I’m not sure if you know, but a while back we decided to be a one car family. It really served us well as we live in Sea Point and everything is really close by – between 2 and 15 minutes away. It just seemed crazy to have 2 cars, when Sox and I are together more often than not, and one car always ended up just sitting. For those times when we weren’t together, the deal was: Whoever has George, has the car with the carseat; and the other person makes use of Uber.
At first it took some getting used to call an Uber instead of just hopping in the car, but it quickly become a norm.
However, after a few shady experiences with Uber and our needs changing with Baby G2 arriving soon, Sox and I have been chatting about going back to 2 cars.
For the past week I have been driving the Honda HR-V around and I’ve absolutely LOVED it. Besides having a car again to come and go as I please, it’s been incredible to drive this particular car. It’s a unique combination of a SUV and Coupé.
With a click of the remote, the central locking was unlocked and I climbed in.
The first thing I thought when I got into the car is: “Amazing seats! They feel like a hug” and how spacious it felt inside.
I then found out that I had every reason to be impressed with the seats. Besides their upholstery, fabric and finishes, it has a unique Magic Seat System® which utilises space exceptionally well. What is the Honda Magic Seat® exactly? It’s a type of 60/40 split rear seating that also folds into various seating and cargo configurations to maximise cargo carrying capabilities. The Magic Seat system is made possible by the HR-V’s centrally located fuel tank, which allows a flat rear cabin floor. The seats can be folded forward to extend the 393-litre luggage compartment to a capacious 1 002 litres. Impressive.
Safety is something really important to me, especially as a Mom with a toddler and soon to be newborn. The most important thing I look for is the Isofix feature to secure the Maxi-Cosi car seats we have.
A few clicks later, the car seat was secured and it still felt spacious in the back.
Speaking of safety, it’s a Honda HR-V priority. It has a full complement of active and safety systems that includes six airbags, vehicle stability assist, hill start assist, ABS Brakes and emergency braking indicators.
For those really into their cars, the updated HR-V model range still offers a choice of Comfort and Elegance trim levels, as well as 1.5-litre and 1.8-litre drivetrains featuring Honda’s i-VTEC technology and Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) gearboxes. The 1.5 Comfort model retains its popular 16-inch alloy wheels, the 1.8 Elegance is now fitted with new, head-turning 17-inch wheels sporting a contemporary design in line.
With a press of a button, the car starts up quietly and an impressive dashboard lights up as well as a multi-information trip computer.
As part of the upgrade package, Honda has standardised the touchscreen-based infotainment system, which means that both Comfort and Elegance models now feature a 6.8-inch touchscreen display, instead of the 5-inch screen previously fitted to the Comfort version.
It has a rear view camera and rear parking sensors too.
The steering wheel is multi-functional, which I appreciate so that I don’t have to take my hands off the wheel. You can control audio, cruise control and even bluetooth, which synced easily with my phone so I could be hands free.
The Honda HR-V has electrically operated windows and mirrors, remote central locking and air-conditioning.
The passenger sides air con made me think of Beyonce… it’s one long air vent and when I sat in the passenger seat, I felt like I was in a Beyonce video with my hair blowing in the breeze. OK, to be fair, I did have the blast on full, but you can control the strength of air you want.
I’m also impressed with the ECON mode. Honda’s ECON Button works by changing how your throttle response, cruise control, air condition and transmission works. The ECON button also effects the air conditioner by turning the compressor on and off more frequently which will save fuel!
To open the rear doors, you need to look up and towards the back of the door for the handle…
It’s a dream to drive too – it handles really well and felt zippy, but stable on the winding roads of Cape Town.
When Honda called to find out if I was home to collect the car, I couldn’t believe a week was already up. I handed the key back very reluctantly.
Thank you for the opportunity to drive the Honda HR-V – it’s definitely something I’ll be looking at as we go back to a 2 car family.
To book a test drive and see more about the Honda HR-V, go to www.honda.co.za
2 Comments
Love the orange colour!
November 6, 2019 at 9:07 amBailey, you look amazing!
When I was looking to upgrade my car the (older) Honda was in my top two! The only reason I didn’t get it wasn’t because of the car, but the (second hand) dealer was messing me around. Otherwise I was also really impressed with the older one, so the new one must be amazing!
November 6, 2019 at 3:00 pm