The drive system doesn’t seem to behave quite as consistently either. When you demand a bit of acceleration, sometimes the ZR-V will deliver it smoothly and silently as the Civic usually does, but other times the same throttle input will prompt the engine to rev. It also rarely performed its simulated-gearchanges party trick.
On a mountainous test route involving a fair bit of spirited driving, the car reckoned it had averaged 46.3mpg. So in daily use, you could see close to the quoted 48.7mpg, which is good for a car of this type.
By making its family crossover so similar to its family hatchback, Honda has set it up for some cruel comparisons. The ZR-V is much like the excellent new Civic but very slightly worse in every way. That’s par for the course, but other manufacturers have disguised that fact by differentiating their crossovers and hatchbacks more clearly – or indeed by axing the latter altogether.
Giving it much the same driving position as the hatchback is an odd choice as well, but as long as that suits you the ZR-V is one of the stronger options in the class thanks to well set-up ride, handling, comfort, and multimedia, as well as mature assisted driving features, good performance and fuel economy.
What might hold the ZR-V’s back its price. It starts at £39,495 for the Elegance grade. That’s the same as the most expensive Renault Austral, and not far off the most expensive Kia Sportage Hybrid or Nissan Qashqai e-Power. Sport costs £41,095 and Advance, which adds leather, a panoramic roof, Bose hi-fi and a few more things, rises to £42,895. Finance rates may paint a slightly different picture, but that’s ambitious.