When I heard the news that a possible lockdown was on the cards, I had a Range Rover Velar as well as a Kia Seltos parked in my driveway. The Kia was due back (You can read my Seltos review here) and the Velar, beautiful, powerful beast that it is, had to be returned as well. However, Honda's current HR-V 1.8 Elegance CVT is proving to be an invaluable lockdown companion.
Styling
The HR-V is meant to have the styling cues of a coupé, the practicality of an MPV, and the robustness of an SUV. Honda gets the coupé-part right with the HR-V's sloping greenhouse, hidden rear door-handles and sweeping character lines. Thankfully, the HR-V's belt line isn't high enough to impair the kids' visibility to the outside, and the rearmost window extends past the C-pillar so nobody on the back seat feels claustrophobic. In front, it's a modern, minimalistic design, featuring Honda's "solid wing face", which sounds like a bit of Japanese poetic license. Swept-back LED headlamps and LED daytime running lamps complete the contemporary picture, while 17-inch alloys adorn its side profile.
Related: Honda HR-V vs Mazda CX-3: which one is the best value for money?
Interior features
Our test model, the leather-clad HR-V 1.8 Elegance, has that unmistakable feeling of Honda quality inside. With the last facelift toward the end of 2018, the entire cabin was upgraded with more upmarket materials. Honda is big on the shiny piano black trim, but it does seem to attract a fair share of dust and fingerprints. There are storage cubbies aplenty, including a movable armrest, and the central cupholders also have a flip-down function that allow for storage of loose items underneath. Just below the centre tunnel is a recess with a rubber surface that offers additional "shelving" for phones or devices. There's also a 12V power socket to be found here.
Regarding the 6.8-inch infotainment touch screen system, it's disappointing that there's no Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but this is a feature that has only become standard in the major players of SUV-Ville quite recently. The sound system in the top-spec 1.8 Elegance model is decent, with 4 speakers and 2 tweeters in front. There's a USB- as well as an HDMI-port right next to the touchscreen, and Bluetooth is standard.
For those seated in the back, there's a central armrest with cupholders as well as an additional cupholder and 12V power socket at the back of the centre tunnel. The Elegance model has automatic air-con, push-button start and smart entry. The latter enables you to gain access to your car or lock your doors all while the key fob remains in your pocket or handbag. Other creature comforts in the Elegance model include heated front seats, cruise control, parking sensors / a rearview camera, rain-sensing windscreen wipers and rear privacy glass.
Related: Suzuki Vitara vs. Honda HR-V vs. Ford EcoSport - running cost comparison
Space
Honda's designers surely must have a few parents on their team, since practicality has always been a key feature on all their cars - yes, even the sporty ones, like the Honda Civic Type R!
There is so much room on the HR-V's back seat, it's not even funny. Shifting in behind the driver's seat (which was adjusted to fit my partner's six-foot frame), I had plenty of space between my knees and the seat backs, and I'm 1.73 metres tall.
The other highlight that parents will adore is Honda's Magic Seat system that allows the seats to be tilted backwards or folded forward. The cargo area itself is just under 400 litres when the back seats are in an upright position (the rear seats split 60:40.) A full-size spare hides underneath the boot floor and the tonneau cover is retractable.
All of this space served me exceptionally well when I had to stock up on lockdown supplies. No, I didn't panic buy, but I had to make sure I had enough essentials so I wouldn't have to leave my house often. Should life return to normal soon, hopefully, the space bestowed by the magic seats can be utilised for bicycles and such, instead of cartons of long-life milk and loo-paper! In retrospect, I wish I had rather stocked up on a few cases of wine, rather...
Drive, performance, and fuel economy
I'll be honest - driving back the 1.8 Elegance model from Cape Town, for a moment I thought I took delivery of the wrong car: The 1.5-litre Comfort. Maybe I had just become so used to downsized, turbocharged engines, that the 1.8-litre, naturally-aspirated HR-V felt particularly slow. Then I realized I was driving with the green 'Econ' button depressed (see image below), which primes the engine and gearbox to use less fuel, and makes the throttle less responsive. On paper, the HRV's power figures of 105kW and 172Nm look impressive, but the noisy CVT gearbox creates an impression of an engine that's very hard at work, which isn't the case. When not in Eco-mode, the HR-V feels a lot livelier. In short, if you want perkier performance, leave that Econ button alone.
With regards to fuel economy, our average currently stands at 7.9 litres per 100 km, but we've only been driving to the shops and back, and that's about 5-10 minutes away. This is more-or-less what you can expect for this engine size.
The HR-V is easy and comfortable to drive. Its suspension is not quite as forgiving over speed bumps as the above-mentioned Kia Seltos and Suzuki Vitara, so it would be interesting to see how it behaves on well-eroded gravel or dirt. And did I mention that there are paddle shifters if you'd rather be "in charge" of gear changes yourself? Such a pity that there are no manual models available, though, but in this segment, people want the car to do all the work.
Safety
Hondas are some of the safest cars around so it comes as no surprise to find six airbags as well as stability control on its list of safety features that also include ABS, EBD, brake assist, hill-start assist, ISOFIX child seat anchorage points and 3x3-point safety belts on the rear seat. In the 1.8 Elegance model, the headlamps are auto-levelling.
Pricing
The HR-V 1.8 Elegance is a quite pricey R445 700, while the 1.5 Comfort costs R376 700. In this price range, there is much to choose from, so you can really take your pick. If you've been eyeing a Honda, it's probably because of the brand's excellent reputation for reliability, therefore you should also investigate similar options from Toyota, such as the newly-upgraded Toyota C-HR (the flagship 1.2T Luxury model costs R441 900). And don't forget about the bigger Toyota RAV4 either - the 2.0 GX auto is priced at R457 700.
Related: H2 vs. Nissan Qashqai vs. Toyota RAV4
Since we're on the topic of reliability, another brand you may be interested in is Volkswagen. The T-Cross 1.0TSI 85kW Highline is priced at R374 500, but it's not nearly as roomy.
The Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi Acenta Plus (diesel), is going to give you a lot of mileage for your money and it costs R443 900, but if space is the true draw card, then the larger Nissan X-Trail 1.5dCi Visia (also diesel, at R436 300) is a good-value buy. Also check out the Kia Seltos which boasts larger-than-average rear legroom for its segment. (Remember that all these models are available used, so check our sales site for great deals!)
Verdict
The sheer spaciousness, reliability and practicality of the HR-V makes it a winner in any sensible grown-up's book, and we all know that Hondas do not "break" easily. While I was a little disappointed by the HR-V's dated infotainment system, it is probably going to be upgraded soon. The HR-V's other talents, such as its high-quality interior and bomb-proof mechanics, more than make up for what isn't quite perfect.
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