2025 Honda HR-V e:HEV X review: Long term introduction

Small hybrid SUVs mightn’t be the sexiest vehicles on our roads, but they represent an efficient and practical form of transport for the masses.

And few fit that description better than the Honda HR-V.

As the smallest SUV in Honda’s lineup, the HR-V doesn’t have much in the way of road presence, and the interior isn’t what I’d call breathtaking.

Yet, with a petrol-sipping hybrid powertrain and Honda’s famed ‘Magic Seats’, it’s also exactly what many compact SUV buyers are after.

Here at CarExpert, we’re normally given anywhere between a day and a week to test cars and come up with a judgement, but this time things are a little different.

Max Davies and I have scored the keys to a Honda HR-V e:HEV X for the next three months, with the aim of assessing its capability as a city commuter over the long-term.

We’ll be unpacking the HR-V in detail, starting with this introduction piece in which I’ll give you the lowdown on our first impressions of the new office green machine!

How much does the Honda HR-V cost?

At $39,900 drive-away, the HR-V isn’t cheap by small SUV standards.

You’ll pay less for hybrid rivals with Toyota and Hyundai badges, even though the e:HEV X is technically the bottom-spec hybrid HR-V.

And that’s before you consider the MG ZS and GWM Haval Jolion, which are both considerably cheaper than the HR-V in hybrid form.

To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

What is the Honda HR-V like on the inside?

Regardless of trim grade, the HR-V is a back-to-basics SUV.

The cabin is unlikely to wow potential buyers in a showroom, but it’s user-friendly and contains all the creature comforts you’d reasonably expect from a vehicle in this segment.

Well, aside from power-adjustable seats, which are an omission I noticed immediately. It took a while for me to get comfortable using the manual tilt and slide levers, which feature right across the HR-V range.

After sorting the seating situation, it’s easy to get acquainted with the rest of the key controls.

The start/stop button sits directly to the right of the instrument cluster, while the gear selector is a good old-fashioned stick protruding from the centre tunnel.

All climate controls are integrated into a panel below the infotainment screen, complete with physical buttons and rotary dials.

For buyers coming out of slightly older models, the simplicity of this layout will be a source of relief and ensure a relatively flat learning curve.

Indeed, it was refreshing to just jump in and drive the HR-V without spending a good 20 minutes figuring the car out.

Glancing around, the design of the interior is a bit uninspiring, and the selection of materials does little to remedy that.

All the shapes and lines are fairly conventional, with surfaces finished in a combination of black plastic and leatherette.

Function over form, then. High traffic areas including the steering wheel and centre console gain some extra padding, which elevates the driver’s experience of the HR-V.

My first impressions of the technology suite are mixed. Again, it’s all on the basic side. You get a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen that’s not particularly cutting-edge, and neither is the 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster.

The infotainment system defaults to a simple app grid, with features including wireless smartphone mirroring, native navigation, and bluetooth audio.

Although it’s early days, the Apple CarPlay connection has shown to be a little unreliable, although a wired connection solves that problem.

Otherwise, I’ve found the pinned shortcut icons at the bottom of the screen to be handy, and the screen responds promptly to touch inputs. Just don’t expect any whiz-bang party tricks or futuristic functions.

The instrument cluster is a real throwback. An analogue speedometer occupies the right side of the panel, paired with a small digital display showing other important driving data. Again, it’s not difficult to configure the setup to your liking, but there’s not much here to show that the HR-V is a $40,000 car.

My first impressions of the HR-V as a bland yet functional SUV are supported by the generous cabin storage space it offers.

Dual storage trays in the centre stack are perfect for a pair of smartphones, and the door bins are roomy enough. Cupholders, door bins and the centre console are all within reach of the driver, while there’s a glovebox for items you’d rather hide out of sight.

Second-row passengers also have access to map pockets and a couple of deep cubbies built into the centre console.

Speaking of the second row, I’ve yet to take friends or family for a spin, and it will be interesting to see if the smallest Honda SUV can transport four in comfort. I say four because the HR-V only has four seats, unlike the larger ZR-V.

Aside from ample storage, there’s not much in the way of amenities back there. USB outlets and air vents are missing from this base X, and the second row appears spartan as a result.

I haven’t had much use for the boot either, although my bulky cricket bag fits back there without issue. Honda quotes 304L of cargo capacity for the HR-V – enough for city slickers like myself but not quite adequate for a growing family or weekend warrior.

That’s unless you take advantage of Honda’s famous second row ‘Magic Seats’, which fold completely flat for masses of extra storage.

To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

Both Honda HR-V e:HEV models are powered by the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid system, mated with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Total system outputs are quoted at 96kW of power and 253Nm of torque, though Honda doesn’t list a capacity for its lithium-ion battery pack.

To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

How does the Honda HR-V drive?

On paper, few vehicles fit my personal use case better than the HR-V.

