The all-new Honda HR-V Review- Tried and Tested

There is nothing wrong with being contented. You’d be at peace, stress levels are low and you’d probably live to be more than a hundred years old. However, one should not allow contentment to lead to being stagnant in the state of comfort zone. There will be no growth, no change in their environment and there will only be one outcome in the end; extinction. Which is why companies constantly embark on quests to discover new plots of lands in the commercial real estate to put their stake. Honda’s decision to develop and launch a compact SUV where none has existed before is a fine example of how a successful automotive company should operate.

 

Well, not really. The soon-to-be available here HR-V (Hi-Rider Revolutionary Vehicle) isn’t exactly a new segment model for Honda. You may have come across it’s predecessor in this form before:-

 

First launched in 1999, the 5-door or 3-door variant you see above did made it to our shores but was not sold officially by Honda Malaysia. I still recall a friend who had trouble selling one because it was considered somewhat an exotic and not all have an appetite for such vehicles. Honda had a compact SUV but it was made available at a time when people either go for sedans or full fledged SUVs such as the CR-V. You can thank carbon emissions, fuel economy, modern traffic congestion, affordability as some of the reasons why this segment is gaining popularity.

So much so that here in Malaysia, you have FOUR models waiting in the compact SUV ring; the Toyota Avanza/Rush, Peugeot 2008, Ford Ecosport and the GWM M4. You can read about the French vs American vs Chinese shootout HERE.

Many feels the all-new HR-V is going to leave the others far behind in terms of sales volume but is that so? Honda Malaysia recently arranged a media drive in Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai then back to Chiang Mai to demonstrate its relevance in today’s modern society. A route with long straights, smooth corners and lots of motorcycles who occupies the road like they have four wheels instead of two, it gave sufficient opportunity for the media to sample the vehicle thoroughly and tell you if it’s worth your dough.

The HR-V sold here will be offered in three grades; the most affordable being S-grade, E-grade sits in the middle and the top spec V-grade.

 

 

Design

 

Conceptually, the HR-V is based on three factors; the utility of a mini-van, the aesthetic appeal of a personal coupe and a tough image of an SUV. It’s outlook is a radical departure from its boxy predecessor and is much more rakish and angular in design. The baby CR-V has a distinct ‘X’ on its front bumper which is set high until it connects to the front headlamps and front wheel arches. The new Honda logo-on-wings sits proudly in the center, its impression further amplified by the horizontal slits of the main grille while the honeycombed lower grille adds a sporty touch to the front mien of the vehicle. L-shaped LED Daytime Running Lights flanks a stylish twin projector LED headlights (the first model with LED headlamps sold here are found in the Accord so it’s not something entirely new) for the V-grade whereas the S and E-grade makes do with halogen headlights and DRL.

 

Measuring 4,294mm long, 1,772mm wide and 1,605mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,610mm, it is the longest, widest and lowest in height in the segment. Ladies benefit from having a higher seating while not having to lift the skirts too high to board. The fairer gender would also appreciate the fact that the doors don’t weigh a ton and is easy to open.

At the sides, character lines run from the front fender upwards towards the rear door handles which are neatly masked at the ends of the rear passenger window. This accentuates the coupe profile, making it look like it has only two side doors. The units seen here features 17″ rims but we’ve had confirmation from Honda Malaysia that those coming here will be 16″ wheels instead, wrapped with 215/60 rubbers. It’s a move that I for one applaud because having smaller wheels means:-

1) Ride comfort is slightly improved
2) Tire replacements are cheaper
3) Those who wants to pay more to upsize is easier than those who wants to downsize. Support your local community tire shops, yo!

 

Behind, the L-shaped tail lamp stands out most prominently, with a curved line running below the number plate connecting both ends. The Thai-spec HR-V seen here has tube LEDS which we will not be getting. That’s a pity because a couple of KIAs sold here have that and it’s night signature profile is mesmerising. Us? Individual LEDs are in the bag.

 

 

Performance

 

Powering the new HR-V is a 1.8litre i-VTEC powerplant SOHC (the same as in the Civic) pushing out 141PS @ 6,500rpm and 172Nm of torque @ 4,300rpm, effectively making it having the most powerful engine in the sub RM120k compact SUV category. Power is delivered via a CVT gearbox which, by itself is again unique to the HR-V since the Ford EcoSport has a 6-speed dual-clutch system, the Pug 2008 uses a 4-speed auto tranny, the same for the Toyota Avanza as well while the GWM M4 offers either an AMT or manual gearbox.

