2016 Honda HR-V – An Entry Level Crossover with Flashy Looks

A Low Cost Solution to Take on Modern Tasks

Most automakers would claim technology gets better over time. While this statement marks the holy grail of automotive economics, the mouths of Honda executives would rather claim technology to become more versatile – at least for the all new 2016 Honda HR-V. The Honda HR-V is all about fuel savings, versatility, sporty looks at a very respectable price tag.

And strictly speaking of the brand itself, Honda remains the definitive manufacturer of one of the top contenders in fuel economy and reliability. With that being said, the HR-V may perhaps be the most suitable candidate to design and build the ultra do-it-all crossover SUV. But despite its high notes, the HR-V faces other strong contenders in the market of similar specimens. Namely the Mazda CX-3 and Ford Fiesta are only a few worth mentioning that are stacked head to head the HR-V.

Visual Enticement.

For an entry level budget car, the Honda HR-V is a visually pleasing. Its front fascia is a consignment of sharp hexagonal headlamps accompanied by fluid contours around its lower bumper and fog light mounts and stamped with Honda’s simple and classic badge. Its side panels are carved out with three razor contours underlined by a trendy lower body side-skirt and a low profile front hood to give off a sporty and athletic look. Its rear retains a standard subcompact cross-over SUV looks with an embedded spoiler, slanted rear windshield and upright truck/rear bumper and tail light paneling.

It’s got all the modern touches while retaining the standard Honda qualities. And while keeping tabs with the face of reality, the HR-V is a low budget car, and its visual qualities speaks the truth. Yes, there could have been LED headlights added, larger 18″ wheels mounted rather than its smaller 17″ counterparts and a more sophisticated curves around back. But otherwise, the HR-V still retains a positive outcome in our books in terms of exterior design.

Interior

Quite frankly, this department has never really been Honda’s expertise. While the interior of the HR-V remains clean and tidy, the qualities and general ergonomics were lacking in our books. Leather seats were comfortable and felt durable, but didn’t match up in terms of quality of touch and feel. Side panels also felt cheap and sound isolation from wind and road noise was easily leaked into the cabin space.

Cabin space amenities are controlled by the HondaLinkTM infotainment system mounted atop the center console. It works, but responsiveness is sluggish and almost frustrating to use. And there is simply no volume knob; rather, it’s controlled by the steering mounted buttons, or the finicky capacitive touch buttons mounted beside the infotainment screen.

Roominess is however; spacious for four small adults while back seat real estate can become compromised with a 5th body. But overall, leg space is adequate for the most part. The 2nd row also features Honda’s “Magic Seat” that can be folded down from a simple pull of the lever for added trunk space capacity when moving tasks calls for it.

Powertrain Performance

Powering the Honda HR-V is a small-scale 1.8L 4 cylinder i-VTEC engine producing a shallow 141 horsepower and 127 lb-ft of torque. Mated to its engine shaft is a choice of a fuel-efficient CV-T or a manual 6-speed transmission.

Our tested model came with a CV-T transmission. While fuel economy can be benefited, it’s quite difficult to justify cost savings for its obnoxious gear whining and a complete lack of driving enthusiasm. But fuel savings are apparent. The CVT transmission achieves a EPA ratings of 8.3/7.0 L/100KM in the city and highway respectively while its 6 speed manual transmission gets 9.3/7.6 L/100KM.

Driving Impressions and Final Thoughts

As much as its sporty looks and small wheels, the HR-V simply didn’t deliver the level of driving enthusiasm as I had hoped. Acceleration was sluggish due to the CVT transmission and steering lacked positive feedback and precision. Driving in the cold weather wasn’t a pleasing experience either as the miniature engine does not generate a lot of heat to keep the cabin space warm at a reasonable time.

While the 6 speed manual transmission would have definitely changed the positive mindset of driving excitement, the HR-V was simply never designed to handle around corners. It was meant to be a simple car to get you from point A to B in reasonable fashion.

In summary, It’s not going to win any design awards; neither is it going to magnetize eyeballs on the road, but there will be always be a sense of gratitude and excitement every time you walk up to the HR-V parked on the side street. There are a lot of choices out there that overcome the shortcomings of the HR-V such as better interior quality, sharper handling and more horsepower, but of course, there is a price difference to pay. The base price is a sub 20K for the lowest LX-2WD and $24,290 for the LX model equipped with better amenities such as heated front seats, 2nd row fold down seats and rear view camera and AWD.

As much as I had hoped that the HR-V would deliver a level of driving satisfaction, its caveats and pitfalls simply didn’t do it for me. As an ultra basic compact SUV, the driving experience felt more like a chore than a pleasure. This may will work for the low budget buyers, but those wanting a little more will be thankful they had saved up a little longer for a more exciting driving experience.