By Ian Strachan.
The excellent Honda HR-V is a vehicle that seems to have got under the radar. This cross between a coupe and an SUV maybe isn’t top of people’s choice lists.
Which is a shame, because the HR-V is a very good car indeed. And its latest gives you all the benfits of a full hybrid without having to plug it in. It also looks good, has class-leading interior space and versatility, is remarkably frugality and comes with bags of technology.
I test drove the HR-V HEV hybrid in Advance Style Plus spec. The 1.5 litre petrol engine is helped by a self-charging electric motor, allowing it to run on electric power only. As a full hybrid it is self-charging, drawing power from regenerative braking, with no need for a charging point.
The HR-V hybrid’s engine gives a more-than-adequate 107 bhp, with low CO2 emissions and a combined economy of 52.3 miles per gallon in mixed driving. It can give up to a remarkable 460 miles on a full tank.
This classy Honda has a sporty but solid look, with an impressive and purposeful ladder-style front end, roof rails and chunky black and silver alloys. While this is no serious mud-plugger, it certainly looks robust.
The inside is a comfortable and airy place to be, with excellent visibility all round and pleasant trim and seat materials. The Advance specification gives you dual-zone climate control, all-round airbags, rear view camera with front and rear parking aids, heated front seats and steering wheel, front fog lights and cruise control You also get lane-keeping assist, a good sound system with Bluetooth, phone-charging plate and satellite navigation. My test car had stepless CVT automatic transmission.
Clear, centrally-placed well-lit instruments and easily accessible controls help the overall feeling of well-being inside the cabin. All very ergonomic with no fiddly controls.
Handling is good, with crisp steering. The suspension set-up is quite soft but body roll on cornering is minimal. The car is packed with safety technology including an active braking system and a speed limiter with traffic sign recognition function.
This HR-V deserves to do well, particularly in hybrid form. It looks good, has a nice driving environment and good performance combined with low running costs and a five year 90,000 mile warranty.
The HR-V Advance HEV comes in at £33,880 on the road. My test car came with Platinum White pearl paintwork at £700.