Off the line, the HR-V is the quickest, benefiting not only from a 0.3cc engine displacement advantage over its competitors but also the CVT gearbox is a lot more responsive and able to shift the cylinders to the most optimum revolutions to squeeze the most power out of the engine. The Ecosport’s DCT can exhibit a bit of hesitance when floored whereas the 4-speeds found in the Peugeot and Toyota has ratios that are too far apart to give a seamless shifting experience. The M4 AMT on the other hand is something we have yet to sample.

At moderate speeds, pushing to higher speeds in a brisk manner may cause you to gnaw your nails a bit. Honda emphasises a great deal on fuel efficiency and putting a CVT instead of a regular torque converter is one key step in achieving this goal. All engines have a certain operating range where fuel efficiency is at its peak. Regular torque converters shift the engine out of this range whenever the gears change; CVTs can be programmed to ensure the vehicle operates at its optimum range as often as possible and this can be seen in the HR-V where the higher ratio is always engaged whenever possible, making it an excellent cruiser and city prowler. It’s an SUV – there are better cars to hit the touge than a HR-V. More so if you’re going to be engaging the ECON button all the time.

By the way, the picture above illustrates the absence of a handbrake. In its place is an electronic parking brake that automatically disengages when you move from stationary.

 

 

Ride and Handling

 

By being the shortest in height, the HR-V has one of the lowest center of gravity for the segment and this provides a very reassuring driving experience for the driver. Based on the Jazz platform, body roll is kept in check but it does get a little bumpy on poor condition roads; a condition largely attributed to the 17″ wheels fitted to the test car. We could probably expect a much more pliant ride with the 16″ offered here. Do bear in mind that this is still an SUV, albeit a small one so don’t expect Jazz-like quick responses when changing lanes. Having said that, compared to the others, it’s far better to drive, even if it’s just a regular MacPherson struts for the front and torsion beams for the rear suspension. The Ecosport may have a heftier steering wheel weight but the HR-V has a good balance between effort and road feel.

Noise intrusion is kept to a minimal, might even be the best in the segment but to be fair, the cars here are newer than the test cars we had in our earlier comparison so that needs to be taken into consideration. But then it’s a Honda – scoring high points in Noise, Vibration and Harshness is always its forte.

 

 

Cabin Convenience

 

Anyone familiar with the Jazz or City would be familiar with the HR-V – and still find some reason to want it. We wouldn’t call it plush but there is a certain level of practical style found here. Further testament of Honda’s Man Maximum Machine Minimum philosophy. The steering wheel comes with all the customary control buttons to access the multi function display MFD, audio, telephony and cruise control functions. As mentioned earlier, it’s not as heavy as continental makes but still a lot fun to drive.

It’s also the only modern car sold here today that sports a wide front passenger air conditioning vent, in which felt a little unnecessary and more of an overkill, particularly when the output isn’t much of a difference compared to regular air vents.

 

Soft plastics are found on the dashboard and any stitching you see here are faux (read: fake). It’s only at the door and seats you’ll find some leather and even then it’s half leather/half fabric for the seats for the V-grade. The S and E-grades offers black fabric only.

 

The meters are simple and easy to read. Three rings with the left showing rev counter, the large middle for speed and the right for the MFD do appear rather boring though, in contrast with the exterior of the vehicle. An LED Ambietn ring circling the speed meter changes color depending on your driving habits, from white to yellow, orange, red, purple, indigo and blue.

 

Top spec model gets the same 7″ audio system as the Jazz and City which has the same HDMI port mirroring capabilities (meaning what you see on your smartphone will also be shown on the car’s display. Think Waze on a 7″ display)

 

Speaking of ports, there is a gap below the gear lever where you can keep small items such as mobile phones and Smart tags. It is also here that you can find the HDMI as well as two USB ports (if you take the top spec) and a 12V socket. Adding the length of whatever cable you’re going to use to hook your mobile device up with the headunit, this gap is far too narrow. I wouldn’t call it a fail as the gap does allow easy reach of the driver but it’s close enough that you wish the ports were placed elsewhere.

 

Air conditioning controls are similar to the Jazz and City where the top spec gets touch panel controls. Brilliant at getting your thumbprint.

The rear legroom isn’t too shabby with 3 adults able to sit abreast but the middle person might feel a tight squeeze due to the center front armrest protruding backwards. Also, there are no rear air conditioning vents for a cabin this small.

 

One of Honda’s magic is it’s ability to miraculously create space where none was before and they’ve done this on the Jazz and the City. It’s no different with the HR-V.  With its rear seats being able to fold up or fold down, you can configure the space of the vehicle to suit a myriad of cargo shapes. From tall items such plants and lamps to long items such as cabinet frames to wide items such as television sets and bicycles, the HR-V, like the Jazz, can swallow it all. Heck, if I operate a flea market stall like those found at the Curve, Publika or any malls, the HR-V would be perfect.

