The new HR-V enters the fastest growing segment in the auto industry, but don’t worry

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

Honda fans, as early sales results show that it’s fully up to the task of competing in its subcompact SUV class.

Despite three additional models joining this category for the 2016 model year alone, expanding the class to nine in total, the HR-V already ranks second in year-to-date Canadian sales as of September’s close with 5,427 units down the road compared to 5,845 for the front-running Chevrolet Trax. I’m looking forward to seeing 2016 calendar year results, however, as the HR-V achieved this impressive feat after entirely missing out on the first half of the year, only hitting the showroom floor partway through June. How it fares against the others is at least as interesting, with the long-in-tooth Mitsubishi RVR in third with 4,398 sales, the all-new Mazda CX-3 in fourth with 4,353 deliveries (it’s been available since May), Buick’s long-running Encore in fifth with 3,642 sales, the segment initiating Nissan Juke in sixth with 3,512 units sold, the new Jeep Renegade in seventh

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

with 1,305 deliveries (available since April), the Mini Countryman in eighth with 1,000 sales, and the new Fiat 500X pulling up the rear in ninth position with just 441 units delivered (available since late May). It must feel pretty good to be Honda right now.

Why the HR-V is doing so well? Not being a big fan of its exterior styling I have to point to Honda’s good name for quality and reliability, plus the CUV’s excellent standard infotainment system that no doubt appeals to this segment’s younger than average target demographic, but speaking from personal experience after a week with the HR-V it comes down to its fabulous “Magic Seats” that provide best-in-class cargo flexibility. Yes, it’s the same rear seating system that immediately made the Fit hatchback

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

a top-seller in the subcompact car class way back in the spring of 2006.

If you already own a Fit but need more space the HR-V was designed for you. Then again, anyone in a subcompact car or even a compact model, let alone those driving competitive subcompact crossovers may want to take a close look at the new HR-V, because its rear seats will win you over even if the car itself doesn’t wow you. I liken this phenomenon to Chrysler group’s minivans that are clearly not the best looking, don’t offer the most upscale interiors or the most dynamic driving

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

experience, yet completely slaughter their opponents (Honda’s Odyssey included) in sales, due primarily to their innovative second-row Stow ‘n Go seats that fold completely into the floor for ultimate passenger/cargo flexibility (and of course their aggressively low pricing).

In a nutshell, the lower cushions of the HR-V’s 60/40-split second-row Magic Seats can be flipped upwards, converting the rear seating area into a large cargo hold that’s ideal for stowing bikes (with front wheel removed), transporting plants and other tall items, or alternatively the seatbacks can be folded flat in the conventional manner. With rear seats upright the HR-V’s 688-litre (24.3 cubic-foot) cargo capacity is 218 litres (7.7 cubic feet) greater than the Honda Fit subcompact

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

hatchback that shares its platform architecture, although it should be noted that the HR-V with optional AWD is 31 litres (1.1 cubic feet) smaller than the FWD version at 657 litres (23.2 cubic feet) of total luggage space with all seats in use. When the rear seats are laid flat maximum capacity opens up to 1,665 litres (58.8 cubic feet) for the FWD HR-V, which makes it 173 litres (6.1 cubic feet) larger than the Fit’s max stowage volume, while HR-V AWD models make due with 34 litres (1.2 cubic feet) less capacity than FWD HR-Vs overall for a maximum loading area that measures 1,631 litres (57.5 cubic feet).

It should be noted that while the HR-V is new to us it’s in its second-generation in Japan, the first one built from 1998 through 2006 and then succeeded by the second-gen Honda Crossroad, which is now supplanted by this HR-V in Japan and other

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

markets. As mentioned earlier this new HR-V rides on the same platform architecture as the current third-generation Honda Fit, both models achieving their superb cargo capacity thanks to a flat mid-mounted fuel tank that lays low under the floorboards.

