MAKE THE GRADE
Mid-spec HR-V is a safe pick. Shame about the screen H
onda’s HR-V is a talented allrounder with segment-busting cabin space for a small SUV, selling to tens of thousands of Australians keen on Honda’s known reliability and the model’s style and decent equipment list.
As such, hundreds fill the classifieds as original buyers look to update their HR-Vs, which arrived in the current iteration in February, 2015. This second generation has had more love than the previous box-on-wheels HR-V, which arrived in 1999 and disappeared just two years later.
For preloved examples up to August last year (when it got a facelift), HR-V reliability has proved excellent. The earliest cars and those over 100,000km are now out of the original three-year warranty.
From July 1, 2017, Honda introduced fiveyear/unlimited-kilometre warranties so these are most desirable if funds allow. There were promotional seven-year warranties at times in 2017, so find one of these and that’s a huge win.
The small SUV market has boomed since the attractive urban HR-V launched. Against rivals, it has been praised for its versatility, build quality, strong engine and comfort around town.
It’s not all sugar-coated. Like a tidal wave of owner consensus, practically everyone living with an HR-V criticises its infotainment and Bluetooth phone connectivity.
Should used buyers care? If you’re upgrading from, say, a 10-year-old car, the Honda’s touchscreen and features may seem positively space age. Against contemporaries, the Honda lags far behind.
The seven-inch dashboard screen is angled such that daylight easily catches it, making it near impossible to see the display. This can be very distracting if you’re navigating music choices or menus, taking eyes off the road.
For the reversing camera, the same applies. If the screen isn’t properly visible, it’s harder to avoid bollards when parking or, worse still, pets or kids behind.
Adding to the problems, the heater controls are via a separate screen. Some owners say this can be unclear and clunky to operate, meaning more time with eyes off the road.
Built-in satnav came only in May, 2017 (as part of an infotainment upgrade), there is no digital radio and some owners say in-car Bluetooth calls are near impossible — the HR-V isn’t one for technology lovers.
If space and versatility are more your bag, the HR-V triumphs. Its “Magic Seats” flip and fold 18 ways, enabling up to 1533L of cargo capacity and besting some medium SUVs.
The fuel tank is under the front seats so the rear seat bases can smartly fold up to give excellent tall load space. You can take a dog, pot plants or bikes, positioned upright with front wheel removed — excellent for a small SUV.
HR-Vs are front-drive, the 1.8-litre is the sole engine and it turns a continuously variable transmission. The grade is the biggest choice.
The base VTi scored 16-inch alloys, LED rear lights, halogen daytime running lights, seveninch colour touchscreen, aircon and rear camera.
In the mid-spec VTi-S, there were 17-inch alloys, smart entry and start, LED auto lights and DRLs, foglights, auto wipers, roof rails, blind spot monitor, auto emergency braking (up to 32km/h) and leather steering wheel.
The flagship VTi-L came with 17-inch sports alloys, paddle-shifters, leather seats, panoramic sunroof, front and rear parking sensors and dual- zone climate control. Its “ADAS” option added safety kit such as lane departure and forward collision warnings.
In August, 2016, came the Limited Edition, a VTi with 17-inch alloys, side steps, rear sensors and front fog lights. The cheapest HR-Vs will be out of warranty. Look for examples with remaining coverage for peace of mind, and insist on full service history.
Most certainly an urban SUV, these frontdrivers shouldn’t have seen anything harder than a dirt road in their duties. Check for bashes and dents underneath, or lots of fine scratches on body panels, suggesting an optimistic owner has tried some off-roading.
Examples formerly owned by young drivers and those who frequent bowls clubs might have a higher than average bingle count. Check for body scrapes, scrubbed alloys and poorly lined up panels suggesting it’s had a less pampered life.
If family owned, check there’s no lasting damage from the little darlings dropping sweets and drinks (or worse) on the carpet and seats.
Have a play with the Magic Seats to check there’s space enough for your needs. The lack of rear vents will make summer travel less comfy.
Plug your phone in, pair it via Bluetooth and check whether you can tolerate the muchloathed infotainment. The screen’s at its worst on bright days.
Some owners complain of excessive road noise. If you plan lots of highway driving, get the HR-V up to 110km/h and check you could endure it on long trips. The CVT isn’t a bad one but gets whiny when you floor the throttle.
There have been aircon fails, or at least poor functioning, so check the effectiveness. Reliable and mostly loved, the HR-V’s only let down by its poor infotainment. The VTi-S looks best value for the inclusions and extra safety equipment. Target a VTi-L only if you really want leather and panoramic roof. Look for the longer warranty in examples from July, 2017.
I’ve been a happy owner for 18 months. Outward vision and comfort are good, the GPS is easy to set up and it’s thrifty on fuel. Services are at a capped price. The only missing “toy” is a CD player, which is a shame.
I went for leather seats and safety kit in my late-2016 VTi-L. It’s mainly used in town and on the school run. It’s a good size for a small family, drives really nicely and doesn’t use too much fuel. I’ve had no problems but the screen in the dash is really hard to see at times. I’d buy another HR-V.