobs on the dashboard, accompanying its touchscreen which I find is small by 2026 standards.
This gives it away that this automobile was launched in 2021, and revised in 2024, however the HR-V is not any poorer for it in a growing climate of thrust back against buttonless, distracting control systems.
There are greater than adequate storage pockets and cubbyholes for the phones, keys, drinks etc which can be never removed from my family’s fingertips.
Overall, it’s a smart interior for sensible individuals who like what Honda stands for – sensibility.
What does it drive like?
The HR-V is a snug cruiser. In my first few weeks living with this SUV I’ve done a few long distance trips and arrived unruffled.
Forward visibility is superb, the seating position is sweet and the ADAS devices similar to blind spot warning and steering assist usually are not particularly intrusive.
It’s no performance SUV, nevertheless. Honda cites an official 0-62mph sprint of 10.7 seconds.
When pushed hard, or when the HR-V involves an uphill stretch, due to the eCVT transmission the engine noise outweighs the perception of actual progress being achieved.
Tech spec – Honda HR-V Advance
- Price £34,070
- Powertrain: Hybrid 1.5-litre petrol and dual electric motor, eCVT transmission, front-wheel drive
- Performance: 0-62mph in 10.7 seconds, maximum speed 106mph
- Efficiency: 52.3mpg, 122g/km CO2 (WLTP combined cycle)
This Article First Appeared At www.am-online.com
