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Honda Australia has gone through a bit of a transformation in recent years, shedding its top-10 sales ambitions for a new approach that focuses on slimming down the range with high-spec grades.
The first new-gen model to launch with that approach was last year’s Civic, but it’s the latest launch, the HR-V, which might make or break Honda’s new strategy.
And that’s because the HR-V is a small SUV – playing a space dominated by Toyota, Mazda and Kia – that also offers up a so-hot-right-now hybrid powertrain for the first time in Australia.
No doubt, the HR-V will prove more popular than the Civic in sales as the market shifts preferences, but is it any good?
This is all you need to know about the 2022 Honda HR-V.
It’s easy to forget about the Skoda Karoq. It’s not that it’s a particularly forgettable model - it’s really not - it’s more that people just don’t know it exists.
That might be due to the fact that Skoda Australia did not do any promotional or marketing activities for the Karoq when it arrived back in 2018, because, at the time, it didn’t have adequate supply.
The company didn’t want to over-promise and under-deliver given the lack of available stock.
From 2020, the global pandemic has made the supply situation even worse so the Karoq has remained something of a hidden gem in the segment.
This mid-life facelift and slowly improving supply could ensure the Karoq gets a little more attention, but fighting for the limelight against the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, new Nissan X-Trail, not to mention its Volkswagen Tiguan sibling, could prove challenging.
Does the Karoq deserve to be added to more shopping lists for buyers looking for a mid-size family SUV?
You could look at the 2022 HR-V and think that Honda has taken a step back.
After all, there’s less space in the boot, there’s one less seat and the prices have – at first glance – gone up.
In reality though, the HR-V, especially in this e:HEV L form, offers up a genuine rival to Toyotas, Mazdas and Kias that dominate the small SUV space.
The 2022 HR-V is a properly handsome car, the hybrid powertrain is miserly on fuel, and the handling characteristics are honestly pretty fantastic.
This update hasn’t exactly transformed the Karoq, but arguably, it didn’t need that much of a change to begin with.
The two Karoq grades should appeal to very different buyers. The flexibility, packaging and space of the 110TSI give it ammunition against regular medium SUV rivals, while the 140TSI Sportline offers ripping performance in a more visually appealing package - it just lacks some of the practicality of the Style.
Either way, the Karoq deserves way more attention than it’s been given in Australia since its 2018 launch. This update goes some way to fixing that - as long as Skoda can sort out its supply issues.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
If you close your eyes for a second and think of the best-looking Hondas of all time, I bet the likes of the first-generation NSX, S2000 and two-door Integra come to mind.
And while this new HR-V design doesn’t quite match the heights of Honda in the 90s, it’s certainly a significant step in the right direction compared to the car it replaces.
Gone is the slightly derivative styling and pudgy proportions, replaced with a much more taut, muscular and confident body.
The new grille design is of particular note, as it melds the intakes with the bumper and, when combined with the sleek headlights, makes the HR-V look like it could be from the future.
From the side, the new HR-V retains the hidden door handles of its predecessor, which pays homage to the three-door SUV shape available in the first-generation car.
The long bonnet, short overhangs and sloping window line also give this Honda a particularly athletic appearance, while the 18-inch wheels are also just about big enough to fill the arches, and feature an interesting enough design.
The rear end is dominated by the latest automotive design trend of connected tail-lights, but the relatively flat bootlid and clean aesthetic give the HR-V a really modern look.
The bootlid spoiler is also a nice touch, while this car’s contrasting kick plate adds to the illusion of its off-road credentials.
Inside, the HR-V also adopts a cleaner aesthetic – much like its Civic sibling – centred on a large 9.0-inch central touchscreen multimedia system, which thankfully features a physical volume control knob.
There are some cool design touches here too, like air vent switches with settings for open, close and diffusion, and touch-operated roof lights.
The best part of the interior, however, is fit, finish and feel. All the touch points are soft and there’s just a solid weight to everything. It’s probably no coincidence that all new Australian HR-Vs are now sourced from Japan.
To us, the new HR-V is a stunner. The styling is more mature and confident than before, and between this and the new-gen Civic, Honda’s design department seems to have rediscovered its mojo.
The changes Skoda has made to the Karoq’s design as part of the mid-life update are best described as subtle.