Getting back to the HR-V’s styling, Honda is on a new tech-focused design bent that’s less appealing to my senses than others in the market, particularly Mazda’s new CX-3 that as noted is also doing well in sales. Some might call the HR-V cute and others sporty, the former due to its diminutive size and comparatively big exterior lighting elements, and the latter thanks to its standard 17-inch stylized five-spoke alloys on 215/55R17 Michelin Primacy MXV4 all-seasons, plus optional fog lamps and side mirror integrated turn signals, or possibly because of its deeply creased side cutline that slashes diagonally upwards to meld into its pointy rear

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

quarter windows that visually meet up with the rooftop spoiler, but for me the design is more function over form, and that’s enough to get my vote.

The interior is nicely laid out, with roomy seating front and back, especially with respect to headroom. It looks more utilitarian than the new Mazda CX-3, while also not getting that model’s soft-touch shroud over the primary gauges, although both feature hard plastic dash tops and padded sections ahead of the front passenger. Honda goes a step further by adding more padded leatherette along each side of the lower console, while the HR-V also wraps the entire top half of all four doors in a comfortable padded woven cloth. I question how this fabric will wear over the long haul, however. Will it fade and break apart in the sun or start to

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

sheen from the forearm’s natural oils, moisturizers and suntan lotions, etcetera? It picked up a fair bit of dirt during the first two days of my test week, although it washed off easily enough.

My EX-2WD tester’s urethane steering wheel and shift knob wasn’t fancy but it did the job, the former featuring a useful set of redundant controls for the audio system, cruise, phone, multi-information display, and for scrolling between infotainment functions. That seven-inch second-generation HondaLink infotainment display is a completely up-to-date looking, fully featured, full-colour, high-resolution touchscreen that even incorporates a touch-sensitive volume controller, and unlike some troublesome touch sliders I’ve tested this one worked well every time. As for features it boasts a multi-angle rearview camera with dynamic guidelines that’s way above and beyond the usual standard kit, plus it includes

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

easily implemented smartphone integration with text message capability and Siri Eyes Free functionality. My EX-2WD tester also received one of my favourite safety features, Honda’s exclusive LaneWatch blindspot display that projects a real-time rearward view of the car’s passenger side onto the infotainment display when employing the right turn signal, a potential lifesaver, while the audio system was also upgraded with two additional speakers plus 20 more watts of power to a six-speaker 180-watt AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA stereo that sounded good while still incorporating Bluetooth streaming from the base model so I could wirelessly play tunes from my phone. Additionally, two standard USB ports means that multiple devices can charge simultaneously, while Honda also includes an aux jack and HDMI interface if required.

As

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

good as the HR-V’s infotainment is, my tester’s dual-zone HVAC panel is another one of this car’s unique highlights. It’s a large touch-sensitive interface that really works well and looks like it could’ve been pulled right out of an Acura or some other premium ride.

Compared to the HR-V’s graphic interfaces and Magic Seats there’s not much to wow would-be buyers under the hood, unless we’re talking about the brand’s impressive reliability record. The 1.8-litre four only incorporates single overhead cams while eschewing direct-injection or turbo technology, resulting in a reasonable 141 horsepower and merely ok 127 lb-ft of torque, and while the standard six-speed manual would no doubt make the

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

base LX or my EX-2WD tester more fun to drive, the CVT that is optional with front-wheel drive and standard with Honda’s RealTime all-wheel drive is less engaging, although my tester’s paddle shifters help to liven things up while they’re also useful for short-shifting in order to potentially improve fuel economy. The CVT also gets a Sport mode for those moments when you want to let your hair down (tongue firmly in cheek), albeit probably more importantly is the HR-V’s Eco Assist driving coach that helps its driver eke out optimal mileage, as well as an Econ driving mode that does the eking on your behalf by applying power more progressively (read slower) while providing earlier shifts so as not to rev the engine too high and waste fuel.

