MOTORING REVIEW: ZR-V is Honda’s sporty hybrid SUV/Crossover

HONDA has filled out its SUV line-up with the addition of the ZR-V mid-sized family SUV which they claim is their sportiest-ever SUV-crossover. The vehicle replaces the previous HR-V.

Size-wise, the car is 1620mm in height, 1840mm in width and has a length of 4568mm, placing it in the middle of the brand’s SUV range between the HR-V and CR-V in the line-up.

ZR-V is a full hybrid car that combines style with satisfying driving performance, many high tech features and safety items while providing a very comfortable driving experience.

My review car had great road presence with its platinum white pearl exterior which showed off the metal to perfection against contrasting dark privacy glass. The exterior design appeals to the senses with a strong, athletic shape, sculpted curves, sleek lines, wide wheel arches and 18-inch alloys specific to each of the three grades available. The LED lights in front help give the car its own personality while the aerodynamic rear spoiler and twin exhausts add to the rear look as do the LED light clusters that almost span the rear. It all amounts to a clean, attractive styling that won’t date for the foreseeable future.

The car sits quite high on the road. While it doesn’t have the higher driving position of a bigger SUV, tall people will have little trouble getting in and out thanks to the higher roofline and the low position of the front passenger seat. While the interior is a bit dark, there are some nice soft touch materials on the dash and doors. Seats, a mix of fabric and black leather, hug you in well and my driver’s one had electric height adjustment and two memory settings, but no lumbar support.

The stylish yet simple dash is located quite low down and this, together with the big windscreen and very slim A-Pillars greatly aid front/side visibility. Side mirrors come with very good blind spot cover. Many cars I drive have annoying dash top reflections on the windscreen, but there's no such complaint with the ZR-V.

The 9-inch infotainment system touchscreen with navigation is plenty big for the size of the dash. Controls for the radio, Bluetooth, audio, phone and navigation are all visible on the lower screen. Below are three real knobs for temperature controls and you also don’t have to go through the screen for radio volume and home button. The big 10.2-inch instrument cluster screen provides relevant drive information. It comprises two dials with your current speed also displayed digitally and there’s a compass in the middle of the speedometer dial. The steering wheel is adjustable for rake and reach.

Three adults will fit in the rear with good head and leg space, but the middle seat is smaller. The low transmission tunnel won’t interfere with leg or foot space. Nor will people here have a problem with headroom as the end of the sunroof doesn’t interfere with their head space. Rear seats split 60/40 but don’t slide back and forth. The boot can expand from 380 to 1312 litres with rear seats folded and has under-floor storage. You can set the power tailgate to stop at the height you require for your garage roof height.

Well-specced grades are Elegance, Sport and Advance. Each has its own distinctive grille. Elegance gets Honda’s Sensing, digital driver’s display, LED lights, Wireless Apple CarPlay, Adaptive Cruise Control, heated front seat, rear view camera, front and rear parking sensors. Sport adds wireless charging, Honda Connect with Navigation, power tailgate while Advance includes Premium Bose Audio with 12 speakers (which takes up some boot space), leather upholstery and that panoramic glass roof.

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The hybrid powertrain uses a combination of two electric motors and a 2.0 181bhp petrol engine to create electric power that drives the car while a regenerative braking system returns waste energy to top up the electric battery. The engine is matched to a smooth, single-speed automatic transmission. The set-up allows the instant power of an electric car while the hybrid drive allows a sporty responsiveness and a long range. Official fuel consumption is rated at 5.7 L/100kms. The cruise range available when I collected the car was 838kms.

Drive modes are Normal, Sport, Economy and a Snow mode which, although not all-wheel-drive, offers better grip in snow or icy conditions.

I found the ZR-V seemed a better drive than some competitors. From 0-100km/h takes around 7.5 seconds, quite snappy enough for an everyday family car and max torque is 315Nm. The steering is nicely weighted. I appreciated the comfort of the interior, how well it drove on all kinds of roads, its agility to manoeuvre in tight spaces and how the front lights lit up both sides of the road so brilliantly for night driving. Everything seemed so very well built. A car I’d like for myself!

ZR-V was given a 4-star safety rating out of a possible 5 stars by Euro NCAP, which highlighted some deficiencies in the Driver Assist section and some marginal performances in certain impact situations.

Prices are from €54,995-€59,995. Annual road tax €270-€280.