test drives

By Tim Saunders

A large, powerful, well-built vehicle. That’s the ZR-V, the stylish and luxurious mid-size Honda SUV. It’s smaller than Honda's large CR-V but larger than the HR-V.

Externally, it’s a good looking vehicle with nicely rounded edges and an interesting black grille. The test model is finished in a metallic burgundy. This is complimented by snazzy black alloys, which you have to be mindful of when parking near a kerb - you don’t want to damage those little beauties. As it’s quite high up, the driver enjoys a better view of the road than in a standard car like say, a Fiesta.

Fitted with a lazy automatic box it’s simple to drive and makes for a good companion over a long journey. I put it through its paces on a trip to Brighton and enjoy the usually dull journey more, thanks to the Honda’s reliable acceleration and overall stealth. Pulling away from roundabouts it is a joy to put your foot to the floor, hearing the sound of the two-litre petrol engine working its way through the gears with a pleasant little purr. There’s a lot of power, which sometimes can result in sliding front wheels. So, great care is required. Needless to say it quickly reaches the national speed limit. At slower speeds around town, EV mode kicks in and it’s much quieter. Its brakes are fine, too. And the cruise control and speed limiter are both easy to use and dependable for those speed cameras.

The ZR-V drives like a smaller hatchback like the Civic. Clever. Yet there’s bags of legroom inside. Eldest daughter Harriett (13) is getting taller and taller and she enjoys the amount of room she has in the back. “It makes for a comfy journey,” she says, “which isn’t often the case.”

The good quality interior features black leather seats that are heated in the front and the rear, a heated black leather steering wheel, air conditioning, large glass power roof and power folding wing mirrors. The sat nav is easy to use and reliable. Henry spots the honeycomb styling on the dashboard, which adds to the sporty feel. I find the driver’s seat nicely supportive and we all arrive at our destination feeling alert. The Bose sound system and the reception on the DAB radio is reliable, allowing us to enjoy our favourite ‘80s music station. The boot is large enough for our luggage as well as Henry’s pretty cumbersome scooter, which does fold up. I like the hardwearing plastic cover fitted to the floor of the boot, which certainly comes in handy when visiting the tip, protecting it from the inevitable filth.

I am very happy with the ZR-V but for those who might not be so happy with its emissions there is always the electric version. For me though the user-friendliness of the full hybrid option works well for our busy family. The various driving options, Econ, Drive, Sport allow for varying amounts of efficiency.

++ 

Such are the challenges of car production these days that Honda and Nissan have held exploratory talks about merging.