2016 Honda HR-V EX VIDEO REVIEW

2016 Honda HR-V EX VIDEO REVIEW by Auto Critic Steve Hammes

The CR-V is one of the most popular vehicles in America, providing the masses with all in one solution that fulfills the desires of most new car buyers. But what if Honda made an even smaller utility vehicle? Could it too lead the way in the burgeoning subcompact segment? This is the all-new 2016 HR-V.

The CR-V is a small SUV with a starting price of under $25,000. The Fit is a small wagon with a starting price of about $16,000. And in between the two resides Honda’s latest crossover, the HR-V – an amalgam of both with available all-wheel drive. The HR-V incorporates most of the new Fit’s strong suites in an upsized package; 9” longer, 3” taller and 2” wider.

Making more out of less; it’s become a hallmark of Honda’s small cars and just like the Fit from which it’s based, the HR-V transforms into a sizable cargo hauler with the seats folded flat, easily able to stow a bike or 2.

Honda calls it the Magic Seat, and it lends to the easy to configure, highly versatile nature of the HR-V. I wasn’t expecting this kind of leg and headroom back here but it’s surprisingly spacious with an adjustable backrest. Then when it’s time to carry bulky items the splitfold seats are a cinch to drop, creating 58 cubic feet of cargo volume. For some perspective, that’s 6 cubic feet more than the Fit and 10 more than the one of the HR-V’s new competitors, the Chevy Trax. And whether it’s used to conduct a lunchtime nap or to carry longer items, the front passenger seat affords maximum recline. And one more trick; the rear seat bottom can be folded up to make way for taller items. Honda cites this platform’s center mounted gas tank as the linchpin to the HR-V’s magical manipulations and it is indeed a bit of ingenious packaging.

And unlike the Chevy Trax that I recently tested, the HR-V’s interior feels fresh and assembled with quality. But its tech interface is mediocre.

This touchscreen and voice controlled HondaLink system is preferred over the maddeningly complex dual screen system found in some of their other products but it’s thin on features and provides no actual button redundancy outside of the steering wheel mounted controls. There’s no navi or OnStar-like goodness here such as a Wi-Fi hotspot, but there are highlight features such a multi-angle rearview camera and LaneWatch for monitoring activity on the vehicle’s right side. There’s also Smart Entry with push button start and an electronic parking brake to free up some real estate on the center console. Plus, there’s a sizeable storage area underneath that also houses your electronic connection points including 2 USB ports…something you can’t even get in an Acura MDX. The heated seats are a nice get and the modernized climate control interface looks upscale. The model I’m testing here is the HR-V EX – the middle trim between the base LX and the top of the line EX-L with leather and available navigation and sat radio.

Mine is a front-drive model with the standard 6-speed manual – all-wheel drive and a CVT are optional. But unlike the Fit, there’s no Earth Dreams under this hood. Instead Honda has turned to the Civic’s engine bay for inspiration using a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder generating a spry 127 pound-feet of torque and 138 horsepower. Though utilizing a single camshaft and forgoing direct-injection, the added might of this larger displacement powerplant accommodates the HR-V’s added size and all-wheel drive. But that also means it falls a little short in the MPG arena where it musters a decent 28mpg combined – though 4 mpg less than the Fit. You can find notably better numbers by opting for the continuously variable transmission. But this stick shift is typical Honda excellence and clicks assuredly into gear, has short throws and a light clutch pedal contributing to driver fun. But in general, the HR-V isn’t a sporty specimen and is happier slicing through city traffic than it is negotiating back road curves. The ride quality is next segment sophisticated with a pleasant gentleness and there’s enough noise insulating material to keep the cabin from getting loud. The only questionable moments come in the dull-looking Black Pearl paint and in some of the fade and scratch prone plastic body moldings. All in all, I quite enjoy the styling direction of the HR-V, contrasting nicely with the frumpy look of the Trax. Pricing starts at just under$20,000 while this EX trim stickers for $22,845. The subcompact crossover segment is booming and Honda appears to have produced yet another showroom success.

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