 

Even if you do not utilise its maximum cargo space, the rear boot space of 437litres is more than enough for a small family’s outstation trip. Once the rear seats are down, you get a deluxe room size of 1,032litres of space.

 

 

Safety

 

Save for the top-spec V-grade, both S and E-grade share the same safety features.It is worth mentioning that Honda deserves praise for including VSA on all of the variants; something which Toyota/UMW is rather stingy of:-

 

• Reverse sensor
• Dual front SRS airbag
• Emergency Stop Signal (ESS)
• One Touch Lane Change
• Vehicle Stability Assist VSA
• Hill Start Assist HSA
• ABS
• EBD
• BA
• Electric Parking Brake EPB
• Automatic Brake Hold
• Security Alarm System with Ultrasonic Sensor
• Immobiliser
• Rear seat ISOFIX
• Front Seat Pretensioner Seatbelt with Load Limiter
• Rear 3-point ELR x3

 

V-grade

In addition to the S and E-grade features

• Side airbags
• Side curtain airbags (total 6 airbags)

 

 

Specifications

 

S-grade

Exterior

• Halogen headlights
• Auto headlights
• Halogen Daytime Running Lights
• Front and rear fog lights
• LED Rear Combi lights
• Body colored outer door handle
• Shark Fin antenna

Interior

• Keyless entry
• ECON mode
• Tilt & telescopic steering wheel
• Foot rest
• Day/night rear view mirror
• Intermittent front wiper
• Intermittent rear wiper
• Black Fabric upholstery
• High deck center console with armrest
• Urethane steering wheel & gear knob
• Power adjustable & retractable door mirrors
• Manual air conditioning
• 2nd Seat dive down, reclining & tip-up
• Sunvisor ticket holder
• Vanity mirror (driver & assistant driver side)
• Manual height adjustable driver seat
• Accessory socket
• Standard audio system with CD
• 4-speaker system
• 1 x AUX socket
• 1 x USB socket

 

E-grade

In addition to the S-grade unless specified otherwise

• Side mirror with turning lights
• Smart Entry with Push Start Button
• Single, automatic air conditioning
• 5″ monitor audio system with CD instead of standard audio
• 2 x USB socket instead of 1

 

V-grade

In addition to the E and S-grade unless specified otherwise

• LED headlights
• LED Daytime Running Lights
• Chrome outer door handle
• Cruise control
• Multi-angle rearview camera
• Intermittent variable front wiper instead of intermittent only
• Black Half leather upholstery
• Leather steering wheel & gear knob instead of urethane
• Vanity mirrors with illumination
• 7″ display audio system with CD instead of 5″ or standard
• 6-speaker system
• No AUX socket
• 1 x HDMI socket
• Voice Recognition Steering Switch Control

 

 

Ownership and Maintenance

We still do not know the selling price of all three grades. What we hear though is that the S-grade is expected to be above RM90k but below RM100k whereas the V-grade would be between RM110k – 120k. Five colors are available, namely Ruse Black Metallic, Alabaster Silver Metallic, Modern Steel Metallic, Taffeta White and Crystal Black Pearl. Under the Honda New Service Package, all variants will be sold with 5-years unlimited mileage warranty, up to 6 free labour services and each service interval is scheduled every 10,000km

So is it worth waiting?

Oh yeah. It’s a Honda. It’s a compact SUV. It’s got the amenities a modern urbanite needs (ie the looks and the kit). And most importantly, it “should” be priced competitively.

The issue isn’t so much of which compact SUV you should be. Personally, I feel it’s a question of which Honda model to buy. Imagine if you have a RM100,000 budget and you walk into a Honda showroom looking to purchase a vehicle. You have the option of picking the Jazz, the City or the HR-V. Each have it’s pros and cons, each caters to a slightly different group of customers.

It’s amusing to read commenters of other blogsites who states that to top up a little bit more, one can get the larger CR-V – hello, that’s assuming you’re prepared to fork out RM120k to begin with. I’m grasping at straws here but I’m guessing there’s a lot more people with a sub-RM100k budget compared to those able and willing to spend RM140k for a conveyance. No, the HR-V’s pricing, if it is indeed between RM95k – RM120k, makes a lot of sense in its positioning. One thing is for sure though; Honda looks set to being the leader for 2015 in the consumer vehicle sector again.

All other competition? Beware …. whatever plot of land you think you were holding, be prepared to be invaded!