Honda ZR-V drive by Steve Rogers
Another month, another new SUV.
Our appetite for these high riders is insatiable and car
companies are hell bent on filling every little gap in their SUV portfolios.
Honda saw such a slot between HR-V and CR-V so enter ZR-V, a
hybrid for the family but with a sharp sporting edge.
The modern day SUV is a solid drive but can't match the
handling of a hatchback. Or can it? Honda has built ZR-V on the same platform
as the outstanding Civic, so this is more fun to drive than its illustrious
rivals? Can it be as good as a Civic?
Of course not, yet Honda has made a pretty good fist of it
and this SUV is a genuine fun drive gliding confidently through twists and
turns. The suspension is on the firm side but is still pretty comfortable.
To back up the sporty handling ZR-V has sporty performance
with plenty of punch from the 2-litre hybrid engine. The hybrid set up is quite
interesting and deserves a couple of paragraphs of explanation.
This is not an electric car but drives off electric power
most of the time. Confused? Don't be. The 2-litre petrol engine generates power
to the charge the batteries which power two electric motors that drive the
front wheels.
The upshot is that driving in town or poodling around the
lanes will be on electric power with the engine seemlessly taking over at
motorway speeds. That translates into sprightly acceleration and a good lump of
torque for strong mid range pick up.
Economy will play a big part in tempting buyers as ZR-V
should easily top 50mpg.
Honda has gone for continusouly variable transmission, or CVT
as we know it. This provides an infinite number of gear ratios rather than the
hard shifts in a conventional gearbox. Not the most popular of systems because
changes can be random, and often holds on to a gear for too long.
But I was pleasantly surprised and liked the way Honda has
introduced fake changes. You don't feel a change but somehow sense it when the
rev counter pointer alters just like a conventional gear change. Weird, I know,
and best experienced by driving the car.
Enough of performance and gearboxes, ZR-V is first and
foremost a family SUV so is it up to the challenge? Two important areas to
consider: passenger space and luggage capacity. It passes with flying colours
on one and falls short on the other.
As a C segment car you expect it to be capable of carrying
five people and ZR-V does it well. Back seat legroom is generous so there
should be no complaints from six footers, and the seat base is set higher than
the front which will please toddlers who get a decent view of what is going on
outside.
With no transmission tunnel the flat floor makes it a
comfortable fit for three across the back, and headroom is fine as well.
Which brings us on to point number two, boot space. For a car
this size you could reasonable expect a capacity of at least 450 litres, and
that is way off class leading, but ZR-V can only muster 390 which is actually
less than the Civic!
It is an obvious area to criticise and then I ask myself how
often is a boot filled to capacity? Even when my two children were young I
cannot remember packing a boot until it was bursting, so is it really that big
a deal? It would not put me off.
Honda is keen to emphasise quality and to be fair the ZR-V
has a quality look all around the cabin. The full width mesh covering for the
air vents is eye catching and there is plenty of soft touch trim. Chunky
switches for the heating controls is pleasing with a nine inch touch screen
dealing with radio, navigation etc.
There are three trim levels with the entry Elegance good for
heated front seats, keyless go, rear camera, LED headlights and adaptive cruise
control. Move up to this Sport model for electric seat adjustment, wireless
charger, privacy glass and power tailgate. All three get an excellent suite of
safety features including hill descent which will be reassuring on an icy
slope.
Apart from excessive wind noise at motorway speeds there is
nothing much not to like about ZR-V although compromises might have to be made
when it comes to matching bootspace against the best of the rivals.
But as hybrid SUVs go ZR-V is definitely challenging for
medals on the winners podium.
Fast facts
ZR-V Sport eHEV
£41,095 (starts £39,505)
2-litre petrol hybrid; 181bhp
0-62mph 7.9secs; 108mph
48.7mpg combined
131g/km. 1st year tax £270
Boot: 390-1322litres
Insurance group 35
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