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Honda Hr-V variants
Total price
Monthly payment

Finance representative example (PCP)

Total cash price £25,199. Borrowing £22,679 with a £2,520 deposit at a representative APR of 11.9%.

48 monthly payments
£387.77
Fixed interest rate
11.9%
Total amount payable
£33,412.98
Cost of credit
£8,213.98
Optional final payment
£12,280.00
Purchase fee
£10.00
Annual mileage limit
6000 miles

Honda HR-V buying guide

There are two generations of Honda HR-V widely available on the used market. Both new and old models are offered with a choice of engines and trims, which we'll look at in more detail here.

What Honda HR-V trim levels are there?

For HR-V cars built up until 2021, entry-level S cars get 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, climate control, cruise control and a basic stereo with Bluetooth.

Stepping up to SE adds larger alloy wheels, all-round parking sensors, automatic wipers, automatic high beams, dual-zone climate control, a reversing camera, and a touchscreen infotainment system with built-in sat nav.

Sport sits above that with extra visual flair thanks to its 18-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension and blacked-out styling details. You also get part-leather upholstery and heated front seats.

Right at the top of the lineup is EX which includes keyless entry and starting, an openable panoramic sunroof, full leather upholstery, LED headlights and roof rails.

2021 onwards HR-Vs start off in Elegance trim with alloy wheels, climate control, heated front seats, auto lights and wipers, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, all-round parking sensors, a reversing camera and an infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Next up is Advance with dual-zone climate control, faux-leather upholstery, a heated steering wheel, rear heated seats and a powered boot lid.

At the top of the range is Advance Style with light grey faux-leather upholstery, an upgraded stereo with subwoofer, a wireless charging pad, a contrast colour roof and some cheeky orange accents in the cabin.

Honda HR-V interior and technology

Looking at pre-2021 HR-V models, the interior is well built and functional, but perhaps not as stylish as some of its sharper competitors. There's a lot of black-coloured trim everywhere, which makes the atmosphere feel a little drab, but you won't hear any errant creaks as the car hits bumps in the road. Post-2021 cars are substantially improved in this area – there's even less fuss on the dashboard and more care has been taken to select plush and attractive looking materials to lift the ambiance.

The infotainment system is small on the older model and doesn't sit close to your eyeline, requiring you to take your eyes off the road to adjust a setting. It's also slow to respond to inputs and features an annoying touch-sensitive slider to adjust the volume, along with lacking the now-essential Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Again, the 2021-onwards car substantially improves this setup – the screen is still on the small side, but it's faster to respond, easier to read and includes a proper volume knob you can twiddle without taking your eyes off the road.

Practicality in the HR-V is acceptable for the class, but cars like the Skoda Kamiq will always be a better choice if all-out space is your main concern. Front passenger space is great and there's just about enough room for tall adults in the back, but they won't have much surplus space to stretch out in. Cargo space is, equally, middle of the road for this class, although the HR-V has the same clever 'magic seats' you'll find in the Honda Jazz, with flip-up theatre-style seat bases, allowing you to store tall and bulky items in the rear-passenger footwell.

Honda HR-V engine range explained

Honda HR-V 1.5 i-VTEC petrol

The entry-level engine for HR-V models built until 2021 is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol with no turbocharger. Despite its small size, it makes a respectable 130hp to complete the 0-62mph run in a shade over 10 seconds. You'll have to stir the gearbox to make quick progress, but it's not so underpowered that joining the motorway proves challenging.

Honda HR-V 1.5 i-VTEC Turbo petrol

This engine is rarer and only offered in Sport trim. As the name suggests, it adds a turbocharger to the 1.5-litre engine, boosting power to 182hp, with an even more generous jump in torque. As a result, this engine feels much more relaxed during regular driving, and much stronger when you put your foot down. The benchmark 0-62mph sprint falls under eight seconds.

Honda HR-V 1.6 i-DTEC diesel

Another less-common option for the HR-V is this compact and efficient diesel engine. It doesn't have the top-end thrust of the turbo petrol engine, but the extra low-down grunt means it's fairly relaxed driving at urban speeds. Average economy north of 55mpg should be possible if you drive with a light right foot.

Honda HR-V 1.5 e:HEV hybrid (2021 onwards)

This is the sole engine option for the new HR-V. It's a full hybrid so charges its on-board battery pack when slowing down or braking and doesn't need to be plugged in. With a total of 131hp, it's not exactly a pocket rocket, but the responsive hybrid motor means it feels very alert at lower speeds. All models come with an automatic gearbox exclusively and should return more than 50mpg on the stiff WLTP measuring cycle.

Your Honda HR-V questions answered

All Honda HR-V models come as five-seater, five-door SUVs with a hatchback bootlid.

Buyers shopping used examples are likely to come across examples of both the old model and the current-shape car. You can easily tell them apart because the old car has a rounded roofline, whereas the newer car has more elongated styling featuring more straight lines and thin slats for its front grille.

The older HR-V is a little less than 4.3 metres long, while the newer car is now slightly more than 4.3 metres. That puts both towards the more compact end of the SUV spectrum, taking up roughly the same amount of space on the road as family hatches like the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf.

As a result, interior space is fairly good, with just about enough room to seat full-sized adults in the rear seats without complaint. That said, seating three across the rear bench will be a squeeze and is best saved for short trips only.

Of course, if you're shopping the current-shape HR-V, there's literally just the one choice – a 1.5-litre full hybrid. This is a decent engine with good low-speed responsiveness thanks to the hybrid system, and only starts to feel strained during faster motorway overtakes.

For the older car, there's more choice including a 1.5-litre petrol with or without a turbocharger, and an efficient 1.6-litre diesel engine. The non-turbo petrol does feel a bit wheezy at higher speeds with the turbocharged version feeling much more relaxed – sadly, it's a decent chunk more expensive than lesser models because it's exclusive to Sport trim.

Both Honda and the HR-V enjoy a good reputation for reliability. That means, if you treat it well, it should reward you with years of hassle-free motoring.

Keeping up with scheduled maintenance is the best way to keep your Honda working as it should. You have the option to add an extended warranty when you buy your HR-V to protect yourself from unexpected mechanical and electrical failures.

In many ways, the Honda HR-V is a great small SUV. It's well made, easy to drive, easy to use, and reasonably practical.

There are more affordable options such as the Suzuki Vitara or Citroen C3 Aircross, but the Honda feels noticeably more plush inside than either of those cars.

The 2021-onwards HR-V is even more compelling. It doubles down on the car's existing talents while also enhancing the interior design and quality, as well as adding the brand's zippy e:HEV hybrid powertrain.