New Honda ZR-V arrives with hybrid power and autumn 2023 release date

Honda has been electrifying its range in a typically conservative fashion – but now the Japanese brand is really pushing ahead with the process. And that will extend to two new models being launched this year, starting with the Honda ZR-V.

The ZR-V is designed to slot in between the compact HR-V and the larger CR-V in Honda’s SUV line-up, although it’s closer to the second of those two vehicles. The company says the car will have “the same DNA as the Civic e:HEV”, so it’s fair to say that the ZR-V is, in effect, a crossover version of the popular family hatchback. That should make it a serious rival for the likes of the Nissan Qashqai and VW Tiguan, albeit with a more swoopy roofline.

Honda has pushed hard to make the ZR-V not look too much like a jacked-up Civic and on first inspection, it has succeeded. The front has a relatively small grille and extremely slim headlights, while the flanks have much less complex surfacing than we’ve seen on many recent Hondas. The C-pillar is quite narrow, and the rear features a large tail-gate that’s clearly designed to deliver a low load lip into the boot.

Inside, the ZR-V adopts much of the same ‘horizontal’ design language as the Civic. There’s a nine-inch touchscreen mounted high up in the centre of the fascia, but the car also retains conventional rotary controls for the heating and ventilation. The boot capacity is 380 litres (20 per cent larger than the HR-V’s) with the rear seats in place, and folding down the second row expands this to as much as 1,291 litres; that’s around 70 litres up on the Civic’s maximum.

An extensive range of kit will be offered across the trim levels, including heated front and rear seats, eight-way adjustment on the driver’s seat, a panoramic roof, 18-inch alloy wheels and Honda’s ‘Sensing’ range of safety and driver-assistance features.

The ZR-V won’t be available as a pure EV; instead it will feature a recalibrated version of the Civic’s e:HEV powertrain. This mixes an Atkinson-cycle 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a pair of electric motors and an automatic gearbox – and as on the Civic, the combustion power spends a lot of its time not actually driving the wheels. Honda hasn’t confirmed power outputs but based on the ZR-V’s stats in other regions where it has already been released, we’d expect it to match the Civic’s 181bhp; the company says the ZR-V will deliver CO2 emissions starting at 130g/km, and return from 49mpg under WLTP tests.

The ZR-V is supported by the same basic platform as the Civic, with MacPherson-strut front suspension and a multi-link rear axle. Honda Motor Europe’s senior vice-president, Tom Gardner, claims engineers have worked hard to deliver hatchback dynamics in a crossover. “We’re confident that customers are going to be taken aback by how well this car handles,” he said.

The Honda ZR-V should reach UK dealers in the autumn. There’s no word yet on pricing, but given its size and powertrain, and Honda’s range realignment, we’d expect it to be closer to the old CR-V’s starting figure than those of the existing HR-V. That would give the ZR-V a price range starting at around £31,000.

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