The Honda ZR-V is the carmaker’s first hybrid SUV in India and its being brought here via the CBU route from Japan as a brand builder or a halo product. It’s also the first of a few global products being launched in India, so it gives us an idea of what we can expect from Honda in the coming years. Honda says the ZR-V is a “Sports Hybrid” meaning it prioritizes performance and fuel efficiency in equal parts, which is why the company gave us a chance to briefly experience it at the Buddh International Circuit. 

Honda ZR-V Exterior Design and Engineering – 8/10

The Honda ZR-V is a strong hybrid SUV that features a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, direct injection, petrol engine that runs on the more efficient Atkinson cycle and it works in tandem with two, permanent magnet synchronous electric motors. The powertrain produces a max combined output of 184hp and 315Nm which is channeled to the front wheels only via an eCVT transmission. The SUV has a claimed 0-100kph time of 7.9 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 172kph. Internationally, the ZR-V is also offered with an all-wheel-drive (AWD) setup and a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine producing 180hp and 240Nm but that is currently not on the cards for India.

The strong hybrid powertrain feels smooth and zippy right from the get-go. What’s great is that it makes all the 315Nm of torque from standstill, so it feels quick right from launch and you’re never left wanting more. Power delivery is smooth and linear and it’s also keen to respond to part-throttle inputs. The powertrain is also very refined with barely any engine, road or tyre noise filtering through. 

At low speeds with light throttle inputs, the ZR-V will stay in pure EV mode as long as the battery has enough charge. Unlike some other strong hybrids however, you can’t manually choose EV mode. Push the accelerator harder and the engine will come on, with the SUV moving to the hybrid drive mode. In this mode, the electric motor is still powering the wheels with the engine acting as a generator to keep the battery topped up. Then there’s the engine drive mode, which is specifically used at high speeds. Here, it’s the engine powering the wheels with the electric motor assisting.

However, there are drive modes that you can change – Eco, Normal and Sport – and these don’t have an effect on the output or how the powertrain works but just the response. There’s paddleshifters too, for cycling between the regenerative braking modes and they do work effectively. As for the friction brakes, the ZR-V comes with discs all around and they felt predictable and confidence-inspiring out on track. 

Honda ZR-V Mileage and Efficiency – 8/10

Honda claims the ZR-V will do an impressive 22.80kpl. Considering it’s a hybrid, real-world efficiency should be close to the claimed but we’ll have to reserve judgement till we actually subject the SUV to our fuel efficiency tests. 

Honda ZR-V Ride Comfort and Handling – 7/10

Considering we drove it on BIC’s smooth tarmac surface and only for a few laps, giving a definitive verdict on its ride comfort is difficult. As for high speed composure, the SUV felt stable. 

In terms of handling, the ZR-V felt enjoyable to drive around the corners. Handling on the whole was stable and predictable, thanks to a well-weighted and precise steering. A slalom course also demonstrated its tidy body control and it felt eager to change directions.

Honda ZR-V Exterior Design and Engineering – 7/10

Unlike most SUVs which have a squared-off and upright stance, the Honda ZR-V has a sleek, crossover-like design, with rounded-off and clean surfaces. Up front, it gets slim LED headlights with L-shaped daytime running lamps (DRLs), a black grille with vertical slates and a bumper that houses functional air vents on either side. 

Along the sides, there’s stylish 18-inch alloy wheels with a dual-tone finish, body-coloured cladding around the wheel arches and a tapering roofline at the rear. Unlike most SUVs today, the ZR-V doesn’t get connected tail-lights, instead you get clear-lens taillamps with LED elements. Then there’s a roof-mounted spoiler element and lower down in the bumper, you get dual exhausts.

On the whole, the ZR-V styling comes across as subtle and not striking. And given its dimensions of just over 4.5m in length and 1.8m in width, it doesn’t quite have the presence of its rivals. And it also doesn’t help that Honda is only offering four colours, all of which are subdued.

Honda ZR-V Interior Space and Comfort – 7/10

The interior of the ZR-V is typically Honda, which means its practical, comfy and well-finished. There’s plenty of soft touch materials around and I like that the dashboard is low-set which enables a great view out. A 9-inch touchscreen sits on top of the dash, and though it’s nice that it gets physical controls, the size and the UI leaves more to be desired by today’s standards. There’s a honeycomb grille that runs the width of the dash, separated by a silver trim piece which does look premium. Lower down you get similar physical AC controls like on the Honda City with rotary knobs that are satisfying to operate. There’s more buttons on the centre console too, for the drive modes, parking brake and in place of a traditional drive selector. 

Then you get a well-executed, fully digital instrument cluster that’s customisable and shows you all sorts of driving data, the charge status and a flow chart of the powertrain. The front seats are well-padded, comfortable and feel premium too. Storage spaces are also well thought out, with a decent sized glove box and door bins, storage under the centre armrest and in the centre console. 

Getting into the rear is quite easy thanks to the low set seat, even though the sill is on the higher side. Once in, you’ll find it a comfy place to be with enough space for three passengers and plenty of legroom. However, the low set seat results in a slightly knees-up seating position, there are no sunblinds and the tapering roofline means people over 6 feet will find the headroom to be tight. As for features here, there’s dedicated AC vents, type C charging ports, a fold-down armrest with cupholders and three-point seatbelts and adjustable headrests for all three passengers. 

The boot is large too and the loading lip isn’t that high. With the rear seats folded down in a 60:40 split, you can fit in 1313 litres of cargo. There’s no underboot storage though as that’s taken up by the hybrid battery and there’s no spare tyre either. 

Honda ZR-V Features and Safety – 6/10

As for features, the ZR-V gets a 10.25-inch digital cluster, a 9-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 12-speaker Bose audio system, dual-zone climate control, leatherette upholstery, 8-way powered driver’s seat with memory, 4-way powered front passenger seat, wireless charger, electric tailgate with gesture, electric parking brake and ambient lighting. However, some important features like a panoramic sunroof and heated, ventilated and massaging front seats are missing, all of which could have been offered at the expected price point. 

As for the safety kit, you get a 360-degree parking camera (it is quite low res though), 8 airbags, tyre pressure monitor, hill-start and hill-descent assist, traction control and ISOFIX child seat mounts. It even packs in Level 2 ADAS tech which brings in autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, blind spot monitor, adaptive cruise control and more. On the whole though, the ZR-V is under equipped for its expected price. 

Honda ZR-V Value for Money – 5/10

So that’s a brief drive impression of the Honda ZR-V for you. We’ll have to reserve our definitive verdict till we get to experience the SUV out in the real-world and subject it to our performance and fuel efficiency tests. 

The Honda ZR-V has its downsides like the missing features, its relatively compact footprint and lack of road presence and being a full import it’s going to be expensive as well, around the Rs 45 lakh mark. But it has a practical, comfy and well-finished interior and comes with a smooth and seamless hybrid powertrain that is quick and promises to be efficient as well. As such, the Honda ZR-V is going to be a niche product, so it remains to be seen as to how many takers would it find in our market.