You might have experienced hybrids before, and Honda Cars India already offers one in the form of City e:HEV. But ZR-V takes a different approach. Positioned as a Sports Hybrid SUV, it will sit at the top of Honda’s India portfolio when launched. Ahead of its market introduction, we got a brief opportunity to drive Honda ZR-V at Buddh International Circuit. Here’s what we think.

Honda ZR-V Review – Design & Aesthetics

Honda ZR-V is yet to be launched in India, so we drove the Sports Hybrid SUV without knowing its final price. It is expected to be priced around Rs 50 lakh and will likely be offered in a single fully loaded variant. Pricing will be on the higher side as ZR-V will be brought to India via the CBU route.

There are four colours to choose from – Twilight Mist Black Pearl, Platinum White Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl and Meteoroid Grey Metallic. Twilight Mist Black Pearl is definitely the most interesting colour owing to its underlying Purple hue, which is what we sampled. However, in the gloomy NCR day, it was Platinum White Pearl that stood out the most.

In terms of design, Honda ZR-V looks better the more you look at it. There is a distinctly European flavour to its proportions and styling, giving it an understated premium appearance. At the front, sleek LED headlights, a prominent grille and neatly integrated aero elements create a clean and sophisticated fascia.

Distinct 18-inch alloy wheels are wrapped with 225/55 tyres. There are conventional door handles and a subtle sloping roofline. We have seen so many connected tail lights that ZR-V’s conventional tail lights look rather attractive and they are. Bumper is body coloured too and there is a twin exhaust setup and both of them are functional.

Old Money Interiors

Dimensionally, Honda ZR-V measures 4,567 mm in length, 1,840 mm in width, 1,621 mm in height and has a 2,655 mm long wheelbase. This translates into decent space on the inside for front and rear occupants and even a massive 1,313L boot with 2nd row seats folded.

On the inside, Honda ZR-V gets an all-Black theme with a relatively conventional dashboard layout. In an era where increasingly large touchscreens dominate dashboards, ZR-V takes a refreshingly traditional approach, which we liked.

There’s a conventional round steering wheel with a three-spoke layout, tactile buttons and toggles. Even the paddle shifters to control regen are larger and made of metal. There’s leather upholstery along with leather padded steering wheel and trims on doors and centre console. A 9-inch floating infotainment screen takes centre stage and we liked that it has proper buttons and dials to navigate it.

Even the dual-zone climate control panel had tactile dials and clicky buttons, lending a premium vibe. There’s a wireless charger, adaptable cup holders, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 10.2-inch wide-format TFT instrument cluster which is customisable and informative, a floating centre console, IR-cut and acoustic heat protecting glass, 12-speaker Bose sound system and more.

Comfort & Space

Honda has used extensive noise insulating materials in ZR-V and you will appreciate the silence. Front AC vents are neatly hidden in a horizontal grill bar. Soft touch materials are almost everywhere and even present at the area where your knee would touch the centre console. Leather seats feel nice to sit in with a sedan-like seating position and excellent support.

Front seats are powered and driver’s seat gets two memory settings which are integrated into the two smart keys. So, each key will activate its respective set position. We were not particularly fond of the gear selector buttons, but one can get used to them. Behind gear selector on the floating console are toggle for Drive Modes, parking brake and others.

Rear seat comfort is good and there are soft touch materials extended to rear occupant area too, but there are no amenities to pamper rear occupants. Sure, there are rear AC vents and USB ports along with sound deadening materials, but nothing fancy. There’s a powered tailgate along with a smart delay function as well.

Powertrain & Performance

Powering Honda ZR-V is a 2.0L Sports Hybrid powertrain, consisting of a 2.0L 4-cylinder Atkinson Cycle Petrol engine along with a motor and a generator along with a battery. Peak total system output is 184 PS and 315 Nm, mated to an eCVT. Claimed headline stats with Honda ZR-V are 22.8 km/l fuel efficiency and a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 7.9 seconds.

Acceleration is brisk and Honda ZR-V feels like it will do 0-100 in the claimed 7.9 seconds and we managed a comparable timing as well. Honda ZR-V uses a series-parallel hybrid system, where the electric motor handles much of the actual propulsion. The petrol engine can operate as a generator to supply electricity to the motor and charge the battery, while under certain driving conditions it can also directly drive the wheels. The system automatically switches between these operating modes depending on speed, load and battery charge.

Whenever required, the engine will also drive the wheels. During our time with ZR-V Sports Hybrid on the race track at BIC, engine was on the whole time and we were gunning it all across the track. Even under these conditions, the system was showing fuel efficiency of around 10.4 km/l, which is impressive considering how the vehicle was being driven. Based purely on this indicated figure and its 57-litre tank, theoretical range works out to nearly 600 km. At the claimed 22.8 km/l efficiency, theoretical range could cross 1,200 km, although real-world figures will naturally depend on driving conditions.

Driving Dynamics

Since our drive was restricted to BIC, we couldn’t properly evaluate low-speed ride quality, real-world hybrid behaviour or Honda Sensing ADAS on public roads. What the track did allow us to explore was ZR-V’s performance, braking and high-speed dynamics, and this is where it impressed us.

There’s independent suspension at all four corners and body control is impressive. ZR-V remains composed through corners even at higher speeds, while braking feels progressive and confidence-inspiring. The relatively low 180 mm ground clearance and sedan-like driving position also contribute to its sporty character. Overall, ZR-V feels remarkably at home on a high-speed circuit like BIC.

Should You Buy One?

Honda has mentioned that two lots of ZR-V imports have been booked or talked about already and the company is considering a third lot allotment soon. Honda’s brand reputation precedes it and ZR-V emerges as a tempting proposition for Honda loyalists out there.

The lack of a sunroof doesn’t bother us, but the absence of ventilated front seats certainly does, especially considering Indian conditions and ZR-V’s expected price. On the particular unit we sampled, the centre console did not feel properly secured and moved noticeably even with light pressure from our knees.

It is a sophisticated vehicle with an understated character, and we can certainly see the appeal. Pricing will ultimately determine how compelling the package is. But if you’re looking for exclusivity, understated styling, a quick and efficient hybrid powertrain, strong dynamics and a premium experience without unnecessary gimmicks, Honda ZR-V makes a convincing case for itself.