Honda ZR-V test drive

Make and model: Honda ZR-V
Description: Medium SUV
Price range: from £39,505

Honda says: “Bridging the gap between the new HR-­V and the new CR­-V, the ZR­-V is the latest Honda SUV to come with the company’s highly acclaimed hybrid powertrain as standard.”

We say: Perhaps the most stylised Honda, the ZR-V is a solid medium SUV with an economical hybrid engine. 

• Honda ZR-V (2023 – present) – Expert Rating
• More Honda reviews, ratings, news and features

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Introduction

The Honda ZR-V arrived in the UK in 2023 and sits just below Honda’s largest SUV, the CR-V. It’s also slightly bigger than the HR-V and e:Ny1.

Most of Honda’s lineup focuses on SUVs, with the Civic and Jazz being the only models offering different body styles. The ZR-V is closely related to the medium-sized family car Civic and shares the same hybrid engine which we’ll look at a bit later on. 

In our Expert Rating Index, as of September 2024, media reviews of the Honda ZR-V have earned the car an overall Expert Rating of B with a score of 68%. As the ZR-V is still fairly new, we don’t yet have enough used car data to give it a used car score. 

What is the Honda ZR-V?

As a medium SUV, the Honda ZR-V is in a segment with a lot of competition. It goes up against cars like the Ford Kuga, Hyundai Tucson, Seat Ateca and Skoda Karoq. Honda pitches the ZR-V as an SUV with sporty styling and performance. 

If the ZR-V isn’t quite big enough, Honda’s CR-V offers some more practicality and has the option of a plug-in hybrid engine. Alternatively, the HR-V is a size smaller. If you’re looking for an electric model, Honda can only offer you an electric version of the HR-V called the e:Ny1.

First impressions

Among a sea of mid-size SUVs, it can be difficult for any particular model to stand out. The Honda ZR-V does to a degree, at least if you’re looking at the front end. The nose and grille designs are unlike anything else in the Honda range, with a pointier style and the Honda badge above the grille rather than in the middle of it. The grille itself either has vertical strakes or an egg-crate pattern, depending on the trim level. We found opinion to be divided on whether it was a good look, however.

The rest of the exterior design is pretty much the usual vanilla SUV style, with nothing to really shout about.

Inside, the cabin is functional and well laid out so it’s easy to familiarise yourself with all the controls and buttons. It’s similar to the Honda Civic inside, with the addition of a floating centre console which has an open storage space beneath the electronic park brake switch. 

We like: Functional interior layout is easy to comprehend
We don’t like: Divisive front-end styling might put some people off  

What do you get for your money?

The Honda ZR-V range is available in three trim levels; Elegance, Sport and Advance. Pricing for all three options is quite close with around £3,500 difference between starting figures for Elegance and Advance. 

Elegance includes 18-inch alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors, rear-view camera, keyless entry and start, digital driver’s display, adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, LED lights, wired Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay. This specification starts from £39.5K

Sport trim is available from £41K and adds a powered tailgate with a kick sensor, privacy glass, wireless phone charger, and eight-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat.

Advance trim starts at £43K and adds adaptive headlights, a panoramic glass roof, heated leather steering wheel, heated rear seats and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. 

Across all trim levels, Honda’s safety package is included as standard. This includes traffic sign recognition, lane keeping assist system, lane departure warning, intelligent and adjustable speed limiter, forward collision warning, and eCall. 

The ZR-V range comes with a three-year / 90,000 mile warranty as standard. This is one of the shortest warranty periods in the new car market, with brands like Kia offering seven years.

We like: Good amount of equipment from entry-level 
We don’t like: More expensive starting point than competitors, disappointing warranty period

What’s the Honda ZR-V like inside?

The cabin has an air vent panel running along the front of the dash. A nine-inch touchscreen is mounted above this which has ‘home’ and ‘back’ buttons to make the system simpler to navigate. Beneath the vent strip is a bank of proper climate control buttons and dials, which are intuitive to use on the move and much easier than trying to work your way through a touchscreen menu to adjust the cabin temperature. 

Depending on the trim level, there’s either a tray or wireless phone charger in front of two cup holders. The ZR-V uses buttons instead of a gear lever to select the gear and activate the handbrake. Beneath this is a small tray to house things like your keys or a phone while it’s plugged into the USB-A or USB-C port. 

