Honda is making a significant return to the Indian market with the launch of the ZR-V, a premium hybrid SUV that aims to blend sporty design, efficient performance, and exclusive appeal despite its high import price and some feature limitations.
Key Points
- The Honda ZR-V is a premium hybrid SUV imported to India, serving as a halo product to showcase Honda's global offerings.
- It features a compact, sporty design with high-quality paint finish, positioning it as a crossover in the premium segment.
- The interior offers a sporty cabin with high-quality fit and finish, but lacks some expected features like ventilated seats or a sunroof, and rear space is limited.
- Powered by a 2.0L petrol engine and twin electric motors, the hybrid powertrain delivers 181 bhp, smooth performance, and an impressive fuel efficiency of 22.7 kmpl.
- Expected to be priced around Rs 40 lakh, the ZR-V will be an exclusive offering, appealing to those seeking a distinctive design and hybrid efficiency despite its premium cost and feature omissions.
After a quiet few years, Honda is back in India with multiple launches across different segments.
While we have seen the City, the ZR-V represents a new wave of premium products from the Japanese manufacturer.
Being an import, the focus is more on being a halo product and also showcasing Honda's global line-up. We drove the car briefly at a racetrack to see how it compares against rivals like the Skoda Kodiaq.
Compact yet Purposeful Design
The ZR-V is smaller than other SUVs in the premium segment with a length of around 4.5 metres but immediately cuts a striking stance with its tapered lines against the almost Italian car like grille.
The design is sporty, and the paint finish is high quality, but it certainly edges towards being a crossover of sorts.
Interior Quality and Feature Set
Step inside and you are surrounded by a sporty cabin with an almost sports car like driving position where you sit lower.
The metal steering paddles for brake regeneration feel like they belong to a supercar and the cabin controls mimic an airplane of sorts.
Fit and finish are top notch, but you do notice some issues like the small touchscreen and the lack of feel good features like ventilated seats or even a sunroof.
Even the space inside is best as a four seater with the second row being a tight fit. The boot space is ample though.
Smooth Hybrid Powertrain and Efficiency
You start the car in silence with the EV mode flashing on the digital instrument cluster.
The ZR-V comes with a hybrid powertrain which includes a 2.0l petrol engine along with twin electric motors with an output of around 181 bhp.
Performance is measured and linear, along with being smooth.
It is easy to drive, but the eCVT gearbox is best driven with a relaxed input, while the handling, no doubt, is impressive with tight body control.
Fuel efficiency for the ZR-V beats other SUVs easily at 22.7 kmpl.
Pricing and Market Positioning
Honda won't bring many of these ZR-Vs to India, being an import and as expected, the pricing would be on the higher side as well, at around Rs 40 lakh starting.
At that price, the ZR-V has some issues like missing features and does not have the space found on other similarly priced SUVs, but it does get a smooth hybrid powertrain and a design which will turn heads.
Hence, as an SUV which stands out, the ZR-V could tempt some.
