I upgraded from a 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid to a 2019 Honda HR-V Sport in September 2018 when the 2019 HR-V’s first appeared in San Diego. This is an update to my original review.
We took our HR-V on it’s first road trip to San Francisco in the fall. It’s Honda’s smallest suv and we packed it with my 50qt Igloo Yukon cooler which filled up much of the trunk space.
I folded up the 2 Magic Seats in the back and our 2 large suitcases filled up most of the backseat space. I really like how the suitcases were able to sit on the floor. We were able to fit much more stuff into the HR-V than my 2006 Civic Hybrid.
On the long drive I appreciated how the HR-V is quieter. Honda did a good job insulating out the road noise and they added active noise reduction in 2019. New seats provided good support and my butt didn’t get sore after a 4 hour drive.
Driving through Los Angeles it got into the high 90’s but the Photosync window tint kept the direct sunlight from burning my skin while the AC kept the temps inside the HR-V comfortable. 75% tint on the windshield made the sun very warm instead of burning. 45% tint on the driver side window made the sun warm. The Civic Hybrid had a weak AC that couldn’t keep up when the temperature got up to 100F. You could feel the heat coming in from the windows, doors, and roof while the AC at max cold couldn’t keep up. I have not driven in 100F temps in the HR-V but I suspect it would be unpleasant as the AC while a little colder than my Civic Hybrid isn’t that cold compared to other cars I’ve been in.
Driving through mountain passes the HR-V did ok when I put the transmission in sport mode and used the paddle shifters. When the going got steep I tried to keep the rpm’s around 3500-4000. Acceleration is adequate but I’d prefer the 1.5L turbo engine in the Civic and CR-V.
Gas mileage for the life of the HR-V is 30mpg. It was 29mpg before we went on the trip so the freeway mileage is over 30mpg. Civic Hybrid is currently getting 32mpg overall.
I like the higher riding position and we have not bottomed out on my driveways or speed bumps. I hated that screeching sound the Civic Hybrid made bottoming out.
Apple Carplay navigation was very helpful in find all the places we wanted to go. Was easy finding all the music I wanted to play on my iPhone using Carplay. Using Google Maps I was impressed it notified me of nearby radar and I saw the police with a radar gun less than a minute later. The one problem I’ve had with the HR-V is once a year the Apple CarPlay won’t sync with the phone even though it still charges. A system reset was required to restore functionality.
I never had a rear window wiper before and it does a good job cleaning the center of the back window.
The HR-V is the most spacious and comfortable vehicle I’ve ever owned. It has been very reliable. I only had one problem which I fixed myself. Apple CarPlay would not sync with my iPhone. I fixed it with a Factory Data Reset.
I was impressed how the HR-V cost the same as the Civic Hybrid but is much more useful.
I have also made 2 road trips to Scottsdale Arizona and the HR-V did fine going over the mountains and keeping the Arizona sun from making the inside of the car too hot. It was under 100F each time so the AC hasn’t had a full test.
My latest upgrade was a 70 quart Yeti cooler.
I estimate being able to bring home 10 half gallons of ice cream on my next road trip due to the larger size and also the rectangular inside space versus the weird shaped inside of the Igloo cooler due to the wheels.
I’ve spent a year with the HR-V the only things I liked better on the old Civic Hybrid is the navigation worked even when there was no cell reception and it’s width was an inch or 2 less thus it was a little easier to park in the garage.
I brought the HR-V back to Honda of El Cajon for and oil change and the service staff did a great job. A year later I am still very happy with my purchase.
889 Arnele Ave
El Cajon, CA 92020 (619) 202-8403
El Cajon, CA 92020 (619) 202-8403
Very informative! I like driving this HR-V! It handles very well overall especially around corners and brakes nicely when it counts. It sits up higher so you can see farther down the road, has comfortable seats with good back support and fits all our vacation gear. It accelerates well going up steep grades and the rear view camera for backing up helped out immensely in San Francisco. Those super small narrow parking spaces are a pain. Plus it looks really nice too.
Yes it’s a great vehicle. My favorite so far!
Oh and don’t forget the back seat fits three people comfortably! Mari, Sky and Jacque like it.