Honda ZR-V: What's Fantastic, What Could Have Been Better On Honda's New Flagship SUV
Honda has revealed its new flagship SUV, the ZR-V, in India. It will be sold in limited numbers as CBU (Completely Built Unit) imports. Honda has already started accepting pre-bookings for the ZR-V. We got a closer look at it, at the debut event. Based on the same, here is everything that we think is fantastic about this SUV, and everything that could have been better.
Firstly, the ZR-V is a unique product- from the way it looks to the way it is packaged. There are several things that we liked about this SUV. One is the build quality. The ZR-V feels very well put together. There is a strong sense of solidity to this vehicle. Furthermore, the SUV comes with eight airbags.
Secondly, the ZR-V has a luxurious interior. The plastics in most places have a nice tactile feel to them. The seats offer great support and feel plush. The cabin, however, isn’t very vocal about its luxurious nature. The overall design and layout could even feel slightly monotonous.
The high-deck centre console, button-based gear selector and electronic parking brake would remind you of the CR-V that was previously on sale here. The seating, we would say, is slightly low set, in typical Honda fashion.
The carmaker has given the ZR-V a decent array of features as well. It is not extensive though. There are some glaring omissions, which we will talk about later in this article. You get a 9-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto, 12-speaker BOSE surround sound system, dual-zone climate control, ambient lighting, 360-degree camera, wireless charger, digital instrument cluster, ADAS and more.
The ZR-V will be brought as CBU imports from Japan. In other words, we will be getting the Japanese spec. This is also why the quality feels great at most places, including the paint.
Next is the ZR-V’s powertrain. It comes with a 2.0L e:HEV strong hybrid powertrain that makes 182 hp and 315 Nm. This SUV can do the 0-100kph sprint in just 7.9 seconds. It has thus become the fastest Honda you can buy in India today.
Despite the thrilling performance, this strong hybrid powertrain is claimed to deliver a fuel efficiency of 22.8 kpl. This is very impressive and unthinkable for a 2.0L petrol engine, unless it has an efficient strong hybrid setup paired with it.
The hybrid setup on the ZR-V consists of a 1.05 kWh Lithium ion battery pack. This means that the SUV can run on pure electric power in low city speeds. It can reportedly run in EV mode for approximately 1 mile.
Despite being a premium SUV offering, the ZR-V misses out on a bunch of features and equipment. Interestingly, many of these are available on much smaller and less expensive products.
One of the biggest misses on the ZR-V is the absence of a sunroof. In a market like India which loves this feature, this is a glaring omission. Even relatively affordable cars now offer large panoramic sunroofs. It is more or less a non-negotiable expectation in the segment that the vehicle belongs to. At least some of the ZRV’s buyers would be dissatisfied by this omission.
Another major miss is front seat ventilation. The India-bound ZR-V will not have ventilated seats. This again, is a feature that’s getting popular even in mass-market products. More importantly, seat ventilation can be very useful in India’s hot, humid climate. Honda’s flagship SUV lacking this feature, is indeed alarming.
The next complaint that we have is regarding the boot space. With the second row in use, we found the boot space to be less than what’s offered by some of its possible rivals. The official brochure put out by Honda Cars India doesn’t mention the exact boot capacity. Even so, it is likely to be around 380 litres.
The rear seats are comfortable and well-cushioned. However, the under-thigh support could have been better. The ZR-V has a flat, high floor, and this adds to the overall impact.
Next, Honda has plans to bring just a single variant of the ZR-V to India. In Japan, however, it is offered in several more-interesting trims like the e:HEV Z Special Edition Black Style, and e:HEV Z Special Edition Cross Touring. All Wheel Drive versions are also on sale there.
And finally, the ZR-V doesn’t come with a spare wheel. It comes with a tyre inflation and repair kit instead.