Relax, take it easy Honda HR-V

RELAX, TAKE IT EASY

Words: Marius Boonzaier mariusboonzaier

The new HR-V majors in relaxation. However, the atmosphere is often disturbed by a whirr…

HONDA HR-V 1.5 EXECUTIVE CVT

With each passing year, I increasingly appreciate comfortable chairs (all my old sports injuries seem to have finally caught up with me); car seats, especially, as I spend most of my time in them when not behind my make-shift, home-o ce desk. I am fortunate to avoid the daily commute to and from an o ce. Before Covid-19 and working from home, this amounted to around 80 minutes each day. That’s over 300 hours a year, excluding the time travelled on holiday. For many who returned to the o ce environment following the lockdowns, the time spent commuting is much higher, owing to congestion. Take my home city as an example, according to US-based analytics company INRIX’s Global Tra c Scorecard, in 2021, Cape Town was the most congested city in South Africa and 43rd globally. Last year, Capetonians lost an average of 59 hours thanks to congestion. Several automakers realised the inordinate amount of time we spend sitting in a car. In 2020, Jaguar Land Rover announced it is pioneering what it calls the “seat of the future”, a shapeshifting item that constantly adjusts to optimise occupants’ wellbeing. In addition, Bentley recently introduced its new Airline Seat Specification to its vehicles. Billed as the most advanced seat ever fitted to a car, it o ers “world-first” postural adjustment technology, comprising 177 individual pressure changes across six zones. Car reviews seldom, if ever, start o covering the pews. Although not comparable or by any means like the shapeshifting and tech-laden items of the premium and luxury brands mentioned, the new Honda HR-V’s seats are worth a mention. They are some of the most comfortable in the segment. According to Honda, they have been completely revised in the latest iteration. And it shows … the extended drive through the Cape Winelands was exceptionally relaxed. This was only enhanced with the new air-conditioning

set-up. The Air Di usion system creates a vortex of air around the passengers, fore and aft. Then there are the dual sunroofs, adaptive cruise control and some favourite tunes relayed over eight speakers via Apple CarPlay (Android Auto and Bluetooth functionality are included). Curiously, only the front sunroof’s blind retracts electronically, while the rear blind must be attached and detached manually. In addition, the sloping roofline and positioning of the attachment points mean taller passengers may scrape their heads against these items. The range-topping Executive model is equipped with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which displays video feedback of the blind spots when indicating, and features a wireless smartphone charging bay. A quartet of USB ports are divided between the front and rear occupants. Thanks to the redesigned interior, outward visibility was tops. Although the new, coupéstyled HR-V’s overall exterior dimensions are similar to the previous generation’s, the cabin is more spacious. Shoulder and legroom have increased. Those seated on the rear Magic Seat – which can fold flat or flip up for increased loading capacity – get an additional 35 mm of legroom. Owing to the HR-V’s continuously variable transmission (CVT), there was

often a whirring noise under hard acceleration. However, the CVT drone settled down at a constant speed. The unit is coupled with the Japanese manufacturer’s 1.5-litre petrol engine, producing 89 kW and 145 Nm. Power and torque are available from 6 600 and 4 300 r/min, respectively. Although more torque would be appreciated. The four-cylinder sometimes felt out of breath. That said, the naturally aspirated unit should remain reliable for a lifetime. Plus, it’s not very thirsty. Honda claims an average fuel consumption figure of 6.0 L/100 km, allowing a range of 667 km on a single tank. Thanks to the supple suspension set-up that ironed out the majority of road imperfections, the ride was smooth. The handling felt light but not completely devoid of feedback, though some more steering feel would be welcome. Regarding safety, the range-topping HR-V boasts a collision mitigation braking system, road departure mitigation and lane-keep assist. The latter set-up worked well, wasn’t too sensitive, and gently steered the car back into the lane.

AT A GLANCE

HONDA HR-V 1.5 EXECUTIVE CVT

The new HR-V majors in o ering occupants a relaxing drive. As with several other CVTequipped vehicles, the atmosphere is sometimes disturbed by a whirr. If you’re willing to look beyond this, it’s worth sliding into the crossover’s comfy in-vogue seats.

Price: R554 500 Engine: 1.5 L, 4-cyl, petrol Transmission: CVT Driven wheels: F

Power: 89 kW @ 6 600 r/min Torque: 145 Nm @ 4 300 r/min 0-100 km/h: n/a Top speed: n/a Fuel consumption: 6.0 L/100 km CO2: 144 g/km