HR-V e:HEV

Impressively Honda

Words by Mark Slack

Honda have a well-deserved reputation for quality and reliability and it’s not only their latest models either, with older Hondas regularly featuring highly in used car surveys. They may, arguably, not be the most exciting cars but many people, even if they have their exciting sports models, often need a comfortable and reliable car for every day, practical use. Hondas fit the bill perfectly!

The HR-V e:HEV is the company’s small SUV that combines both petrol and electric to produce an eminently useable car that combines the best of electric with the, at the moment, more practical petrol power. The combination works well to both reduce emissions and increase MPG without the need for stopping and plugging in to charge.

Prices start at £32,725 and peak at £39,395 with five trim levels and a generous standard equipment list across the range. All models come with wireless CarPlay, heated front seats, navigation, front and rear parking sensors, rear view camera, rear privacy glass, keyless entry and start, adaptive cruise control and three drive modes.

One engine choice provides the power for all models in the range, a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol unit aligned to not one but two electric motors for a combined 131PS. The e:CVT automatic gearbox is probably the only thing that merits any complaint about the HR-V. It’s a characteristic with all these units, not just on Hondas, that when you accelerate hard, the engine will instantly rise to high revs and stay there while the speed catches up. This creates a constant “droning” noise, which is almost unpleasantly noisy under hard acceleration, smooth and progressive acceleration is key to restoring the normal Honda refinement. It’s a knack of driving that is easily mastered and makes life more aurally pleasant. The redeeming feature of the gearbox, in this old-fashioned writer’s view, is the fact it has a proper gearshift lever!

On the road the HR-V is impressively refined (gearbox issues apart) and smooth as one would expect from Honda, there are no rattles or flimsiness and the interior is a delight, feeling suitably premium.  The ride quality is excellent, soaking up the bumps and potholes well, and considering it’s not the kind of car built for enthusiastic point-to-point drives across country the handling is very good too.

In short, if you need a premium, comfortable, well equipped and comfortable car that’s practical for any and every kind of use, the HR-V is quite possibly the one that will tick all your motoring boxes.

Words by Mark Slack