Honda HR-V review

This is the third generation of Honda’s HR-V SUV, which started out back in 1998 as a super cool, three-door soft-roader for the surfing crowd, went quiet for seven years then came back as a slightly more conventional crossover.

For this third version Honda has aimed for a ‘bold’ look that aims for clean, simple lines and tries to ape the silhouette of a coupe (it’s the latest fashion trend in small SUVs you know). Hmm... looks rather bland to us. And now a careful facelift has been deployed to freshen things up.

Has Honda changed much?

Um, no. Fancy a game of spot the difference? There are some styling tweaks to the front and rear lights, some ergonomic changes to the dashboard (so you can reach the wireless phone charging more easily, says Honda), upgrades to the sound deadening and some changes to the spec levels (see the Buying tab for more details). But that's about it.

Right. What engines can you choose from?

Choose is a very strong word, but seeing as cutting emissions is also very fashionable these days (fashionable/legally mandated, same thing) and with diesel demand in the toilet, Honda’s made the latest HR-V hybrid only. In China there's an electric version that manages nearly 300 miles on a charge, but over here we have to make do with the halfway house.

The hybrid setup gets a 129bhp/187lb ft 1.5-litre 4cyl petrol engine that runs on the Atkinson cycle (it burns fuel more efficiently, but you get less power from the same displacement, so it works well with electric assistance). The e-motor is paired with a teeny 1kWh battery and there's a trick e-CVT gearbox. It's similar to the Toyota C-HR. 

It’s a powertrain that rewards gentle treatment of the throttle, the 0–62mph dash taking 10.7 seconds on its way to a 106mph top speed. Like you remotely care. Of more relevance are the official consumption figures: 52.3mpg and 122g/km CO2. More on the former under the Driving tab.

Is the HR-V as big as it looks in the pics?

What’s immediately surprising as you approach the new HR-V is that no, it doesn’t look as big and SUV-ish as it does in pictures. In the metal it is very wide and quite low, to the extent that you might bump your head the first couple of times you get in.

The second surprise is that the interior doesn’t match the boldness of the outside – when it was new it felt like Honda had simply pimped the old car, and more than three years on it still avoids the whizzbang theatrics embraced by the Peugeot 3008 or Hyundai Kona. Case in point: that 9in touchscreen is a tiddler and the graphics look dated.

Does it have the magic seats?

The rear seats in the HR-V are indeed magic – sadly they won’t make you richer, thinner or any more attractive, but you will be able to effortlessly fit bulky items in the middle of your car. The fuel tank sits under the two front seats, so that’s saved a bit of space.

There are other nice little touches in the cabin, like the L-shaped ‘diffuser’ air vents that avoid the trauma of air blowing right in your face by creating instead a “gentle breeze” along the side windows. The power tailgate (mid-range upwards) is also useful, opening up to the wide, accessible boot – just don’t try and talk to it while it’s working, otherwise you’ll confuse it and it’ll get stuck.

The HR-V is a mature and sensible addition to the tightly packed crossover landscape, and Honda’s added some thoughtful touches to it without loading it with gimmicks. Admirable, but... these are not words to stir the soul.

In fact, the HR-V is symptomatic of present-day Honda, looking entirely humdrum against a backdrop of better driving, better styled cars. Being functional and inoffensive only gets you so far.

Where's the innovation? Where's the self-confidence? Come on Honda, we know you can do better than this.