It gains a new front bumper and wider lower air intake, new headlight design, and split daytime running lights, as well as an extended tailgate spoiler and redesigned slimline tail-lights at the rear, capped off by new alloy wheel designs.
The Karoq is probably the most conservative looking Skoda you can buy, and while the refresh has certainly sharpened up the SUV’s design, it hasn’t elevated it.
Compared with the modern exterior design of rivals like the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage twins, the upcoming new-gen Nissan X-Trail or even the Peugeot 3008, the Karoq looks a little too conventional.
In saying that, fans of understated design will likely appreciate Skoda’s measured approach.
Very little has changed inside and the interior design is functional, but somewhat generic.
From the outside, aside from the styling, the 2022 Honda HR-V doesn’t seem like its changed all that much – it’s still a practical five-door small SUV, right?
And from the front seat, the new HR-V paints a very familiar picture.
There is plenty of room for the driver and front passenger, the seats have plenty of adjustability, and there’s storage for your water bottle, wallet and phone.
There’s even an underarm storage cubby that’s deep enough for you to lose some spare change or throw a charging cable or two into.
However, from the second row, the story really starts to change – especially compared with the outgoing model.
Whereas the old HR-V was classed as a five-seater, the 2022 version has seating for only four.
This is due to the middle ‘seat’ fouling Australia’s unique design rules for what can be classified as a seat, and does not have a seat belt.
How much would you’d actually use the middle seat if there was a seat belt there? That’s for you to decide, but it’s certainly a deal-breaker for some families.
Regardless, the two outboard seats offer heaps of leg- and shoulder-room, and our head can just about squeeze in comfortably without hitting the roof.
It’s certainly comfortable enough, and there’s a bottle holder in the door and air vents here to keep you comfortable, while the lack of centre seat means second-row passengers can have a full-time armrest with extra cupholders.
There’s also USB ports and backseat map pockets with a handy phone sling, so you don’t have to go reaching all the way down to get your mobile.
One saving grace for the rear seats, however, is the inclusion of Honda’s versatile ‘Magic Seats’, which allows you to fold the base of the rear seats up to accommodate taller objects like house plants.
The rear seats can also fold flat, creating a 1274 litre boot space, which measures just 304L with the rear seats upright.
This makes the 2022 HR-V’s boot smaller than the outgoing model, which could accommodate about 100-130 litres more, and even smaller than rivals like the Toyota C-HR and Mazda CX-30.
In fact, so small is the new HR-V’s boot, it’s even smaller than the Jazz light hatchback that was discontinued in 2020 – so don’t expect to see this small HR-V hauling timber from Bunnings or flat-packed furniture from Ikea.
As Skoda points out, the Karoq has smaller exterior dimensions than rivals like the Mazda CX-5, Kia Sportage and Honda CR-V, but, for the most part, it has more interior occupant space in the front and rear rows, and more luggage space, than those models.
That’s down to clever packaging - something Skoda does very well.
In the 110TSI Style, the Karoq has excellent storage in the front doors for tall and wide drink bottles, as well as extra space in the door cavity for the useful Skoda rubbish bin.
There’s a handy storage compartment with a lid on the top of the dash, while the central storage bin can be covered by moving the armrest back or forth. It has a wireless charging pad with a sliding cover and a pair of USB-C ports.
The central multimedia display is good and functions well, and all of the controls and stalks are well positioned. 'Virtual Cockpit' is one of the best digital instrument displays there is. The cabin design might not wow you, but it’s hard to fault the functionality of the Karoq.
In the second row, there’s loads of space for three, with ample toe, leg and headroom, and decent bottle storage in the doors. While the Style might lack the rear ski port and centre rear armrest of the Sportline, it has a much more useful trick up its sleeve.
It comes standard with Skoda’s 'Varioflex' rear seating, which folds 40/20/40. Each separate seat can be folded, lowered or raised, tumbled forward to greatly enhance cargo space, or removed from the car completely. It’s like Honda’s 'Magic Seats', and it’s a brilliant addition that sets it apart from its rivals - aside from Honda.
The Sportline swaps the Varioflex seats for regular sports seats that, in the rear, fold 60/40. The front seats in the Sportline offer incredible support, and the flat-bottom perforated leather steering wheel adds to the sporty vibe.
