Topic: Test Drive: 2016 Honda HR-V LX

[Autos_Editor]

A better Fit?
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[Jaeger]

The Fit has a nimble, eager and athletic personality that is fully purged in HRV. My wife wasn't remotely interested after a brief test drive.

My Dad on the other hand wants to replace his ageing Accord with one. It's all about compact exterior dimensions and  senior - friendly ingress and egress.

[ChaosphereIX]

The Fit has a nimble, eager and athletic personality that is fully purged in HRV. My wife wasn't remotely interested after a brief test drive.

My Dad on the other hand wants to replace his ageing Accord with one. It's all about compact exterior dimensions and  senior - friendly ingress and egress.

I agree about the Fit.

You describe the target demographic for this thing perfectly. Senior friendly suburban baby-stroller and mall-hopper.

Not for me. Ever.

[Slow_lane]

I will wait for updated drive train and then maybe..........

[tpl]

Obviously the test was with the 6 speed rather than the CVT.  We think our 2007 Fit LX with manual was a far nicer car to drive than the 2013 Fit Mk II with automatic.      If only Honda ( and everyone else)  would just licence the DSG or one of its brethren and give up on CVTs and slush boxes.

[ChaosphereIX]

Obviously the test was with the 6 speed rather than the CVT.  We think our 2007 Fit LX with manual was a far nicer car to drive than the 2013 Fit Mk II with automatic.      If only Honda ( and everyone else)  would just licence the DSG or one of its brethren and give up on CVTs and slush boxes.

I agree about the CVT - that thing should die in a metaphorical fire - but the new ZF 8-speed is really good IMO

[BradT]

 "If you prefer a round-shaped paper coffee receptacle, it’ll just go slapping around and likely unload its contents into the cupholder."

The cup holders have two levels, one is more shallow than the second level, which is accessed by flipping up the shelf the cup sits on.  The second level is fairly deep, and accommodates most cups quite well.

[theonlydt]

I find this thing on the ugly side of bland.

I've not driven, but have been driven in one, and found the ride pretty unsophisticated and road noise exceeded the CX-3.

I'm not in the market for something like this, but were I, this would only be on my short-list because I have affection for Honda (and it doesn't look like the Juke).

That 1.8 engine is old old old now. 2.0? 1.5T? Honda's excellent 1.6 diesel?

[jww]

I can't get my head into thinking that the HR-V is going to be cross-shopped with a Tuscon.

Having driven a well-equipped Renegade for a month back in the fall in the UK, I can say that from experience it would take an awful lot to equal the driving experience of that vehicle with the smaller 1.4l turbo. Not sure what the reliability of the Jeep will be - it'll take a couple of years for that information to suss itself out. Whereas with the HR-V I have to believe that reliability will be Fit/Jazz-like (I still can't get my head around the North America name for the Jazz).

I like the HR-V. It's well proportioned, seems to be thoughtfully put together, and I certainly see plenty on the road at the moment locally.

Unfortunately that horrible no-dial Honda Infotainment system is awful, and while I know it's a CUV, I wish manufacturers would include remote tailgate lifts a-la everything else one-step up in size.

[dkaz]

It's automatic. Who cares how it's shifted? Mash the gas and go. Automatic drivers... 

[hemusbull]

For me this is a fine vehicle in its own right that shares the Fit's destiny - mediocre sales...

[84im]

Two things would keep me from buying this vehicle:
1.  Lack of power (wouldn't bother my wife, but it would bother me)
2.  Poor rear viability (yes, a rear view camera would help, but not totally solve the problem)

[conwelpic]

I checked out one of these before I bought my Soul SX, however it was the EX FWD model.  I did not test drive it because by the time I had gone over thoroughly in the showroom I wasn't going to waste my time driving one.
It has a very versatile rear seat and cargo area with the flip-up seats like the Fit and large cargo area with the rear seats up.  Some things that turned us off (but not all:
- overall styling
- the rear door handle
- the high console
- good size touch screen but no knobs which was a turn off
- mediocre gauge cluster with a long '80's reset/select knob
- weird vent set up on the passengers side
- touch sensitive controls for the climate control system - no knobs or buttons
- very poor choice of exterior colours (only 4, 5 if you got the AWD version)
- very expensive dealer accessories (door visors - $265.03; hood deflector - $256.60)
- only a 3 year / 60k km warranty
- no rear seat centre armest
- very small door pockets
- rear seat centre seatbelt in the roof
- awkward to get at the UBS/power ports under the console
- smallish glove box
- manual hood prop
 

[jpd]

@conwelpic,

But the HRV has the AWD option!

[conwelpic]

@conwelpic,

But the HRV has the AWD option!

okay but who's arguing about that, I said I was only checking at the FWD version, as I had no interest in AWD. 

[mixmanmash]

People actually buy those ugly hood and side deflectors?

[valuator]

People actually buy those ugly hood and side deflectors?

Looking at the stone chips on the hood of my vehicle after a few longer road trips, I kind of wish I had one.

[Fobroader]

People actually buy those ugly hood and side deflectors?

MEEEE!!!  I go full grandpa package, running boards as well. With the advent of that 3M film, no more hood deflector, but the side window deflectors, absolutely!!

[jpd]

@conwelpic,
I had interest in the 2016 Kia Soul but there is no AWD option 

[mixmanmash]

People actually buy those ugly hood and side deflectors?

MEEEE!!!  I go full grandpa package, running boards as well. With the advent of that 3M film, no more hood deflector, but the side window deflectors, absolutely!!

Gross.  I use 3M.

Do you also do the fake peel and stick chrome trimming (fenders), etc?