Honda's ZR-V Sport SUV Beats Sitting in a Sleigh For Delivering Presents.

Over Christmas, I enjoyed driving the Honda ZR-V SUV, a mid-sized hybrid. It is a practical, versatile family vehicle providing plenty of room for passengers and presents. In a December that saw freezing temperatures and gale force, you want a reliable car capable of taking on the elements.

If you want to purchase a mid-size SUV, and many people in the UK do, you should look at Honda's ZR-V. Aimed at Kia's Sportage and Nissan's Qashqai, leading sellers in the crowded sector, the ZR-V from Honda provides competative rivalry. The SUV offers plenty of interior space, high mpg from the hybrid engine and premium build quality.

All British market ZR-Vs feature the e:Hev powertrain, using a 2-litre petrol engine and two electric motors powering the front wheels. Configured in a generator-style layout, the petrol engine is primarily used to power one of the two electric motors via a small battery pack, with that second electric motor working to fill gaps in performance and smooth out the powertrain's operations. It is a simple and delightfully smooth system similar to driving an EV with a petrol engine.

The ZR-V Sport has all the features you would expect to find in a modern vehicle, which keeps occupants safe and entertained. To keep you on the right course, there is built-in satellite navigation, and all users benefit from the dual-zone climate control and wireless phone charging.

To guide you safely through the night, you don't have to rely on a Red-Nosed Reindeer; you get LED headlights, and providing a smooth journey are 18-inch wheels. To upgrade and get leather seats, a head-up display, a panoramic sunroof and a Bose sound system, you must choose the Advanced model ZR-V.

Interior space is excellent, and you get a capacious boot, with 380 litres with the rear seats up; this increases to 1,291 litres with the seats laid flat. The ZR-V's interior provides a good driving position higher than hatchbacks but not as elevated as larger SUVs. You get superb visibility, and the driver and passenger display are clear, easy to use and ergonomic.

The Honda ZR-V will not set the world alight with performance, but that isn't why you will look at a family SUV in this price range. It produces 181bhp and 315Nm of torque from the main electric motor, but what is an impressive and decisive matter in choosing a car is the ZR-V frugal 50mpg. In the urban environment, the Honda excels because speeds are lower than A-roads and Motorways, so the e:HEV powertrain runs smoothly and at its most efficient. The torque from the electric motor allows nippy pullaways and overtaking, while speeds below 30mph use only the electric battery and don't tap into the petrol engine.

The accurate steering and decent visibility also help ease driving in town, where direction changes happen more often, and traffic and potential hazards are generally more numerous.

The Honda ZR-V is perfect for those looking for a  spacious, reliable, easy-to-drive, efficient, well-equipped SUV. The standard features are splendid, with the entry model having Heated Front seats shaped to provide more significant support.

Other features include adaptive cruise control, providing safety and relaxation to your journeys. The system, when engaged, keeps your ZR-V at a set speed and distance from the vehicle in front. It will also stop your car automatically if required.

WIRELESS APPLE CARPLAY allows you to connect your smartphone effortlessly via Bluetooth, making the most of the Honda ZR-V's infotainment system.

For the driver, a fully digital colour display allows you to tailor the information you want to see as you drive from your multi-function steering wheel.

KEYLESS ENTRY AND START means no need to manually unlock the door as the ZR-V senses the remote fob as you approach. Once inside, press the start button and away you go. The HONDA CONNECT WITH NAVIGATION infotainment system includes a 10.2" touchscreen, Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™.

Safety aids include the REAR-VIEW CAMERA, which engages when you place the ZR-V in reverse, and the 9"- screen comes to life. You can choose between a wide-angle view from behind or an overhead view of the area immediately behind you. The front and rear parking sensors and the rear camera will assist you as you move during parking by alerting and showing you multiple views on the screen. Honda SENSING is a suite of advanced driver assistance technologies, including Lane Keep Assist and Adaptive Cruise Control, that help keep occupants and other road users safe.

Entry level car starts at £39,495.

With the impressive standard kit and a slight rise in price to the Sport and Advance grades, the value proposition gets better the further up the range ladder you go. I recommend the extra specifications with the Sport for the price increase as this offers the best value for money.

Against its rivals, the Honda ZR-V is viable competition with plenty going for it. Well-built, spacious and with extraordinary real-world efficiency, it is easy to suggest.

Prices start at £39,495 for the Elegance

£41,095 Sport model.

£42,895 Advanced model.

Specs:

Model: Honda ZR-V Sport

Price: £41,095 (approx)

Engine: 2-litre 4cyl hybrid petrol

Power/torque: 181bhp/315Nm

Transmission: Single-speed with selectable direct drive,

front-wheel drive

0-62mph: 7.9 seconds

Top speed: 107mph

Economy/CO2: 48.7mpg/131g/km