With a 588-litre boot (with all seats in place), the Karoq 110TSI Style has more space than the CX-5, Sportage, CR-V and the Toyota RAV4, but it can’t match the 615-litre capacity of its VW Tiguan sibling.
But the 140TSI Sportline has less cargo space, dropping to 521L and 1630 with rear seats folded. Both models come standard with a myriad of luggage nets and tie down hooks.
You might be shocked to see the new-generation HR-V kicks off with the Vi X grade for $36,700 driveaway, while this top-spec e:HEV L is positioned at $45,000.
With the previous-generation car kicking off from $31,300 and topping out at $41,000, it would seem like the new HR-V has jumped up quite substantially in price, right?
Well, Honda Australia’s new strategy is to slim down the range, and offer a few, highly-specified grades that it knows are more popular than others, hence the number of options for the HR-V going from five to just two.
Also keep in mind that these are driveaway, no-more-to-pay prices, whereas its rivals, like the Toyota C-HR, Mazda CX-30 and Kia Niro that all start at around $30,000, are quoted before on-road costs.
Once you do the math, you’ll find the cost of all these small SUVs to be surprisingly close.
Honda Australia has tried to offset the increased pricing with a boat load of equipment though, with standard features that include automatic headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, fabric interior, LED daytime running lights, rear privacy glass, push-button start and a 7.0-inch drive display.
Handling multimedia duties is a 9.0-inch touchscreen that allows for wireless Apple CarPlay. Unfortunately, for Android users, you’ll need a cable to make use of Android Auto.
The multimedia set-up in the base car also features satellite navigation, but there are only four speakers throughout the cabin.
Stepping up to the more expensive e:HEV L nets buyers a powered tailgate, heated steering wheel, leather-accented cabin, automatic wipers, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, active cornering lights and an extra two speakers to better pump the tunes.
Of course, it’s the hybrid powertrain that makes the top-spec HR-V jump up so much in price, but we’ll go into more detail about this in the powertrain section of this review.
While the equipment list is long and extensive for the Vi X, there are some notable omissions on the top-spec e:HEV L that make its $45,000 pricetag a bit harder to swallow.
Namely, where are the cooled seats, wireless smartphone charger, head-up display, sunroof and electronic seat adjustment?
Browsing the optional extras, at least one of these things can be added in, but the wireless phone-charger kit will add another $640 to the pricetag. Come on, Honda!
The updated Karoq comes with more standard gear compared with the model it replaces, and a price increase.
As with the pre-facelifted model, the Karoq is available in just two model grades. The range kicks off with the front-wheel drive 110TSI Style priced at $42,990 drive-away, while the flagship remains the all-wheel drive 140TSI Sportline 4x4 at $49,990. Both variants are $3000 more expensive than before.
Skoda Australia says the updated Karoq 110TSI Style includes about $4500 worth of extra gear over its predecessor, which represents $1500 of better value when taking into account the price increase.
Some of the new standard kit includes 18-inch alloy wheels (up from 17s), LED headlights, front parking sensors (it already had rear sensors), a hands-free power tailgate, power-folding and heated exterior mirrors, a rear spoiler, extended pedestrian protection for the autonomous emergency braking system, driving profile selection, digital radio, wireless phone charging and luggage nets.
Other standard gear includes rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, ‘virtual cockpit’ digital instrument cluster, 8.0-inch multimedia screen with wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
You can option the Style grade with a panoramic sunroof ($1900), side steps ($1200), a 'Tech Pack' ($5900) that adds a larger 9.2-inch central screen with gesture control, Matrix LED headlights, auto parking, lane assist, traffic jam assist and more, or a 'Premium Pack' ($10,900) that includes leather-appointed seats, power front seats, front and rear heated seats, a heated steering wheel, and more.
Stepping up to the Sportline 4x4 will net you sports seats throughout, larger 19-inch alloy wheels, Matrix LED headlights, fog lights, a black body kit, stainless steel pedal covers, a sports steering wheel and of course, a beefier turbocharged engine.
The additions to the Sportline amount to $4100, making for $1100 of extra value, according to Skoda’s calculations.
The Sportline can also be optioned with packs including a 'Leather Seats Pack' ($3200) and 'Premium Pack' ($5900).
