Overview

The Honda ZR-V is an all-new hybrid SUV that’s designed the plug the wafer-thin gap between the HR-V and CR-V. It’s the third off-road-ish model in Honda’s range – and it amalgamates the compact dimensions of the former car with the family-friendly practicality of the latter.

Honda gave the ZR-V a great start in life, as it’s based on the same platform as the 2023 Parkers Car of the Year award-winning Civic hatchback. That means it shares the same technology, build quality and clever gearbox-less 2.0-litre four-cylinder self-charging hybrid powertrain.

Honda hopes the ZR-V will allow it to penetrate the heartland of the UK’s SUV market. It sized the car to compete with time-served family SUVs such as the Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson. However, Honda also hopes the ZR-V’s upmarket interior and clever technology will be enough to drag buyers away from the Lexus NX and BMW X1.

Because the ZR-V occupies this unusual middle ground between the mainstream and the premium, it’s quite expensive. Prices start from £39,495 for the Elegance model, £41,095 for the Sport trim and £42,895 for the range-topping Advance variant. These figures are steep, but Honda justifies its actions with the ZR-V’s spec-sheet. It’s fitted with an awful lot of equipment as standard.

The Elegance model comes with 18-inch alloys, LED headlights, a rear-view camera, keyless go, heated seats and adaptive cruise control. Sport cars gain an aggressive body kit, privacy glass, a power-operated tailgate and a wireless smartphone charger, while Advance models feature adaptive LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof and a premium Bose stereo.

And don’t forget – the ZR-V is only available with one hybrid powertrain. Its rivals from Kia and Nissan dip their entry prices into the high-£20,000 bracket by only having conventional petrol engines and manual gearboxes fitted to their most basic variants.

But does the Honda ZR-V tackle the market with the same deftness as its Civic sister car? Or would you be better opting for one of the SUV’s cheaper rivals? Over the next few pages, we’ll answer these questions by considering the ZR-V’s practicality, interior quality, technology, driving experience and running costs. We’ll then offer our final verdict on the car. Click through to the next page to read more.