Honda HR-V reviews: what the car critics say

In its third iteration, Honda’s compact SUV is a cracking small car, offering “interesting but not unique styling” with “pretty good specifications”, said The Daily Telegraph. Inside, it feels comfy and reasonably spacious – though the boot is small at 319 litres – and on the road, it is a decent ride, refined and, for the most part, fairly quiet. Performance is “brisk rather than swift, with a top speed of 106mph and 0-62mph in 10.7sec”.

In its interior design, Honda says it has followed a principle it calls “man-maximum, machine-minimum”, which “sounds like something weird RoboCop would come out with if you spilt a glass of water on him”, said Top Gear. In practice this means Honda has done away with any tech for tech’s sake. The result is a simple and “pleasant” cabin, with plenty of legroom all round.

Practical and well-built, the HR-V ticks many of the compact SUV boxes, said Auto Express. Build quality is good and it “feels as plush as anything else in the class”, plus it is equipped with a great infotainment system with a nine-inch touchscreen. Unfortunately, it’s also at the pricey end of its sector, which may be a deal-breaker for some. Still, this is “the most convincing family car Honda has produced in years”. Price starts from £26,960.