Car reviews

Introduction

The new Honda HR-V is the younger, smaller and cooler brother of the CR-V. It is an incarnation of the J-WJ concept vehicle that was turned into a production model by popular demand. It is one of the most popular early crossovers. With the HR-V Honda got most of the things right ‐ striking exterior design, good fuel economy and sound build quality.

Exterior & Interior

It looks bigger than it actually is. Unlike its older brother, the HR-V can actually seat only 4 and there’s very little luggage space. It isn’t, however, targeting the family market. The HR-V was designed to pleased younger generation who wanted something different that looks fun and feels like fun.

The HR-V is one of those rare brave models that make the transition between the concept stage to the production version without losing its striking design characteristics. The car looks as cool as when it was first shown at the Tokyo Motor show in 1997. The dynamic exterior design actually hides the fact that the HR-V is a rather small car. It certainly doesn’t look small, mainly due to its bigger-than-life personality.

There are only two things that it inherited from the CR-V ‐ the boring interior style and the useless 4-wheel drive system. Things did get slightly better in 2001 when the dashboard received a long-awaited redesign.

Drive

The front row of seats is very comfortable and slightly reminds of a space-ship. All the controls are laid out conveniently. There’s not much fun for the occupants of the rear seats ‐ despite the wide doors and a prolonged configuration, it feels rather crammed. At only 285 litres the boot is not the biggest amongst the crossovers.

Driving an HR-V is just like looking at it ‐ fun and quirky. The suspension is ok and the higher road position makes the driving experience pleasant. It is quite a responsive car and you’ll soon get used to its steering and brakes.

It’s a smooth little vehicle, but as with its older brother it’s not an off-road car. The high ground clearance might be helpful in some situations but it will still stick in mud if abused. Bumpy country roads should be no problem for an HR-V, but leaving a road is not necessarily a good idea.

Faults & Repairs

There were plenty of HR-Vs built before the discontinuation of the range in 2006. Spare parts are easy to source and many garages are quite confident about Hondas making most of the repair jobs simple.

The HR-V is as reliable as other Hondas of the early 2000s. The majority of the cars will have been used in the city so they don’t come with the typical 4x4 wear and tear issues. It’s advisable, though, not to buy early HR-Vs with an automatic transmission as that is the part that has the shortest lifespan.