So how does it all translate into hard numbers? It appears that Eco Assist and the Econ

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

mode really make a difference, or possibly it’s all due to the highly efficient CVT, because the six-speed manual’s five-cycle EnerGuide rating isn’t so hot in the city at 9.3 L/100km, although things get better on the highway with a 7.0 L/100km rating, both coming together for 8.3 combined. The CVT does better, with FWD achieving a claimed 8.3 L/100km city, 6.7 highway and 7.6 combined, and the AWD version getting 8.8 L/100km city, 7.2 highway and 8.1 combined. The latter two are almost identical to the more powerful and much more entertaining Mazda CX-3’s fuel economy results, by the way, so if you’re deciding between these two popular models it’ll come down to styling and performance over much better active lifestyle livability and usability.

Still, the HR-V tracks nicely on the highway, with little steering input needed despite its

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

short wheelbase, although as expected it doesn’t feel particularly sporty through the curves or anytime else for that matter, but as already noted this isn’t its primary mission. Rather, along with its over-the-top practicality the HR-V is wonderfully comfortable with a ride that will never upset.

As you may have guessed the HR-V rolls on a traditional subcompact suspension setup incorporating independent MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam out back, although its coil springs are joined by amplitude reactive dampers and a stabilizer bar at both ends. Electrically powered rack-and-pinion steering provides reasonable feedback for the class, but once again its response isn’t sporty despite the HR-V’s relatively large 17-inch alloys on 215/55R17 all-seasons.

Those

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

wheels and tires in mind the HR-V has a ridiculously long standard features list that includes the 17-inch rims and rubber standard, with some other highlights being auto-off multi-reflector halogen headlights, LED taillights, a windshield wiper de-icer, keyless entry, powered windows, heatable powered side mirrors, an electromechanical parking brake, a tilt and telescopic multifunction steering wheel with illuminated audio, multi-information/infotainment controls and Bluetooth phone and cruise buttons, plus heatable front seats are also standard, as is a single-zone auto HVAC system and the infotainment system covered earlier. There’s a lot more, but I’ll leave it there for the sake of time and space, although I’m sure you’ll agree that even this shortlist sounds pretty enticing for just $20,690 when equipped with a manual or $21,990 for the CVT, plus $1,695 for freight and pre-delivery prep.

The

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

EX-2WD model is priced at $23,190 for the manual or $24,490 for the as-tested CVT, while along with features already mentioned its gets auto on/off headlights, fog lamps, side mirror turn signals, variable intermittent wipers, proximity-sensing passive access with pushbutton ignition, some nice chrome accents inside, dual-zone auto HVAC instead of the base single-zone system, a moonroof, cargo cover, and the aforementioned paddle shifters.

I should also mention that the HR-V gets an impressive load of standard safety gear including four-wheel discs with ABS, electronic brake-force distribution and emergency brake assist, electronic traction and stability control, hill start assist, the HondaLink Assist automatic emergency response system, plus the usual six airbags. Optional active safety features include lane departure warning and forward collision warning, although you’ll need to upgrade to the EX-L Navi for these.

Such

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

active safety equipment often helps a vehicle earn a Top Safety Pick + from the IIHS, but so far the HR-V hasn’t been tested, although the NHTSA already crash tested the HR-V with the overall results for all trims being 5 stars, although it received a 4-star rating in front impact tests for both positions and crash-test dummy sizes. Still, this is a good safety rating for such a small vehicle.

It seems fitting that I end this HR-V review on such a practical note, as it really is the pragmatic’s choice amongst its subcompact SUV rivals. While I’ve yet to warm up to its styling and its overall performance lacked excitement, the HR-V’s brilliant Magic Seats completely converted me. It’s also supremely comfortable, appeared well-made and delivered good economy, all adding up to a solid win. If you’re considering buying into this segment, make sure you spend time with the HR-V. It’ll likely win you over too.

©(Copyright Canadian Auto Press)