Test: Honda HR -V E: HEV - Toyota should be afraid of this hybrid

Already during the first rides, the new Honda HR-V gave that the Japanese had carried out a real revolution.The new generation in hardly any aspect resembles its predecessor.Starting from design, through the interior, and ending with the drive.And after a few days spent with Honda, I have to admit that in each of them HR-V showed up from the great side.

Of course, in the case of the style, the reception will be subjective and not everyone will share my opinion that the new HR-V looks good, although it could use a bit more imagination.A different, though in a positive sense, had a lot of bystanders.Several times I encountered a situation when I saw my eyes scanning Honda from top to bottom from behind the windows passing me in the movement of cars.They even followed their fingers crossed!

There was also a short conversation with an employee of a nearby office who noticed me when I took pictures.First, he just praised design.With a 4340 mm bidding body, 1790 mm across and 1582 mm and 2610 mm wheelbase, HR-V belongs to the largest group of the B segment B, or rather B+.

During the first ride, Honda impressed me with the work of her hybrid system.And more precisely combustion.I promised myself that I would take a closer look when the car came to a longer test.So you can guess what I did when I finally had time for it.

Hybrid toyota, tremble

At the beginning, however, let me remind you what I was dealing with.Honda decided to reorganize the engine range in the new HR-V.This means that after previous units there was no trace (which is a pity, because the 182-horsepower 1.5 was able to give a lot of fun), and the only option available is a 131-horse hybrid based on a naturally aspirated 1.5 engine.

The system, however, works slightly differently than in most classic hybrids - the internal combustion engine works most of the time as a power generator, and only at higher, uniform speeds transmits the drive directly to the front wheels.

I was most interested in how the drive is doing in the city - after all, it was a priority environment under which it was designed.After driving over a 30-kilometer loop, which I usually overcome with press cars, and look at the on-board computer until I had to wipe my eyes out of my impression.3.8 l/100 km.I know that many of you probably wouldn't believe me, that's why I post a photo as proof.

Starałem się jechać stosunkowo oszczędnie, ale nie było to też ślimacze tempo. W trakcie jazdy układ świetnie żonglował między poszczególnymi napędami, zaskakująco często uaktywniając tryb czysto elektryczny. Sami nie możemy go — niestety — włączyć, nawet jeśli bateria jest pełna. Jeśli jednak samochód "wrzucał" już tryb EV, pozwalał nawet na przyspieszanie do 50–60 km/h bez konieczności poganiania przez samochód jadący za mną.

With a slightly more dynamic driving, the result is still more than satisfactory - 5.5 l/100 km.Similarly, on the national route Honda showed itself from the good side, consuming only 4.8 l/100 km.It was only the highway that made it unbelievable so far, for a 40-liter bak (when I picked up the car, it was 750 km), began to melt in my eyes-here you have to reckon with consumption around 8 l/100 km.

However, you admit that most of these results are admirable.However, relatively poor dynamics follows it.But this system was not created quickly.While expecting emotions, you should go somewhere else.10.6 s to a hundred is a result that will not satisfy everyone.And although I was somewhat disappointed with HR-V resources on the first rides, it did not bother me significantly on a daily basis.

However, I would expect a different chassis.Although the new Honda HR-V is no longer as nice as its predecessor, the suspension is still stiff, elastic and quietly chooses unevenness.With a relatively strongly supported steering system, more comfortable depreciation would be better.

However, I was disturbed by something else - howling during acceleration.Honda used E-CVT in HR-V, which is a single-stage transmission with simulated gears.This last solution allows you to reduce the annoying howling, but the average mute makes the engine noise anyway.

The wheel arches are also poorly isolated, from which clear murmurs and knocks after entering the sandy or gravel surface reach.Fortunately, this is so many of the deficiencies in the matter of calming down - when driving at higher speeds of conversation, they do not have to be conducted in a raised voice.

Something for something

I was surprised by the noise from the wheel arches, because after taking a place in the Honda I got the impression that the Japanese attached a lot of attention to the details and even wanted the driver to feel ... prestigious?The cockpit of the new HR-V has changed beyond recognition.The dashboard appeared, the dose is thought out, functional and most importantly - well finished.

The soft upholstery of the dashboard or door bacon and the other to the touch other elements are rare in this segment.In turn, the air conditioning panel (fortunately physical) resembles the Mazda cars.Big applause is also due to the multimedia, which we control using a 9-inch display.Not only do they support Android Auto and Apple Car Play in the standard (the latter even wirelessly), they also work extremely smoothly and do not look outdated.

If, in turn, we look more widely at the whole cabin, it may surprise more things.The wheelbase remained the same, but the modified Global Small Platform board allowed some changes.

Although the aforementioned dimension is like in Toyota C-HR, there is many more space inside the Honda on the rear sofa.Sitting behind myself (I am 186 cm), I was 5-6 cm between the backrest and my knees.In no other car of this class I have encountered something like that.It is worse with a place for the head, which I have already hooked on the ceiling.In this case, the desire to get a more attractive figure and cutting the roof won over reason.

However, increasing the space in the second row took place at the expense of the trunk capacity.While the predecessor had a 450-liter trunk, and a lot of competitors can boast of a result exceeding 400 liters, HR-V gives only 335 liters at your disposal.It is also a pity that there was no 12V socket.

In return, Honda used a brilliant solution in its simplicity, which is already known from Jazz - the Magic Seats system.It involves the possibility of lifting and blocking the seat, thanks to which we get space from the floor to the ceiling.What's more, if we would like to fold the seats, they will create a flat surface with the trunk line.

In addition, almost all amenities for passengers in the second row were thought - from separate vents, through an additional shelf in the central tunnel, to two USB sockets - usually rivals offer only one of the listed, and the set is rare.

Good equipment and a good finish also explains the high price.Honda's policy reminds here a bit that Mazda adopted some time ago, offering its cars a little more expensive than the competition, but immediately with good equipment.

From the moment of the first rides in October, until the car was received for the test, the opening amount of the price list managed to increase by 4,000.PLN and now amounts to PLN 127.9 thousand.zloty.Yes, it's a lot, but in return we get automatic air conditioning in the base, an extended range of driving assistants (for which you need to pay dearly with the competition), adaptive cruise control, non-vulnerable access to the car, reversing camera, heated seats, LED headlights and rear lightsand 18-inch rims.

Honda is trying to defend attractive financing, but in this amount we can already get the Toyota C-HR with an 184-horsepower hybrid.However, if we take a weaker variant and retrofit it with options that we get in the HR-V standard, it turns out that we will practically equalize the amount.Provided that we take into account the currently offered discount - without it, Toyota will be 4,000.PLN more expensive.

Compared to HR-V, it is less finished, less spacious and much tighter.In turn, if you look at the price of the Honda (Advance) test copy, you can grab your head.141.4 thous.zloty.In return, we get a two -zone air conditioning, a dead field monitoring system, a leather, heated steering wheel or an electrically controlled trunk lid with a motion sensor, but with such an amount, we can look for an electrician who will be suitable for municipal travels even better.

View full technical data at AutoCentrum.pl