Having gotten up close and personal with the HR-V in the sub urban terrain of Langkawi island, I now understand just why the HR-V is such a hit at 13,000 bookings made in a span of a couple of months.
This has got to be Malaysia’s best selling SUV. Being a Honda product alone likely contributed to the confidence. But with such immense sales figures, they must have hit the nail on the head with this new product. And so, having tasted it for an extended period, it’s no wonder the HR-V is the perfect crossover for just about anyone. Keep in mind, the model we test drove in our review is the the V and our drive judgement is based on the the Langkawi Island terrain. As usual, I won’t bore you with the brochure details, instead:
Here are 10 things we like about the new HR-V:
Engine
The HR-V is powered by a 1.8L i-VTEC engine at 142hp with 172nm of torque. While the numbers can hardly turn a grown man on, I assure you, the actual operation of it just might. Yes it has all the cutting edge fuel efficiency and eco modes like any current Hondas, guaranteeing a greener drive but lets leave all the stuff running in the background where it should be.
Driving the HR-V on the twisty roads of Langkawi Island is an experience worth remembering. Cruising along the coast and ascending the curvy hill roads, the HR-V kept its pace well, even during overtaking. There is not an instance where I found it craving for power.
Though I won’t call it powerful, but when coupled with the HR-V’s creamy smooth transmission, I was actually impressed by the overall smooth power delivery. The sophisticated management of power and efficiency here makes up for any gripes one might have. No screaming no grunting. It builds pace with ease.
Transmission
Another favourite of mine this one, the HR-V utilises the CVT unit found on many Hondas. Previous iterations were great in my opinion, being almost faultless, smooth and matched well with the engines it came with. However, mild elastic sensation of the CVT box plagued their cars.
Not so with the new HR-V though. I found the CVT here pretty advanced and efficient. Honda mentioned that they’ve tuned the transmission to react better and attain a steeper acceleration curve, cleverly bringing the their CVT boxes closer to that of a new age automatic transmission.
The effects are obvious alright, faint kicks during upshifts can now be felt during enthusiastic driving which is good, hinting a sense of sportiness and an assurance that little or no power is lost in the rubber-band transition between gears. In fact, hardly any elastic sensations can be felt during operation.
There is also a gentle kick during downshift be it manually initiated or with the kick down button at the throttle pedal, where it was previously absent in regular CVT boxes. This kick is unlike conventional automatics that irritate most people, but somewhat more satisfying and mature like a dual clutch system would and I really like that a lot.
Handling
The HR-V truly is a car for the young and spirited. It was actually brilliant when approaching the corners that Langkawi island was littered with. If anything it felt like a CR-Z on stilts! (okay, relatively for a SUV) and like the CR-Z, the HR-V also feature a rear torsion beam system which, is generally not preferred in performance cars but in some cases does work to provide adequate handling characteristics. In this case, the HR-V employs torsion beam to create more cabin space and likely to lower production costs.
Even so, I found the HR-V very entertaining to drive and a joy to carve corners in. This being the hilly twists, tight turns and sudden direction changes – The pinnacle of road curves. I partake in circuit racing and drive race cars pretty often so it’s especially inspiring when I come across interesting cars such as this. The HR-V felt right in my hands, for a SUV. Like someone at Honda actually made an effort to engage motorsport engineers to fiddle with the chassis.
The HR-V has great steering feedback, with every degree in rotation of the wheel justified. Turn in is precise and produces minimal roll, almost flat for a SUV in fact. Though you’re not going to set hill climb records in the HR-V, it sure makes driving it more intensifying and there are a number of sedans that i would rather set aside but to drive the HR-V instead.
Suspension
The HR-V drives fantastic on most terrains. Bumps and dips are well absorbed, remains relatively flat for its physique at bends and is a great city car to commute daily in. There is hardly any concerns I can think of while operating, there is no harshness whatsoever or clunks or jolts. I love how they’ve tuned the ride to be honest.
However, what i’ve just reiterated above and the handling part goes out the window once the rear seats are loaded. You can have 2 persons in front and that’s about it. Any more pax or load in the rear literally ruins the HR-V’s agility and poise.
This is proven when I ferried just 1 more person in the rear. Agility aside, that extra 60kg somehow altered the rear suspension geometry and made for a boat-like ride in the sub-urban roads. It’s not shitty, just not as composed compared to when it’s unloaded. Then again, that was Langkawi Island. In reality, full 5-6 pax in the HR-V when in flat urban street conditions should fare okay.
Honda explained that it is a trade off when producing the HR-V as a crossover that can be driven like a car but with features of a SUV. Where in most cases, the HR-V is utilised as a city commuter more than a family bus, so its suspension is tuned towards that of a car as opposed to being permanently setup for heavy loads like a big SUV that would likely make for an uncomfortably firm ride for a small crossover like the HR-V.
