Sitting in the Honda SUV line-up between the smaller HR-V and larger CR-V, is the ZR-V, longer than HR-V and shorter than the CR-V. Honda this SUV draws more from Honda’s Civic hatch back.
Honda ZR-V eHEV 2.0i-MMD Sport
Inside
The ZR-V takes a que from the new Civic, giving the driver a cabin that is excellent throughout, with sharp ergonomic design, easy read pinpoint displays and tons of storage.
Space
In the front the ZR-V e:HEV 2-0 i-MMD Sport there is ample room for the driver with plenty of seat ajustment.
The door bins are a good size for all your odds and ends. There are a couple of charge ports and a place for your devices under the central armrest, while two cupholders are positioned in front of another storage bin. Under the armrest there’s a deep space to keep things too.
While in the back, passengers get an ample amount of space, with adults in no danger of struggling for headroom. Knee room is good, seats that provide great support. In the ZR-V’s boot is 380-litre space, plenty of room for a couple of suitcases. There are door bins and two sets of ISOFIX points that are easy to get to.
Boot space - You get 380 litres in the boot but by folding down the seats this gives 1,312-litre space. There’s no ridge to push things over, so you can load larger items easily. You also have hooks either side to hang bags and a 12V socket.
Infotainment and accessories
The ZR-V interior design is excellent, with simple lines and metallic detailing, a bar that crosses the entire cabin housing the air conditioning vents with easy use control toggles.
There is a lot of vegan leather on top of the dashboard and around the button-press gear selector and some black shiny trim. The easy to use climate control buttons and dials are separate from the 9.0-inch infotainment screen.
The infotainment system itself is also simple to use, with large graphics that are clear and a responsive touchscreen.
You can connect your smartphone through Applecarplay and Andriod Auto, but only the Apple system can be connected wirelessly.
There are touches of colour on the touchscreen’s graphics, but there's a lot of grey and black on the display. That theme continues through the rest of the cabin, with leather upholstery as standard on the seats.
Performance and Handling
The ZR-V e:HEV 2.0 i-MMD Sport is powered by the same 2.0-litre petrol hybrid unit coupled to Honda’s CVT automatic transmission again found in the Civic hatchback. Returning 0-60mph in 7.9 seconds and impressively giving efficiency, the official figure of 48.7mpg.
On the Motorway - With the electric motor powering the front axle does all the work a drop off in MPG during motorway journeys as the petrol engine will be constantly charging the battery that powers the motor. But we put in two 3 hour motorway runs and with a touch of smart driving the ZV-R e:HEV 2.0 i-MMD Sport refused to drop below 51mpg. Also the ZR-V motor remained reasonably quiet at motorway speeds though the 18-inch alloys did add a bit of tyre noise.
In Town - The ZR-V is excellent, the electric motor moves the ZR-V around without any issues, driven as an EV as slower driving is where the ZR-V is truly capable. The electric motor has enough pull to get you up to speed and you barely hear the petrol engine kick if it is needed.
You will feel some firmness through the suspension at times though, most noticeable over sharper bumps in town.
Country roads - The ZR-V e:HEV 2.0 i-MMD Sport handles well with steering that is light at first but becomes firmer as you turn the wheel tighter so you can take corners at speed with little or no body roll. Suspension is good, smoothing out all but the roughest of surfaces.
The ZR-V e:HEV 2.0 i-MMD is not slow it holds the road well and has rapid acceleration out of corners.
Conclusion
The Honda ZR-V e:HEV 2.0 i-MMD Sport is a very versatile car with a smart cabin design and efficient power setup, the car handles extremely well under most situations great in an urban situation, extremely safe to drive in city traffic and its smaller size and safety features, (including great visibility, parking sensors and camera’s, active cornering lights and adoptive headlights) enable safe parking and driving in poorly lit roads.
Comfort is premium with long journeys made easy, we used the car over two three hour trips in the South Wales countryside during some of the worst autumn weather and our ZR-V certainly looked after us. the mid-size SUV market.
Around Manchester city centre the ZR-V e:HEV 2.0 i-MMD Sport worked well on the school run with no difficulties getting around town.
This is a beautifully balanced vehicle that in our words ‘knows how to look after its passengers’ well done Honda
Tagged in Motoring Reviews