Skoda’s pricing puts the 110TSI Style in the crosshairs of other medium SUVs like the Mazda CX-5 Maxx Sport ($40,690, before on-road costs) or the Kia Sportage 2.0 SX+ ($41,500, BOC).
The Sportline lines up against the Toyota RAV4 Edge petrol AWD ($50,200, BOC) and the mechanically related Volkswagen Tiguan 132TSI Life AWD ($46,690, BOC).
The Skoda’s standard features list could be described as generous without being over the top. While it outpaces a few rivals for tech and in-car features, it lacks some of the safety gear standard on those models. More on that in a bit.
Under the bonnet of the HR-V e:HEV L you’ll find a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, but Honda has also thrown in two electric motors to make this car a hybrid.
In total, there is 96kW of power and 253Nm of torque available, making it competitive against its rivals for potency, but the bigger benefit of this hybrid set-up is in its lower fuel consumption figure.
Meanwhile, the Vi X forgoes the electric motors and is powered exclusively by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
The entry-level HR-V manages to muster up 89kW of power and 145Nm of torque – and if that sounds a little underpowered, it’s because it is.
Compared to rivals like the Toyota C-HR and Mazda CX-30, the cheapest HR-V is well down on power and torque as all its competitors make use of larger engines or a turbocharger for a bit more grunt.
Whichever HR-V engine you end up with, both are paired to a continuously variable transmission that sends drive to the front wheels.
Two powertrains are on offer in the Karoq, starting with the 110TSI Style’s 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, driving the front wheels via an eight-speed torque-convertor automatic transmission.
This is the same powertrain found in many a VW Group product, including entry-level versions of the Golf, and it pumps out 110kW at 6000rpm and 250Nm at 1500-3500rpm. Skoda says it can cover 0-100km/h in 9.2 seconds.
Under the bonnet of the 140TSI Sportline 4x4 is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, delivering 140kW at 6000rpm and 320Nm at 1500-4100rpm, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.
A version of that engine is found in the Tiguan and the Golf GTI. The Sportline can do 0-100km/h in seven seconds. It also gains a multi-link rear suspension set-up for sportier handling.
Officially this HR-V e:HEV L will return a fuel consumption figure of just 4.3 litres per 100km, helped by its petrol-electric hybrid powertrain.
This figure not only beats out the petrol-only Mazda CX-30 line-up, but also matches the Toyota C-HR Hybrid for frugality.
In our time with the HR-V e:HEV L, we actually managed to match the 4.3L/100km claim with a healthy mix of inner-city and freeway driving.
Very rarely do fuel consumption claims translate to a real-world setting, so it's heartening to see that the Honda HR-V living up to what’s promised on the box.
The petrol-only Vi X meanwhile, wears an official fuel consumption figure of 5.8L/100km, but having not yet driven that car, we cannot comment on the accuracy of that claim.
Fuel consumption in the 110TSI Style is rated at 6.5 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle, and it emits 147g/km of CO2. It has a 50-litre fuel tank.
The 140TSI Sportline consumes 6.6L/100km of fuel and emits 152g/km of CO2. It has a larger 55-litre fuel tank. Both Karoq grades require a minimum 95 RON premium fuel.
How do you think a small SUV should drive on the road? To us, I want something that is easy to use with great visibility and a minimal number of rattles and squeaks.
And this Honda HR-V absolutely delivers.
Let’s start with the powertrain. On paper this HR-V e:HEV L’s outputs are nothing to write home about, but out in the real world, there is plenty of gusto to come off the line briskly.
Don’t get us wrong, it’s not going to blow away hot hatches or even most turbocharged cars, but accelerating up to 60km/h isn’t an exercise in testing your patience.
The powertrain is also a smart one, able to switch EV, hybrid and engine mode depending on what is required in any given situation.
The switchover from EV to petrol power is also smooth and seamless, there’s no jerkiness or clunkiness here, it all just works exactly how, and when, you want it to.
In fact, if you had your music pumping at head-bobbing levels, we’d wager you wouldn’t even know whether the petrol engine or electric motors were at work, save for the ‘EV’ indicator light on the instrumentation.
The CVT in this HR-V also does a fairly decent job, and for the most part fades into background of the driving experience – which is a good thing.
When flat-footing it, the HR-V does get a bit revvy and harsh, but for the most part, and especially during inner-city journeys, this car is a delight.
