What's the difference?
Honda used to be a big deal in Australia back in the 1990s and early 2000s but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s moved off your radar in recent years.
The Japanese carmaker has seemingly fallen out of favour in the last few years following its move to an agency retail model which negates haggling on price with dealers.
However, Honda is making a resurgence and it’s putting a heavier focus on hybrid power.
The ZR-V small-to-medium SUV has been updated for 2026 and picks up new, more affordable hybrid trims, among other minor tweaks. Read on to see if this car should be on your shortlist.
Would you consider a European-made small SUV with a terrific turbo engine from one of our all-time favourite hot hatches, a reliable torque-converter auto, ample room for five plus luggage, and all from under $40K?
You’d be at the very least a bit curious, right?
Behold the latest Suzuki S-Cross! Okay. It’s been around the sun nearly a dozen times. And you can clock its age in a couple of key areas.
But this crossover from the class of 2013 is not even close to being the oldest-in-show (stand up, Mitsubishi ASX). And, as our testing revealed, the S-Cross can still teach far newer rivals like the Kia Seltos, Mazda CX-30, Haval Jolion and Subaru Crosstrek a thing or two.
Because thoughtful design is timeless. Time, then, to crack open the S-Cross.
The Honda ZR-V has always been an engaging and fun car that’s the right size for many people. The frugal hybrid powertrain has always been the pick too.
It’s great that Honda has finally introduced more affordable hybrid trims with this update which addresses one of my biggest criticisms of this car previously.
If you’re willing to forgo some luxury features, this entry-level hybrid trim is a fantastic car that still offers enough creature comforts to be driven daily.
Hopefully Honda has some renewed sales success with this car as I believe it’s a clear benchmark for the segment.
Back in the day, you’d hear people say they’d never buy an all-new car, but instead get the last of the old model that would have had all the bugs ironed out.
If this sort of homespun logic makes sense, then maybe the latest S-Cross might just be the perfect SUV car for you.
Not only has it been in production for years, there is nothing fundamentally wrong with it. Indeed, for performance, packaging and ease, it does plenty that's right. Thoughtful design is timeless.
But there are newer alternatives that look way fresher (particularly inside) yet cost the same or less, and offer more, including updated driver-assist safety.
Still, you can do a lot worse than take an S-Cross for a test drive.