In the back, passengers get a good amount of legroom and a fold down armrest in the centre with cupholders. There are ISOFIX points on the outer seats and the seat base on the central seat is slightly shorter to offer the middle passenger some more knee room. Each rear door also has a small door bin. 

Compared to the likes of the Hyundai Tuscon or the Seat Ateca the ZR-V has a smaller boot that’s more closely comparable to the Ford Kuga or the Jeep Compass. There’s no lip to load luggage over and the seats fold down to increase load space. Unlike some rivals, there’s no seat back release button in the boot, you have to fold down the seats from the rear passenger compartment. A couple of hooks are included to hang items that would otherwise end up scattered across the boot floor. From Sport upwards, there’s a 12-volt outlet in the boot which is ideal for plugging an air mattress pump into for camping trips. 

We like: Functional layout and buttons in the front 
We don’t like: Boot on the smaller side with no seat release buttons

What’s under the bonnet?

All three trim levels are available with one engine option, a 2.0-litre petrol hybrid. This uses Honda’s e:HEV hybrid system which delivers 184hp and 186Nm of torque, the same engine used in the Honda Civic. Top speed for all trim levels is 108mph and the 0 to 62mph time is about eight seconds.

The electrified part of the powertrain is a basic hybrid, so you can’t charge it from an external charger. It uses two electric motors to support the petrol engine or to power the car in urban areas. The battery is small, however, so you will only get a couple of miles of EV driving before the petrol engine has to take over again.

The driver has access to four modes: Normal, Sport, Eco and Snow. These alter the throttle response depending on the desired effect. 

All variations of the ZR-V have a maximum unbraked towing capacity of 700kg and a braked maximum of 750kg. The ZR-V can also carry up to 65kg on the roof. 

What’s the Honda ZR-V like to drive?

The hybrid system makes the ZR-V quiet and relaxed on local journeys and even when the engine kicks in, it’s not too loud. The electric power helps the car get up to speed and it’s not sports-car-quick but it doesn’t feel sluggish. The steering is nicely weighted so it’s light when you want to manoeuvre the car at slow speeds and firms up as you go faster. 

On the motorway, it’s perfectly capable at speed and the safety assist systems engage as they should. Compared to its quiet cabin in urban areas, there’s a lot more wind and road noise. It’s by no means unbearable but if long journeys on the motorway will be a frequent occurrence then there are competitors that can offer a slightly quieter highway experience.

The default driving mode, normal, handles the vast majority of scenarios with ease, meaning there’s little requirement to change into Sport or Snow. Visibility all around is very good and the back window is a decent size so you’re able to get a clear view of traffic and obstacles behind. A reversing camera and parking sensors are standard which are helpful in tight spots and it doesn’t feel like a big car to position or park. 

We like: Smooth and easy to drive, good visibility
We don’t like: Noisy on the motorway  

Verdict

Equipped with an economical hybrid engine, an accessible interior layout and a good amount of rear passenger space, the Honda ZR-V is a solid choice for a medium SUV. The model range is more limited than competitors like the Hyundai Tucson, so it has a pricier starting point, but Elegance and Sport trims will offer a good level of equipment for the majority of drivers. Some rivals also offer plug-in hybrid variants which the Honda lacks. 

For drivers who mainly do local journeys with the occasional long journey involving motorway miles, the ZR-V will be a good pick. Noise levels on the highway shouldn’t be a deterrent though, this is down to road noise that’s exacerbated by poor road conditions. While some models in this category can offer larger boots, there’s plenty of room for the weekly shop, weekends away and larger items when the seats are folded down.  

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the Honda ZR-V, you might also be interested in these alternatives.

Citroën C5 Aircross | Ford Kuga | Hyundai Tucson | Jeep Compass | Kia Sportage | Mazda CX-5 | MG HS | Peugeot 3008 | Renault Austral | SEAT Ateca | Skoda Karoq | SsangYong Korando | Subaru XV | Suzuki S-Cross | Toyota C-HR | Vauxhall Grandland | Volkswagen Tiguan

• Honda ZR-V (2023 – present) – Expert Rating
• More Honda reviews, ratings, news and features

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