Honda in Malaysia is now the No.1 non-national car brand and they managed to achieve this with a great range of new products that come with a lot of safety features, good interior connectivity features, stylish design and packaging and above all, market leading pricing. Now comes another interesting new product to ‘rock’ the Malaysian car market. It is a compact crossover that challenges the current crop of popular compact crossovers.
This is the all-new Honda HR-V crossover that blends the styling of a coupe, the toughness, space and utility of a SUV and the quality of a Honda in one sporty, personal and versatile multi-dimensional vehicle. The well-equipped HR-V, launching at Honda dealerships nationwide early next month, will enter the fast-growing entry crossover market with dynamic yet refined exterior styling, fun-to-drive performance, class-leading fuel economy ratings and unmatched interior spaciousness and cabin versatility.
Utilizing a new global platform, the all-new Honda HR-V has one of the most spacious and versatile cabins in its class. Utilizing its unique platform design with a center-mounted fuel tank and reconfigurable second-row “Magic Seat,” the completely new HR-V has voluminous interior space along with a flexible cabin featuring multiple seating/cargo modes. With 100.1 cu. ft. of passenger volume and 58.8 cu. ft. of cargo volume with the second row seats down, the HR-V has space to rival some competitors’ mid-size SUV offerings.
The HR-V’s dynamic appearance and sporty, solid stance is aided by its coupe-like cabin shape and bold and powerful face, complemented by distinctive side contours, including a sharply upswept character line, deeply sculpted lower body form and the strong horizontal taper of both the front and rear fascia. Concealed rear door handles further enhance its coupe-like appearance.
The HR-V’s sporty and sophisticated interior features an expansive, airy cockpit with an abundance of soft-touch materials and premium detailing punctuated by precise bezels, sophisticated stitch lines and upmarket brushed chrome and piano black highlights – all fitting its mission as a youthful yet refined personal crossover vehicle. The three-meter driver’s instrument cluster features “floating” illumination rings and Honda’s ECO Assist feature, wherein the speedometer illumination changes from white to green depending on the fuel efficiency of the driver’s vehicle operation.
The Honda Jazz wheelbase has been stretched to provide an impressive interior roominess in this HR-V. Rear seat legroom is close to that of some executive cars. Large door pockets can hold plastic drink bottles and large maps.
With the standard 60/40 split rear seatbacks folded, this versatile five-door crossover provides a completely flat load floor with up to approximately 52.4 cubic feet of carrying space. The cargo area is outfitted as standard with a cover that can be pulled into place or removed, a removable waterproof tray, tie-down hooks, and grocery bag hooks.
There is a 7-inch display for audio and connectivity which is also used in current Honda cars like the Accord, Civic, City and Jazz. If you are an Apple I-phone user, there is a Siri Eyes mode system included for easy connectivity. HDMI and USB ports are included with a console pocket designed for smart phones and tablets.
Power comes from a highly refined and responsive 1.8-liter SOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine with i-VTEC valvetrain producing a peak 138 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 172Nm of torque at 4,300 rpm. The engine is mated to a sporty and fuel-efficient continuously variable transmission (CVT) with Honda “G-design” shift logic.
