- For: Massive boot, spacious cabin, good looks
- Against: Woeful infotainment, some engines lack poke
- Verdict: Practical crossover with a quality cabin
Honda says the HR-V has the styling of a ‘sports coupe’, which is nonsense. Instead, it’s just another compact crossover.
Still, it’s very spacious, with a massive 470-litre boot: more than you get in the larger Nissan Qashqai. There’s plenty of room up front, too, although taller folk might find headroom restricted in the rear. Blame the ‘sports coupe’ roofline.
The HR-V also gets Honda’s ‘Magic Seats’, which allow the rear chair bases to be folded up.
The non-turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol and 1.6 diesel engines feel lethargic, so opt for the 1.5-litre turbo petrol. This makes the HR-V genuinely fun to drive; shame it’s reserved for the £28,000 Sport version.
A satisfying six-speed manual gearbox is standard, with a dimwitted CVT automatic also available.
Inside, the pleasant cabin is let down by a lacklustre touchscreen. It’s fiddly, slow to respond and blessed with graphics that would have been acceptable in the 80s.
KEY INFO
- Launched: 2015
- Facelifted: 2018
- Due for replacement: 2021