The steering is also very nicely weighted, and there’s a connection between the wheel and what’s happening underneath that’s rare to see in this class of car.
It means the HR-V is genuinely fun to pilot, whether ducking into an on-street park or navigating a series of S bends on a country road. What a pleasant surprise!
The two Karoq variants have quite different driving characteristics and will likely appeal to different buyers.
On the road, the 110TSI Style is competent, acceleration is adequate but it will not set any hearts racing. The 1.4-litre engine is rowdy when pushed, particularly up hills, but remains composed around town.
The ride is firm and you will feel and hear potholes and large ruts in the cabin. It lacks the supple ride of a RAV4.
The Sportline ups the fun factor considerably, with the punchy 2.0-litre turbo and seven-speed dual-clutch combo ensuring smooth yet engaging acceleration and performance.
When it comes to dynamic driving, the Karoq Sportline shines, proving that it’s more than just a family hauler - it’s a warmed up SUV that would give a few hot hatches a run for their money.
And that becomes clear the second you hit a twisty section of road. The Sportline handles like a much smaller car and gives the Karoq yet another selling point that many of its rivals can’t match - genuinely engaging dynamics.
But the compromise here is, again, the ride quality. The suspension has an even firmer setting than in the 110TSI Style, unsurprising given the performance bent. But those road corrugations will make themselves known.
Ultimately, however, it’s something you can get used to. I spent a few months with a pre-facelifted Karoq Sportline in 2020, and found the ride quality around town more than fine for day-to-day driving.
Each third-generation HR-V comes fitted as standard with Honda’s Sensing suite of driver-assist technologies.
This means advanced driver assist technologies like autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera, traffic sign recognition and lane departure warning are included.
However, buyers will need to step up to the e:HEV L grade for rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring – two features that should really be included across the range, especially because some rivals, like the Mazda CX-30 and Toyota CH-R include them as standard.
At the time of filming, Honda’s new HR-V is yet to be tested by ANCAP, but Euro NCAP has handed it a four-star crash-test rating.
While scoring a respectable 82 per cent in the adult occupant protection test, the HR-V scored less in the child occupant, vulnerable road user and safety assist categories.
While a four-star rating certainly doesn’t make the new HR-V unsafe for you and your family, it lags behind the five-star safety of rivals, such as the Mazda CX-30 and Toyota C-HR.
The Karoq was tested by crash safety authority ANCAP back in 2017 and was awarded a maximum five-star rating.
Given the Karoq’s age, it is not fitted with a front centre airbag to help avoid injury between the driver and passenger in a side impact.
Standard safety gear on the 110TSI Style includes adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, auto emergency braking with pedestrian detection, manoeuvre braking assist, multi-collision braking, seven airbags, a tyre pressure monitoring system and driver fatigue detection.
Unfortunately items like lane keeping aid, traffic jam assist, rear cross-traffic alert and blind spot monitor are only available as part of an options pack or as individual options. In the 110TSI Style the latter two aren’t available, even as options.
Given the standard safety gear offered on most, if not all, variants of more affordable medium-SUV alternatives like the aforementioned Sportage and Tucson, it’s odd these features are not standard at this price point.
Like all new Hondas sold in Australia in 2022, the HR-V comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.
Scheduled service intervals are every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first, which is a bit less mileage than the industry standard of 12 months/15,000km.
However, all of Honda’s vehicles now fall under its ‘5 Low Price Services’ scheme, which means each service for the first five years will only cost $125.
This means that the first five years of ownership should only set buyers back $625 – and this price applies to the hybrid and non-hybrid engine of the HR-V.
What’s even better, however, is that this makes the 2022 HR-V cheaper to maintain than the CX-30, C-HR and Niro.
The Karoq comes with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.
The servicing schedule is every 12 months or 15,000 kilometres, whichever occurs first, which average for the class.
Capped-price servicing packs for the Karoq cost $1500 for five years, or $2100 for seven years, both averaging $300 per service, which is pretty good.
Skoda has also just launched service and maintenance subscription plans that allow owners to pay a monthly fee to cover servicing and some parts costs.
Skodas are covered by an initial one year of free roadside assist, but if you continue servicing your Karoq with a Skoda dealer, it will be topped up by a year for a maximum of nine years.