REVIEW: Honda HR-V is an almost-brilliant product begging for a better engine

Review: Honda HR-V 1.5 Executive

Johannesburg: I’m not always a fan of modern SUV designs but the new Honda HR-V is simply gorgeous. Yes, I know that design is a matter of opinion but I love its slinky, coupé-inspired shape, and its slim, perfectly proportioned headlights and tail lamps.

Things are just as agreeable when you step inside. There’s no faulting the build quality, this is a Honda after all, and the surface materials all impart a feeling of good quality. Honda has gone for a minimalist design for the cockpit which, thankfully, strikes a good balance between digital modernity and good old-fashioned analogue functionality.

But we’ll get to all the practical stuff a bit later. First, let’s fire her up.

Like many Honda products, the new HR-V is powered by the company’s familiar normally aspirated 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine, which produces 89kW at 6 600rpm and 145Nm from 4 300rpm. Power goes to the front wheels through a CVT gearbox, and this is where the problem lies.

Continuously variable boxes drone annoyingly at high revs, which is why they work best with turbocharged motors that produce most of their torque low down in the rev range. Honda’s 1.5-litre engine is relatively high-revving, and it doesn’t produce enough power to provide the HR-V with comfortable and effortless performance, particularly at altitude.

Don’t get me wrong, this is a solid and decent little engine that works just fine in a smaller and lighter vehicle with a manual transmission. It would be perfect in the WR-V. But, in this case, the CVT and VTEC don’t go well together. It’s like locking a Democrat and a Republican in the same room and expecting a peaceful co-existence.

The Honda HR-V needs a turbo engine. Throw any kind of hill at it, particularly at altitude, and it becomes slow and noisy. On normal, flat suburban streets, it works fine enough, but then, with pricing ranging between R469 000 and R554 500, you should at the least expect effortless performance for climbing hills and overtaking.

Although it is a solidly engineered vehicle, the HR-V’s tare weight of 1 319kg does not do its performance credentials any favours, considering that it weighs almost 150kg more than the similarly sized Hyundai Creta.

Economy is not too bad, however. Our freeway consumption amounted to 6.2 litres per 100km, according to the on-board readout, and in the urban confines it drank 8.7 l/100km.

Overall, the engine and gearbox combination is a pity because the Honda HR-V has a brilliant chassis that would handle a lot more power. There’s a good balance to the chassis set-up, which offers a comfortable ride and agile handling, albeit with a bit of body roll, which you expect from an SUV.

Part of the secret to its sharpness is Honda’s Agile Handling Assist system, which lightly applies the brakes on the inner wheels during fast cornering to shorten the cornering path.

Although this is not the kind of vehicle you’d take on off-road trails, its 187mm ground clearance and reasonably high-profile 18-inch tyres make it suitable for dirt roads, and Honda has also installed Hill Descent Control for steep or slippery slopes.

How practical is the Honda HR-V?

The only blemish is that the HR-V’s beautiful sloping roof line does restrict headroom, which could be a problem for teens or adults who are taller than average. Rear legroom is reasonably ample, not the best in class but certainly not the worst, and I found there was a bit of space to stretch behind my driving position.

When it comes to packing gear and luggage, the HR-V boasts the versatility of Honda’s “Magic Seats”, with rear seat benches that fold upwards to create a huge loading space behind the front seats. As for boot space, Honda claims a volume of 304 litres. That’s a little skimpy by class standards but the amount of space on hand should satisfy most buyers.

In the front of the cabin, you’ll find an innovative air-diffusion system, featuring a button that allows you to redirect air from the side air vents towards the side of the vehicle, rather than blowing directly on the occupants.

As mentioned, the cockpit is relatively minimalist in design, but features elegant-looking rotary controls for the climate-control system, and you’ll also find traditional buttons on either side of the newly designed 8.0-inch touch-screen infotainment system, which juts out over the top of the dashboard.

The instrumentation is traditional analogue, but there is a configurable 4.2-inch LCD driver information screen to keep you informed.

When it comes to standard features, the Honda HR-V is well appointed, even in the case of the base Comfort model, which comes with the aforementioned infotainment system as well as a reverse camera, auto climate control with rear ventilation, parking sensors, white ambient cabin lighting, LED headlights and 17-inch alloy wheels.

The more expensive Executive model, which we sampled, features leather seats with eight-way electric adjustment for the driver, an electrically operated tailgate, wireless phone charging and a slew of driver-assistance gadgets, including Adaptive Cruise Control with Low Speed Following, Lane Keep Assist and Road Departure Mitigation.

VERDICT

The new Honda HR-V is stylish and elegant inside and out, and also impresses with refined road manners and plenty of interior specification. It is an otherwise brilliant product let down by the high price tag and underpowered engine.

FACTS: Honda HR-V 1.5 Executive

Price: R554 500

Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cyl, petrol

Gearbox: Continuously variable (CVT)

Drive: Front-wheel drive

Power: 89kW at 6 600rpm

Torque: 145Nm from 4 300rpm

Fuel use, urban: 8.7 l/100km (tested)

Fuel use, highway: 6.2 l/100km (tested)

Kerb weight: 1 319kg

Ground clearance: 187mm

Fuel tank capacity: 40 litres