In-depth reviews

Honda HR-V SUV review (2015-2020): owner reviews

“The Honda HR-V is a spacious crossover with a stylish exterior and plenty of equipment inside”

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by Richard Ingram

20 Oct 2020

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Carbuyer Rating

4.0 out of 5

Owners Rating

3.4 out of 5

Reviews

Owner Reviews

5 out of 5
4 out of 5
3 out of 5
2 out of 5
1 out of 5

59%of people would recommend this car to a friend

Common Problems

Electrics (1 case)
Other (5 cases)
Electrics, Gearbox / clutch, Other (1 case)
Brakes (1 case)
Electrics, Other (2 cases)
Engine, Suspension (1 case)

Review 1 of 17

Tell us what you think about your car?

The HR-V is very practical and with very good build quality compared to competitors. My mechanic had a look at it and put it up on the lift and he said it was a seriously impressive bit of kit with high quality parts etc compared to other manufacturers. I have been looking at other cars lately and they don’t seem to match up to the feeling of quality so have decided to stick with this for now. As I believe my car would be a very good used buy for someone so why get rid of it. The car is very powerful (if a bit gruff) and has awesome mpg if driven at the speed limit. There are some minor issues with car that other reviewers have stated as major issues, hence the low overall reviewer score. For example, upon my second service they changed a suspension part within warranty and the stop/start has too many constraints so doesn’t work all the time (this is a blessing) other minor issues include: • The brake pads needed changing within the first 18 months • Alloy wheels perished slightly so Honda changed all 4 wheels within warranty • The low speed ride quality can be jiggly/poor depending on the road surface • The dashboard can have the odd rattle but mine has stopped doing this now after I polished the dashboard • Couple stone chips on paint (but I have done 50,000 miles) • Infotainment not as accessible as others but essentially does the same thing I wouldn't let the above put you off though, especially if you are buying 3 years or older. I would rather have minor niggles that you don’t really notice and an overall reliable solid car that will last for years, than an unreliable one that costs money to put right every six months. My general opinion of Japanese cars is they are a bit rough around the edges and may not have the finesse of the German brands but they will far outlast them and give you much less trouble over say 10 years.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Great car for our small family, two dogs, sailing, and gardening. The car has huge carrying capacity. The Magic Seats are brilliant and I have never had a car of this size capable of managing such diverse loads so easily. I love the fuel filling system, so easy and safe. We've suffered minor electronic niggles: A sensor went, causing the electronic handbrake to fail, and many warning lights to come on. It was a warranty fix, but would have cost £450. Also the battery went flat just washing the car with the radio on. We will have another one when this one is 3 years old. We love it!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

This is a really versatile vehicle with a brilliant loading area, either with the rear seats folded flat or the magic seats folded up to load taller objects/plants. It has quality safety features and an excellent start/stop system but would prefer the brake hold to be on at start as opposed to selecting it on each time you start the car. I get terrific fuel economy; I regularly manage 62 to 64.5mpg. Very comfortable seating and roomy cabin with all functions easily within reach. The diesel engine is very responsive, smooth, there's very little body roll and a quiet ride plus it copes with most bumps with ease. It has a quality interior and standard Honda reliability. The Honda Connect system needs a bit of tweaking to bring it up to date with other systems but works just fine, voice activation would be an improvement. A superb vehicle from Honda.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Poor quality interior. Have had a squeaky driver seat since day 1. It's been back to Honda 3 times and they have not fixed it. The whole car feels cheap like it's been built 4 the American market with their straight roads rather than the European twisty roads. Can't wait to get rid of it

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

This is an excellent, and surprisingly versatile all round vehicle. It has many safety features and regularly delivers over 55 mpg. It has a roomy cabin and seating that holds you firmly but comfortably. For a small car, it has a reasonable sized boot, with the back seats folded flat, it has an enormous load area, especially when you consider the size of the vehicle. The magic seating system offers an alternative load area and is bonus. The Garmin Satnav is not too bad either. The ride is a bit firm but acceptable, the option to go for is the diesel as it is more responsive than the petrol. It's a good all round reasonably priced car that delivers practicality, economy, performance, 5 star safety and Honda reliability.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

A reluctant 3. Probably a high 2. I'll start with the three good points; Sat nav is very good and easy to use. I think it's a tomtom system? I love the brake hold button behind the handbrake; like a hill hold control that lasts until you engage gear. That along with the start/stop makes a very relaxing car in stop start traffic. Lastly it is a big car for its size. Loads of rear leg room and boot is good. I was very disappointed in almost everything else. The engine is very rough and not very flexible. The suspension is pretty stiff; oddly at low speed it is ok but on the motorway it crests all the lumps and bumps rather than irons them out. Bigger bumps and expansion joints really come through. Seats are very firm and not very supportive. Lumbar support is not an option as, the chap in the dealer states, they know how to make seats. Infotainment system is very confusing to use and isn't as intuitive as other brands. No door bin to speak of. Steering needs correcting when you think you've got it on a corner, suddenly you are heading towards the curb. After back to back testing this with a Kia Sportage and a Ford Focus this is way off the mark I think.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

