The spotlight has come on in the entry-level SUV or compact crossover segment. That is the podium to watch out in the affordable as well as the premium segments. Because, this is where the hatchback is getting transformed to suit the growing preference for SUVs. Honda has entered with its new HR-V and wants to make it a catching up game for others. How far ahead are they? Here is the most comprehensive review this far.

THE DIMENSIONS: 4348 x 1772 x 1605 mm Wheelbase: 2610 mm Ground Clearance: 170 mm Curb weight: 1264 – 1322 kg Boot space: 470 L

THE FEATURES: Multifunction steering wheel • automatic climate control • Smart Entry / push-button start / walk-away door locks

THE SPECS: 1.8L 16-valve SOHC i-VTEC petrol engine, 140hp @6500rpm / 172 N-m torque @ 4300 rpm, Front-wheel drive, 7-speed fully-automatic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission), Test fuel economy: 11.7 km/l

THE PRICE: At the end of the review

SAFETY & DRIVER ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES: Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control, Driver and passenger front airbags on all grades, Side airbags and side curtain airbags on the EX Grade only, Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), Hill Start Assist (HAS) and Honda’s next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure for safer force distribution in a frontal crash, rearview camera with multi-angle and wide view in EX Grade, Rear corner parking sensors in the LX and EX Grades
EXTERIOR COLOURS: White Orchid Pearl / Lunar Silver Metallic / Modern Steel Metallic / Crystal Black Pearl / Passion Red Pearl / Brilliant Sporty Blue Metallic

The Design

Honda HR-V is one of the most balanced designs in the Honda range; nothing seems to be overdone, it’s hard to find a loose ounce of fat or an extra fibre of muscle. Faultfinders might say the single-plate grille looks a wee bit larger but that grin flaunted by this new compact SUV is the new Honda signature! The LED lights in front and the rear taillights with integrated LED light bars look good and even design quirks are nicely underplayed in the HR-V. Look at the rear door handle, nicely tucked away in the kink in the top corner as in the Hyundai Veloster and the Nissan Juke. The sporty bumpers are flanked by 16” alloy wheels for DX and 17” Alloy wheels for LX and EX. While there is a hint of a haunch, it doesn’t fall ironic on the engine output because Honda has sensibly brought the 1.8L engine to this region.

Cabin and Controls

Step inside to see more of what makes the HR-V stand out in the entry-level SUV segment. There is an overall sense of superiority that greets you, especially with the clean, white design as well as the bright, open space below the only panoramic sunroof in its class – interrupted only by a ridge between the part that opens and that doesn’t. In the top trim that I drove, the beige leather seats initially impress while the classy-looking soft synthetic trims too remain agreeable. The DX and LX Grade get beige fabric seats. The top trims have digital air-conditioning controls that are ‘cool’ in a minimalistic way but the array of manual controls in the lower trims make for a surprisingly good looking console!

The minimalism practised in this Japanese car adds to its premium aura. The 6.8” multimedia screen is compact yet adequate – quite like the HR-V. There isn’t a mess of on-screen functions; so radio, Bluetooth audio, etc. don’t get lost. While the slim stack of buttons on the sides was black and elegant – two of them hide the USB and HDMI ports – I kept looking for the volume button till the headlights were on and they gave themselves up. For charging a smart phone, the USB port was surprisingly fast!

The central console houses the electronic parking brake along with the automatic brake hold button before steeping into a convenient armrest and a small storage space that falls beneath it. The gear stalk looks a little frail compared with the mildly muscular look of the HR-V. For a compact SUV, folding side-mirrors are a bonus but the light switch doesn’t have an automatic setting.

A very impressive set of access feature comes in the top two trims – Smart Entry by unlocking the door without taking the key from your pocket / push-button start without having to insert the key / walk-away door locks when the car detects the key fob is no longer near the vehicle. Something to swing your key in the face of peers!

The Drive

While choosing many practical features from the Honda Jazz, the new HR-V has chosen a 1.8L engine over the 1.4L boiler, ensuring enough power despite being over 200 kg heavier than the Jazz. The start does tell you that anything less than the 140 hp / 172 Nm power-pack wouldn’t have made the cut for a bright and bubbly compact crossover. The transmission is CVT and Honda has furthered the ‘feels-like-an-automatic’ game that the CVT proponents keep playing. The HR-V comes with paddle shifters designed to make you feel like you are driving a 7-speed automatic rather than a continuously variable transmission – overall, I am good with how the shifting feels like an automatic under hard acceleration though not how its name sounds (7-speed ‘fully automatic CVT)! Sticking to lower revs, however, makes the HR-V feel more refined.

The HR-V doesn’t come in an All Wheel Drive version but driving this one is fun enough. The centrally placed fuel tank contributes to a perfect weight ratio, improving driving dynamics and minimising body roll. (It also helps to have amplitude reactive dampers – ignore the jargon.) Some part of the fun comes from the easygoing traction at playtime but responsible driving would play it down while negotiating turns and roundabouts on less gripping roads. On regular roads, thanks to the low, squatting stance, the compact SUV instills confidence with its stability. Driving vision is excellent too, with side view mirrors taking care of the blind spots.

The driver information gauge kept changing colour from blue to green depending on my driving style. Even without engaging the economy switch with the green leaf icon, I ended up with almost 12 km per litre. In fact the average for the 4300+ km driven so far was 8.6L for 100 km!

Family Drive

The new Honda HR-V seats five, with plenty of legroom and headroom that didn’t leave my 6-foot cameraman complaining. Well, the sweep-down in the rear could graze your hair if you are even taller! The seats ride easy and unlike many compact crossovers, the cooling is efficient without being noisy.

The space in the boot is another segment-leading feature for a ‘compact’ SUV – thanks partly go to the centrally mounted fuel tank. When it seats five, it has 470 L of space, which can grow to an incredible 1456 litres! doubles when you knock down the rear seats. The boot comes with a nice cover that stops things from flying around. The tailgate could feel kinda heavy till you get used to it, but it comes with a useful stay-spring mechanism.

The ‘magic seats’ are perhaps the best thing Honda picked for the HR-V from its hatchback sibling Jazz. The rear seats can be split 60:40, and they can be folded down flat or lifted up straight to store something wider and taller than usual in the foot-well. The loading can be easily done from the side. When it comes to cargo, the HR-V provides generously, which is unlike the storage tidbits. The armrest storage is just enough and the rear storage isn’t much to write home about other than a 500 ml bottle space and the seat-back pockets. However, underneath the central console runs a parallel storage niche that comes with an anti-slip rubber pad to slip in something handy!

The Honda HR-V has a few impressive safety options. The full options get front, side and side curtain airbags – 6 in total – while the others get two each. The rear view camera has a wide-angle view too and while the image turns a bit blurry on hot and humid afternoons, the screen is sharp and clear in the night, when you need it most!

The essential Honda HR-V

In the compact crossover segment, the Honda HR-V ticks the right boxes with the right size, convenience features and the fun-to-drive quotient; it is certainly a strong contender for your compact garage space.

TRIMS AND PRICING: Starting at AED 76,900. The top trim is available at AED 86,900 inclusive of leather seats, sunroof, push start button and camera. but there are two special editions that stand above this – the S edition and the Black Edition. For AED 10,000 more, the S edition give you good looking chrome lower bumpers and solid-looking steel sidesteps, that are there to look at than step on. The Black Edition is AED 5000 more and well, it is black. If you aren’t into ‘special editions’ the one totally worth it is the top trim with 6 airbags, the widest sunroof you’ll see in the category, the leather seats and the multimedia screen.