2016 Honda HR-V Road Test | Edmunds.com

Edmunds.com

An all-new model in the subcompact crossover segment, the 2016 Honda HR-V combines a small footprint, high driving position and a surprisingly spacious cargo area in an easy-to-drive package. Solid mileage, available all-wheel drive and plenty of standard and optional features make it one of the top vehicles in the category.

Read the full story here

twodogs4

HRV base model I drove yesterday does have standard knob controls for radio and temperature blower!

twodogs4

And my wife and I loved the ride, handling and the roominess of the HRV. Have never owned a Honda but will shall have to consider this one!

stever

Tested one this morning, an EX model with keyless ignition. Liked it a lot, my wife less so (she's yet to find a Honda that she really likes).

The standout features were the safety gizmos. The backup camera has three modes and the wide angle mode is especially nice. Really like the right side camera view when you turn your right signal on. The brake hold gizmo was nice.

The seats were okay, not terrific. This model was gray and had black cloth seats. The back seats are surprisingly roomy. We don't haul passengers often but it's a good set-up. The salesperson was 6'6" and he was managing fine on our test drive. I did feel like I was sliding downhill a bit in the passenger seat; the thigh support is lacking (I'm 5'9" so that issue is a bit of a surprise)..

The engine power seemed adequate. Not especially zippy or fun to drive (we tested an automatic) but still okay, and lots better than our minivan. Good turning circle. NVH were better than the Fit we tested a few years ago and it wasn't too buzzy.

I didn't really have any issues with the screen controls and this setup was a lot easier to figure out than the controls on the Encore we also tested this morning. Not a fan of CD players still in cars.

The flat floor and ease of laying the second row seats down from the rear hatch are a big plus. Wish I had played with the second row seat bottom trick.

I've decided I like the cutaway consoles with the USB and power ports in the cutout (similar to the Prius console). Even better would be a narrower console but this one didn't bother my knees much.

The bad - it was 90°F on our test drive and the AC could not keep up. It's 102°F as I type this and I can't imagine living with the HR-V is this is the normal AC operation, and I'm cold natured! The black cloth seats didn't help either, but leather is likely as bad if not worse.

Sigh, the poor AC showing this morning coupled with my wife's indifference to Hondas means this one get downgraded on our list.

stever

btw, any owners tooling around this summer in their HR-V, I'd love to hear your comments about how your AC is working.

Oh, this was a one price dealer and the sales price was MSRP. They had two models in stock and two coming by Labor Day, and one is pre-sold.

herrstreet

I'm a car guy but my wife is just one of those people who likes to sit high and have a car that's useful. We had a 2 liter CX-5 Mazda that we traded in for an Odyssee because our family has gotten bigger. She was thrilled at how fast the minivan felt compared to one of the current generation of gutless small SUV's felt like. You have to think about that for a minute to let it sink in. These things make minivans feel racy. So think twice about cars like this if you're at all interested in acceleration or if your commute includes pulling onto the highway where torque is important. We were glad to be rid of ours.

kyfdx

A determined mother in an Odyssey means you aren't getting over... found that out the hard way.

jackanory

When am I going to be able to buy a new crossover with a stick shift, that isn't condemned to an ugly black interior? Come on Honda, ease up on the restrictions; let me have my M/T with the grey interior and the blue exterior!

My 2003 Forester isn't going to last forever!