Honda HR-V 2027 review: e:HEV RS | GWM Haval Jolion rival tested

Honda’s HR-V small SUV has been an Aussie favourite for more than a decade but a lot has changed lately with the influx of more rivals, many of them new-gen hybrids and electric vehicles.

So is the HR-V still outstanding? Or has it been left standing?

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My small family of four lived with it in the inner suburbs for a week and I thought I knew this car well until this test, and there’s a few things you should know, too.

First, how much does the HR-V RS cost and is it worth the money? Being the top grade in the HR-V line-up the RS is also the most expensive at $44,400 drive-away, $11,500 more than the petrol-powered entry-grade HR-V, or $4500 pricier than the most affordable hybrid HR-V.    

That is a lot of money for a small SUV these days, what with so many feature-packed Chinese SUVs for a lot less.

There’s the top grade MG ZS hybrid for $33,888 drive-away, the top of-the-range GWM Haval Jolion hybrid for $38,990 d/a, the top-spec Chery Tiggo 4 hybrid for $34,990 d/a… the list goes on.

There are also electric SUVs for less. The Jaecoo J5 is $36,990 d/a, while the excellent MG S5 EV is the pretty much same price at $44,990 d/a.

The HR-V hybrid grades are, however, more competitive than the Hyundai Kona hybrid ($36,950-$48,950), and Nissan Qashqai e-Power ($45,640-$54,140), both of which are priced before on-road costs.

Features wise the HR-V RS is lacking a few things. The nine-inch media screen looks small now, the seats are heated but you get these on the L grade below, and that goes for almost all the other features, including dual-zone climate control, sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a six-speaker stereo.

As for what the RS brings there’s RS body styling elements such as the black mesh grille and the leatherette sports seats.

The RS grade doesn’t bring any performance edge to the HR-V. All three hybrid grades have the same output of 96kW and 253Nm, which is plenty of power for a little SUV. Just don’t expect the RS to be any sportier than other grades.

The hybrid system combines a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors. The engine’s primary job is to produce electricity to charge the battery and that powers the motors which drives the wheels.

The resulting fuel economy is good but not outstanding. Officially, Honda says the combined fuel consumption is 4.3L/100km. After 330km, the trip computer said my fuel consumption was 5.6L/100km. That came down to a lot of motorway miles, which uses battery charge quickly before the engine is called on to help drive the wheels and charge the battery.

On the road the HR-V RS is excellent, and this is the area Honda has the edge over its Chinese rivals, which don’t tend to steer, stop, handle and ride as well as this.

The engine can be a bit noisy and will often start up and switch off randomly, unrelated to acceleration. But that’s it charging the battery. For the most part, however, the HR-V is quiet with smooth acceleration at lower speeds and it drives like an EV. At higher speeds the engine assists the electric motors.

It's easy to drive with good visibility, excellent stability and a feeling of safety, even on highways between big trucks. The driving position and seats aren't as comfortable as I wanted.

Just as an aside, I also recently drove the slightly larger Honda ZR-V and found the seats and driving position to be much better.

We used the HR-V for all our daily commutes, the school drop offs, sport and grocery shopping. From a practicality perspective the HR-V is excellent as well. There’s more than enough room for a child seat in the second row and space for somebody to sit in the front passenger seat at the same time. The legroom in the second row is great, too.

We were thrown at one point when we discovered that there was no middle seat in the second row. Yes, the HR-V is a four seater only, something I’d forgotten since testing it last.

Storage is great with cup holders, door pockets, shelves and trays built into the dashboard, and a deep storage area under the front-centre armrest.

I also love the HR-V’s 'magic seats' in the rear which fold up to provide a cavernous cargo area behind the front seats for tall objects.

The HR-V's only real impracticality is the rear-door handles which are integrated into the door frame. They're too high for little kids to reach and not easy even for adults to use. It bit my hand on one occasion!

From a safety angle the HR-V scored four out of five ANCAP stars in 2022 and part of that lower score was the lack of rear auto emergency braking (AEB), which is important for families with small children. There is forward AEB, lane keeping assistance and a blind spot warning.

For child seats there are two ISOFX points and two top tether anchor points in the second row.

Finally, I like the look of the HR-V. As with all Hondas there’s a premium look and feel, much like Mazdas. That goes for the interior, too, with the high-quality feel and stylish design.