My daily commute consists of a 15km highway run in peak-hour traffic, interspersed with suburban errands.

In other words, perfect for a small, nimble and fuel-efficient SUV.

And in practice, it’s hard to argue with that. The addition of hybrid power makes the HR-V feel zippy at low speeds, so it’s easy to seize upon a gap in heavy traffic.

Once the highway queues start to move, Honda’s semi-autonomous driving system comes into its own. In addition to adaptive cruise control, the HR-V is equipped with traffic jam assist, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

The technology is intuitive and user-friendly, affording the driver mental energy to decompress at the end of a long day in the office.

Auto-hold is also on hand if you find yourself in proper gridlock conditions, or need to make a dash across the CBD with its dense network of traffic lights.

There’s more to the hybrid HR-V than a set of well-calibrated advanced driver assist systems (ADAS).

It feels agile around town as a by-product of its diminutive dimensions, and the hybrid powertrain is both frugal and quiet.

Even when you get up the revs, the four-cylinder engine has a pleasant note that doesn’t make you regret flexing your right foot.

In the suburbs, the HR-V is composed with a relatively stable ride and well-tuned suspension. Potholes and speed bumps do little to unsettle it, although don’t expect cloud-like ride quality.

Over the first week of driving I saw an average fuel consumption of 4.6L/100km – better than expected and just about on par with Honda’s impressive claim.

While the strengths of the HR-V suit my lifestyle, Max will be able to provide crucial insights into what it’s like over longer journeys on poorer quality roads.

Country highways will undoubtedly challenge the compliant ride I have experienced thus far, although low fuel consumption should remain a strength of our tester regardless of the driving conditions.

To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

What do you get?

There are three grades of HR-V available in Australia, and the e:HEV X sits right in the middle.

2025 Honda HR-V Vi X equipment highlights:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Tyre repair kit
• LED headlights
  • Auto dusk-sensing
  • Auto high-beam
• LED daytime running lights
• LED tail-lights
• Rear privacy glass
• Power-adjustable side mirrors
• Matte black wheel arch cladding, side skirts, front and rear bumper trim
• 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
• DAB+ digital radio
• Satellite navigation
• 2 USB ports
  • 1 USB-A
  • 1 USB-C
• 7.0-inch LED driver information interface
• 4-speaker sound system
• Single-zone climate control
• Black cloth upholstery
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Leather-wrapped gear selector
• Paddle shifters
• Manual front seat adjustment
• Rear Magic Seats
  • 60/40 split, fold down and tip up
• Smart keyless entry

HR-V e:HEV X adds:

• Auto-levelling headlights
• LED front fog lights
• LED active cornering lights
• Gloss black wheel arch cladding, side skirts, front and rear bumper trim
• Acoustic windscreen
• 6-speaker sound system
• Heated front seats
• Black leatherette and cloth upholstery

HR-V e:HEV L adds:

• Rain-sensing wipers
• Heated, hydrophilic side mirrors with auto passenger side reverse tilt
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
• 4 USB ports
  • 2 x USB-A
  • 2 x USB-C
• Dual-zone climate control
• Dual rear-facing air vents
• Heated steering wheel
• Hands-free power tailgate

To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

Is the Honda HR-V safe?

The Honda HR-V has a four-star safety rating from ANCAP, based on testing conducted in 2022.

Standard safety features include:

• 6 airbags
  • Front
  • Front side
  • Full-length curtain
• Autonomous emergency braking
  • Oncoming motorcycle collision detection
  • Pedestrian and bicycle front cross-traffic collision
• Lane-keep assist
• Lane departure warning
• Adaptive cruise control
• Traffic Jam Assist
• Traffic sign recognition
• Reversing camera
• Front, rear parking sensors
• Hill descent control
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Automatic walk-away door locking

HR-V e:HEV X adds:

• Blind-spot monitoring
• Intelligent speed limiter
• Rear cross-traffic alert

To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

How much does the Honda HR-V cost to run?

The Honda HR-V is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, plus five years of roadside assist, and is offered with five years of capped-price servicing.

Honda also includes a five-year complimentary navigation map update and a five-year Honda Connect subscription with new HR-V purchases.

To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the Honda HR-V

It’s early days, but this HR-V e:HEV X strikes me as a sensible yet vanilla take on the small hybrid SUV recipe.

Modest exterior design and a plain interior do little to spark excitement, but once you get behind the wheel this base hybrid HR-V starts to make more sense.

It’s far more engaging to drive than you might expect, and the cabin trades space-age features for a user-friendly layout and controls that are easy to master.

The asking price may be on the high side at $40k, but low running costs help to offset that initial investment. Servicing is dirt cheap, and I’m still yet to make my first fuel stop.

I’ll now hand the keys over to Max so he can experience what our long-termer has to offer, so stay tuned for further updates in the coming months.

Interested in buying a Honda HR-V? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here

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MORE: Everything Honda HR-V