Honda ZR-V

- Honda ZR-V -

 

We all know of the Honda CR-V and its baby brother the HR-V but there has been a middle child released called the ZR-V. It takes inspiration from the new Civic with its revised hybrid system and engine but amplifies everything in size so its a lot higher and a lot more practical. 

The ZR-V has a 2.0L engine which is assisted by a small hybrid battery and all together it produces 184bhp. It is a self charging hybrid so you gain charge via regeneration and it is always driven by the electric motor which gives it an 'electric car' feel. It is very fuel efficient, with consumption averaging around 58 miles to the gallon but you can increase this by driving around town and utilising the paddles behind the steering wheel. The acceleration is pretty average, going from 0-60 in just under 8 seconds. 

As it is a medium sized SUV, there is quite a lot of storage space with a clever area for the fold-up parcel shelf. It can comfortably seat 5 people and the top of the range model benefits from a fantastic BOSE sound system. Depending on your model, the grill on the car changes and my personal favourite is the one from the Advance grade (pictured above). Honda are relatively generous with their technology as even the entry grade cars have: adaptive cruise control, reversing camera and sensors, automatic lights and wipers, a digital drivers display, heated front seats and Apple CarPlay.

Starting from just under £39,000 the ZR-V, once again, sits around average for pricing compared to its competitors. If you were to go for a top of the range model, that price creeps up close to £44,000. Once you see a price tag like that, you can be put off but rest assured, there is a lot of car for the value and don't forget about the almost perfect reputation for reliability that Honda have built. There also won't be any used ones for cheaper as it is a completely new model.

Particularly over the last couple of years, the small/medium sized SUV market has been the trend for new cars and the ZR-V is another addition to this. With that being said, there is a lot of competition for this segment so it would be worth having a look at some options if this is the type of car you are looking for. Definitely don't rule this one out until you have tried it though - the drive is great and it will probably surprise you!