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Car reviews - Honda - zr-v - e:HEV

Overview

We like
Sorted ride/handling compromise; smooth-acting hybrid performance; surprisingly generous passenger accommodation; ample safety and standard equipment levels
Room for improvement
Price; smaller cargo area; dated infotainment interface; steering may be too weighty for some tastes; hybrid driveline only on LX grade; evident road noise; no spare wheel

While it’s one of the priciest entrants in its segment, the ZR-V is still very easy to like

23 Jul 2025

Overview

 

HONDA’S range-topping e:HEV LX is the sweetheart of the ZR-V range.

 

With petrol-electric hybrid power, and a long list of standard equipment, it is also a terrific drive, and one that showcases the poise and polish for which Honda vehicles are renowned.

 

Priced from $54,900 plus on-road costs, the Honda ZR-V e:HEV LX is far from cheap, competing with a range of far less expensive and slightly larger same-segment competitors including the GWM Haval H6 Ultra Hybrid (from $45,990 driveaway), Nissan X-Trail ST-L e-Power (from $50,765 + ORC), and Toyota RAV4 XSE Hybrid (from $52,585 + ORC).

 

Which means you’re going to have to really like the Honda offering to justify the list price.

 

Fortunately, the ZR-V is very easy to like.

 

From a stylistic viewpoint, we find a vertical grille which blends seamlessly with the bumper surround, and which is flanked by narrow, wide-set headlights. Honda says the frontal aspect of it’s the ZR-V is meant to convey a “highly sophisticated expression, yet with stature and a strong presence”.

 

With a widened stance, the rear of the body aims to add volume to the ZR-V’s proportions, the rear haunches and tailgate culminating in a smooth, upswept look that is neither as edgy as the (smaller) HR-V, yet as stylised as many competitors’ Coupe-SUV offerings.

 

Inside, the link between other new-generation Honda models is evident.

 

The cabin of the ZR-V is spacious and open with an instrument panel that stretches out horizontally across the dashboard, and a well-presented array of functional elements finished with their own high-quality design.

 

Like the larger CR-V (which competes in the same market segment as the ZR-V), the ZR-V features a high-deck centre control to separate the front seats and create individual zones for the driver and front-seat passenger.

 

The model also promises an elevated view of the road and a wide, horizontal field of vision thanks to drawn back A pillars and door-mounted wing mirrors.

 

Colour choices for the Honda ZR-V include Crystal Black, Platinum Grey, Platinum Crystal Blue, Platinum White and Premium Crystal Garnet, as well as a new teal/green hue dubbed Nordic Frost (pictured).

 

The feature list reads much like any other rival in the Medium SUV segment with 18-inch alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, electrochromatic rear-view mirror, heated front seats and steering wheel, leather-wrapped steering wheel rim, leather-appointed upholstery, push-button gear selector, rear seat ventilation outlets and USB-C ports, a 10.2-inch digital instrument panel, wireless phone charging pad, and a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen hosting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity

 

The ZR-V further receives as standard, safety equipment including a 360-degree camera system, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, driver attention monitor, front and rear parking sensors, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, 11 airbags, and more.

 

Top-tether (x3) and ISOFIX (x2) child seat anchorages are likewise standard.

 

Under the bonnet we find a driveline common to other Honda locals, including the Civic hatch/sedan with which it shares a platform. The variant tested offers a 2.0-litre Atkinson cycle four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid driveline delivering 135kW/315Nm.

 

Honda quotes a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 8.0 seconds and a combined cycle fuel consumption figure of 5.0 litres per 100km. With its 57-litre fuel tank, the ZR-V has a theoretical range of more than 1100km.

 

The ZR-V is suspended by Macpherson struts over an aluminium sub-frame at the front and a sophisticated multi-link arrangement at the rear. Braking is via 312mm ventilated discs at the front and 310mm solid rotors up back.

 

Staying up back, we find 60:40 split-fold rear seating, 370 litres of cargo space (expanding to 1302 litres all told), and a rather useless tyre inflation kit in lieu of a spare wheel (which is offered on petrol-powered variants but not on the e:HEV due to packaging requirements).

 

The Honda HR-V is backed by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with eight years’ coverage for the hybrid system’s high-voltage battery. Service intervals are set at 12 months or 10,000km (whichever comes first) with the first five years of servicing totalling just $995.

 

Driving Impressions

 

Settling into the ZR-V and its quickly evident the seating is typically Honda. Supportive, cosseting, and very comfortable. The driver’s pew offers plenty of adjustment as well as position memory, though the passenger side suffers from being set too high, with only four-way mechanical adjustment on offer.

 

Up back, there is more leg- and headroom than the rakish body lines of the ZR-V might suggest. The omission of a sunroof means there is precious centimetres more headroom than there would be otherwise, and although toe-room is tight and the rear bench rather flat, we had no trouble getting comfortable in it for a short hop across town.

 

But it’s the driver’s seat that is centre of focus for us. Relating perfectly to the steering wheel and pedals (well, for an SUV at least), the driver is likewise afforded an excellent view of the road ahead and is met by logical instrumentation and switchgear that takes no time at all to comprehend.

 

The drive experience is just as quickly understood. That all important feel at the ‘wheel is one of instant engagement, the feedback through the steering and the response of the hybrid driveline gifting the ZR-V with an agile, almost playful character that proves daily driving needn’t be a chore.

 

While the ride is comfortable, the body of the ZR-V follows driver input with absolute obedience, tracking cleanly through corners and reacting swiftly to sudden directional changes. If we had but one criticism here, it’s that the steering weight may be too heavy for some tastes – though certainly not ours.

 

Power delivery is prompt with a deceptive level of performance on hand for most occasions.

 

We likewise found the ZR-V’s torque to be right at hand when tackling hilly terrain and noted the transition from petrol to electric mode (and anywhere in between) to be smooth and wonderfully predictable – something we can’t say of all the competitors listed above.

 

On test, the ZR-V e:HEV adhered very closely to its claimed combined fuel use figure, sipping just 5.2 litres per 100km in varied conditions.

 

What’s also a welcomed attribute of the ZR-V is that the braking action is consistent and well-metered. Too often hybridised vehicles can present a change in pedal pressure as the vehicle switches from petrol to electric power, resulting in a momentary ‘vacant’ feel beneath your foot. We’re pleased to say there’s no such dramas here.

 

In fact, and excusing the price and rather dated infotainment layout, there are very few dramas to speak of at all. The ZR-V is a handsome, efficient, and beautifully built SUV that offers just the right amount of space for those who think the CR-V is now too big. It also offers exceptional maintenance pricing and a driving experience we know you’ll enjoy as much as we did.

 


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