Honda HR-V
New from £31,810 / £309 p/m
Is the Honda HR-V SUV a good car?
Read our expert review
Words by: Erin Baker
"Honda has always been a byword for engineering excellence. Drivers pay more, but get reliability, good residual values and superb build quality. Where does that leave the Japanese brand now, when technology and electrification are everything? The updated HR-V is another solid Honda, but is that enough these days?"
Read the review by category
Running costs for a Honda HR-V
4/5
We are pleasantly surprised by the price of this HR-V to the point we guessed it cost another £5,000 more than the actual the base price. So, not only is this a reasonably-priced Honda, but its fuel efficiency is top notch. The quoted figure is 52mpg and we comfortably got 47mpg, which is very decent for a family SUV. That’s thanks to Honda’s hybrid system which doesn’t come with a plug or any meaningful electric range, but does boost the 1.5-litre petrol engine to keep things frugal.
Reliability of a Honda HR-V
5/5
It’s a Honda. Enough said. The warranty covers you for five years or 90,000 miles, which is 30,000 miles and two years more than the industry standard.
Safety for a Honda HR-V
3/5
You don’t get the most useful safety feature - blind spot warning - as standard which is a shame, and cross-traffic alert also only arrives when you step up a trim level. But everything else is there, like automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning and so on. However, we’re docking points for the very old-fashioned and busy displays, which mean you spend a lot of time glancing at stuff.
How comfortable is the Honda HR-V
3/5
There’s an impressive amount of legroom in the rear and despite the more sloping roofline than many SUVs, headroom is good, too. The boot size feels average. Comfort is impeded, however, by the raucous petrol engine, which whirrs away noisily in its usual function as a generator for the electric motor. We'd rather have a battery and the silent propulsion this brings, on reflection
Features of the Honda HR-V
2/5
Honda is lagging at least five years behind other brands’ technology and in-car features, and if it carries on like this, it will lose its remaining customers to the Chinese brands such as BYD, Chery, Geely, Leapmotor and Jaecoo, which have prioritised in-car technology over all else, having correctly surmised this is the way consumer desires are headed. Even Renault clocked early that drivers want big, bold, colourful, accessible designs for functions like DAB, sat-nav, temperature control and so on, on large touchscreens. Honda’s screen is small, its display too fiddly. It won’t cut in for customers in their 40s or younger. You do get wireless phone connection, which is a plus.
Power for a Honda HR-V
2/5
Excuse us getting technical for a second but Japanese brands like Honda have always loved what in the jargon are called Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVTs) that have the engine revs rising and falling seemingly independently of how fast you're actually going. Which can get as noisy as it is confusing when you demand full power, given there can be lots of revving but not much acceleration. We no like. The e:HEV hybrid system in the Honda isn't actually a CVT but it behaves like one, the combustion engine quick to cut in and making a right racket when it does so. And leaving you with very little truly emissions-free driving. Why would you have one of these, and not a plug-in hybrid, which would offer you between 20 and 90 miles of electric driving, depending on the model? While the public charging system is not yet perfect for pure battery vehicles it’s adequate enough for shorter, less frequent plug-in hybrid charging while those lucky enough to have home charging are quids in. Meanwhile, the HR-V is also front-wheel drive only, with a maximum output of 130 horsepower, which isn’t enough when the car is fully laden.
Lease deals
These deals are based on terms of 8,000 miles, for a 36 month lease with a 6 months initial payment.
£376.28
Monthly payment
£2,257.68
Initial payment
£428.67
Monthly payment
£2,572.02
Initial payment
£534.32
Monthly payment
£3,205.92
Initial payment
£547.52
Monthly payment
£3,285.12
Initial payment
Standard equipment
Expect the following equipment on your Honda HR-V SUV. This may vary between trim levels.
Your questions answered
Monthly rentals ('payments') are not an offer of credit. Payments are based on offers available today which may be withdrawn or varied at any time in the future without notice.
Contract Hire ('Leasing') is subject to status and approval and is only available to UK residents aged 18 and over. Vehicle must be returned with no more than fair wear and tear to avoid further charges. You will not own the vehicle. Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply.
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