I've had nothing but problems with the stop start function. It's been back to the dealer ( who have been brilliant) several times but even after a engine management system change the fault has re occurred. Other than that, it's a nice car

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

My first Honda and my last. The car looks great - I had an aero pack and Ignis wheels fitted and sat on the drive it looks great and I have had many comments on it. That's where it ends. Within 12 months it has been back to the dealer 6 times. The side steps have been replaced twice due to corrosion. It needed a new clutch after just 10 months. There have been too many sensor problems to number. The stereo failed and needed to be replaced. The roof bars were replaced, too, as they were delaminating, and the engine electronics would sporadically put the car into limp-home mode, usually on the motorway, but no problem was found at the dealer. It was built in Mexico, and the quality is shocking with plastics actually falling off. Two body panels were painted that poorly that I had them replaced. Why do I still have it ? It's a company lease vehicle, I've only got one year until it goes back. On a positive note, the Honda dealer I use has been fantastic through it all.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Excellent car. Good quality throughout including the interior. CVT gives a smooth drive and the paddle shifters work well. No faults. Lots of space inside. Comfortable seats. Opening sunroof is welcome on sunny days.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Lovely car to drive and practical. I love all the gadgets and the smooth cvt gearbox. I bought the the car from main dealer with 3k on the clock. The cons are that the brakes are squeaky at such low mileage which is not good and there's no standard spare wheel fitted.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I am surprised at the negative reviews on this site. I have covered nearly 8000 trouble free motoring this is my second Honda, the other a 2006 2.2 d CR-V which I also bought new & never went in a garage other then to have it's annual service. The only fault I have found is some wind noise on a motorway at cross winds. As to date no problems, even though I would have preferred the HR-V to be built in Swindon.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

A well designed, spacious and practical vehicle, let down by appalling build quality and atrocious after sales back up. Apart from ill fitting components, creaks, rattles and weak engine, the infotainment system malfunctioned from day one and took 5 appointments over 7 months, spending 9 days at the dealership before being replaced and only the after I supplied Honda with video evidence of the fault. My first Honda car but will be my last. Will definitely sell on before the warranty expires.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

I have owned this car 4 months now. It is poorly made, especially the dashboard. Bad quality of plastic and also they are not assembled correctly. Possibly has to do with the fact that is made in Mexico. I feel like tyres can’t keep 32 psi. They drop to 28. It is not only that feel cheap and I feel like I will have issues in the future. I want to sell it now.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

The negatives first: 2 failures, an air flow sensor and front left suspension. The driver's seat is not at the true centre of the steering wheel, I find I have to sit slightly to the right to be a true driving position. Lastly I find the front end set up to be slightly noisy at low speeds on rough bumpy roads. The car has been into the dealer but they say it's fine, it's something I feel I have to live with. Now the good.... It's well equipped even at a base level model. Getting in and out is easy all round, there's good outward visibility and decent sized boot, everything works as it is supposed to. The drive is decent too, good low down grunt and pulling power makes it easy to drive round towns and good on open roads. There's some body roll if you try cornering at speed which tends to make you take notice and not to do it too much. I'm getting good fuel economy, average 59-61, on a good flat long road (if you can find one) you will exceed the manufacturer's quoted figures. All in all it's a good well rounded package. Only thing I would like is the engine to be a little quieter.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

The base model is fine...are all the gadgets really needed? 2 issues, a full-size spare wheel does not fit in the wheel well and squeaky brakes, which Honda say is to be expected, hmm. After 14,000 miles over 9 months, this is a car that is easy to live with and does what is expected of it, including towing. The electric handbrake & automatic engine stop/start make driving very easy. The "magic" rear seat system means the rear storage is very adaptable.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

many faults with poor build, coming from Mexico what can you expect?this not a Honda this my 9th

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Having owned a Jazz,this is my ideal car which ticks most of my boxes. It is high riding, powerful enough and recently performed brilliantly on a 2000 mile round trip. Coped wth wind, heavy storms and mountainous bumpy roads with ease. Perhaps the clue is that I bought an entry level S which rides smoother than other more expensive models in the range, as it has 16 inch wheels. It does not have most of the fancy bits but research shows that over 70% of car users do not often use them anyway. Great car, great car for the money.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

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