Honda HR-V: Our likes and dislikes

The Honda HR-V has captured the audience's attention and how. If we can take the liberty of stealing a line from Honda’s own WR-V, this HR-V can easily be called a Wow Vehicle. It not only is of the right proportions but more importantly offers the versatility of the Jazz, something which is appreciated world over. The price is also just right and we believe the Honda HR-V is set to be one of the hottest selling Honda cars in Malaysia. In our review, we did mention on what all Honda could have done better with the HR-V and things we think are just right for this segment and as an extension, the vehicle too.

So, here is a recap in a nutshell of what we like about the new Honda HR-V and things we actually loathe.

First up, the things we like

Design

Come on! The Honda HR-V looks super cool. Especially in this second-generation. The all-LED lights for the front and rear, that bold face, the 17-inch alloys, and all these things make it a very impressive looking car. Get hold of the Mugen trims and you will definitely like the way your HR-V stands out from the crowd. The coupe assigned to the rear is intentional and lends it with more of a standing amongst the sea of straight standing crossovers.

Cabin space

A salient selling point of all the Honda vehicles is that irrespective of the footprint, they all have good cabin space. The Jazz, Accord, Brio, Mobilio, and now the HR-V are all examples of this. The quality of the cabin will not make you go wow but it's not cringe-worthy either. There is a new fabric for the upholstery, multiple cup holders (overall seven), magic seats from the Jazz that split and fold in multiple combinations to provide for a flat floor for cargo.

Safety features

Honda is usually known to be not-so-generous amidst bundling up their vehicles with kit. The Honda HR-V, however, is an exception. It gets six airbags, ABS along with EBD, ISOFIX mounts on the rear seats, Hill Assist, Vehicle Stability Assist, Auto Brake Hold, and a multi-angle rearview camera with parking sensors at the back. All these are part of the standard fare. So, whichever variant of the HR-V you choose, safety is a priority here. It also helps that the front seats have height adjustable belts as well.

Ironically, we will be revisiting this section in the things we don’t like section too.

Warranty and price

The HR-V comes with a massive five years/unlimited kilometres warranty. What more, labour charges are waived off for regular services during this five year period. Honda’s engine, as well as other mechanical parts, are known to be durable. The experience of few of the previous-gen vehicle owners also confirmed that it is only after a few years from purchase that you actually need to replace one part or the other. That’s a good thing and will give a peace of mind to those looking to own this crossover. The price also plays an important part in this and the RM 92,545 starting point is too good.

Things we don’t like about the HR-V

Why no seven-seat option?

Honda cheekily offers us with the five-seater version here in Malaysia. However, elsewhere, the Honda HR-V gets a seven-seater option. If they were to offer it here, then the landscape will change. It will compete with much more expensive vehicles and still come on top. That then is a miss for our market.

Transmission

Honda should offer a 6-speed manual with that 142 PS and 172 Nm 1.8-litre naturally aspirated i-VTEC petrol engine. This way the enthusiasts derive the maximum from this high-revving motor. Imagine doing redline shifts with this one. The engine is reasonably efficient and hence there will also be no worry about refuelling early than destined. The CVT is okay but then a manual would have worked wonders. Especially given that Honda thinks that the HR-V is a sporty vehicle and sporty as well as manuals can be taken in the same breath. More so than sporty and CVT.

Ride and handling

The HR-V is set up stiff to enhance its handling characteristics. However, it seems that the vehicle doesn’t quite achieve what it set out to do. The car rolls if one is too enthusiastic around a corner. It has good straight-line stability but then the corners matter, don’t they? If you thought that the ride quality is sorted then you’re mistaken again. The Honda HR-V doesn’t take the larger potholes as kindly as it should. It crashes over them and one can hear the sound inside the cabin too.

Safety

Remember we said this section will be revisited? This is because, outside, Honda offers various safety aids and radar-based guides with the HR-V. These include Road Departure Mitigation System, Lane Keeping Assist, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning and Forward Collision Warning. Phew! These don’t add to the cost significantly too. Why the discrimination then, Honda?

With this, we come to an end of our story. Stay tuned with Zigwheels to read more such in-depth automobile stories.