Headlights
How is this important you ask? Well for one I enjoy night driving as much as anytime of the day and road illumination is of high importance. Now these quad LED projector headlights are out of this world. They truly are some of the best on the market and an applied innovation that work really well. Yes LED headlights are nothing new, Honda had implemented them for a while now and I’ve had the privilege of trying the current Accord with similar LED units but somehow they’re no where near as jaw-dropping in its reach.
The beams from the HR-V LED units are amazingly consistent, near white and well projected, even matching the likes of headlight kings, Lexus or BMW, despite not being adaptive. However, there is a small problem, these LED headlights on the HR-V are not self levelling nor cabin adjustable, which generally hardly cause any inconvenience but I find the stock adjustment level a tad too low. Nothing a request to Honda won’t solve of course. Did I mention the headlights are aesthetically pleasant as well?
Physique
If I were on the market for a mid-sized car in the RM100K range, I’d be hard-pressed to forgo the HR-V. Yet I never had the need for a tallish, front-wheel-driven, five door car that they call SUV these days. My daily needs are well taken care of with regular sedans to be honest and I prioritise driving pleasure more than anything else.
But now with the introduction of the HR-V, Honda has in a way revolutionised the term SUV, in fact, they’ve just created a new need for the HR-V, converting more sedan owners over. I have to say it looks pretty, sporty enough for most, is of a good medium sized body, drives really well and can prove to be a practical SUV when needed. Another great feature with having a car on stilts is the convenience from the get-go. It’s quite like a pair of flip-flops, just slip in and go.
These attributes are enough to sway just about anyone towards this perfect little crossover. Me included. I travel to Sepang Circuit twice a month and involves transporting a good amount of cargo and as i’m writing this, I am already fantasising what life could be If I’d acquire a unit.
Refinement
I know refinement is not a precise word to use in a mass market product such as this but what I’d like to emphasise here is the level of it. There’s plenty of premium-ish additions in the HR-V to tempt meticulous buyers. First off, many of the interior panels feature soft-touch pads and trims with detailed stitching to boot, further raising the bar in interior detail.
What i loved most are the buttons and levers in the HR-V. It’s a minute detail but is one aspect the European car owners like me would nit-pick about. Every button from the multi-function steering to the window operation to the entertainment system are well specced and has a good weight to it. No cheap clicks or clacks here.
Even the gear shift lever is a joy to be used. There’s a sense of resistance that were missing in Japanese cars of before. The point here is It doesn’t need to be expensive or lined with gold, it’s the sensation it provides. I like the fact that Honda now knows buttons and levers are not just buttons and levers, just like how it’s different when using an el cheapo PC keyboard versus say, a Mac keyboard. This is what I mean by the increased refinement in the new HR-V.
Cockpit Toys
There are treasures nestled under the “floating” gear shift column. A “2nd” floor of the centre console. Like a basement. There lie 2 USB ports that will be more widely used for phone charging than anything else, which in fact also function as a media input for the integrated entertainment system. Next to the USB ports, there’s a 12V power supply and next to that? Listen to this, a HDMI port.
A HDMI port. Wow. The things anyone would do with that feature. Why would Honda include that? I guess the answer is why not and right about time too. An immediate use I have for such a port? Watch my GoPro videos just after a drive maybe? Plug in my Note 3 for youtube or to play stored content maybe? It’ll be possible for one to hook up a media player, play kids videos, stream videos via 4G, etc. That and with sound through the built in car audio? Heaven.
It has pretty decent sounding audio system too. As tested via the built-in bluetooth audio and Spotify on my Note 3. I’d say the standard entertainment system in the HR-V is more than adequate and is on par with the current trends or needs with a few extras. Definitely adds on to the enjoyment of owning the HR-V.
Brake Hold
Not the most needed feature in a car, but might just become a new need for many. When the HR-V comes to a complete, the Brake Hold feature continues to apply braking force to make driving in heavy traffic much easier for the masses. Eliminating the need for the foot to keep the vehicle stationary while in D. Simply throttle on to continue moving and the the Brake Hold feature releases hold on the brakes automatically.
Rear Door Handles
Okay, it’s not exactly a substantial addition to a good article or a great car like the HR-V but this clever design hides the rear door handles to mimic sportier 2-door look. It plays a huge part in the overall young-ish, coupe design of the HR-V, previously unavailable on any SUVs. Practically un-reacheable for shorter kids though.
Specs
Fast Facts on The 2015 Honda HR-V (Model V)
- Zerotohundred: 11 seconds (claimed)
- Top Speed: NA
- Engine: Naturally Aspirated 1799cc 16V SOHC
- Power: 142bhp
- Torque 172nm
- Weight: 1249kg
- Fuel: 6.6L / 100km
- Price:
- Model V RM118,228.50
- Model E RM108,026.50
- Model S RM98,689.79
- Official Website: http://www.honda.com.my/model/overview/hrv
