- Overview: Once the king of the hill
- Specs: Which variant of the HR-V to buy?
- Common problems: What are they?
There’s no need for pitchforks, we still opine that the (D55L) remains a fantastic value proposition in Malaysia’s new car space. It’s right-sized, fairly powerful (What’s that? Tekan tekan preggy?), and practical – but these are also the merits of the 2015 – 2022 (RU-series).
Carsome has about 50 on their site currently
You can snag one of these now for anywhere between RM 65,000 to RM 110,000, depending on year of manufacture, mileage, and variant. It’s still competitive, smack in the middle of most new B-SUV’s prices in the market today.
Overview: Once the king of the hill
Take your sweet time to pick out the best for your buck; there’s 7 years of this generation to choose from, ranging from the 2015 – 2019 pre-facelift to the 2019 – 2022 facelift models. All of them were locally-assembled, CKD Pegoh, Melaka.
Honda HR-V
Early models were priced from RM 100k to RM 119k new, and as the facelift boosted kit count while introducing the Sport Hybrid i-DCD (Intelligent Dual Clutch Drive) variant, prices increased to RM 109k to RM 125k.
As the Chinese say, two tigers cannot share a mountain, and the HR-V was certainly content with this arrangement; partly because…what even was the proverbial second tiger?
Similarly-priced rivals like the , (the dowdy one, not the ), and were largely snubbed, while the Subaru XV and Mazda CX-30 ultimately remain niche products in part due to their higher prices.
Specs: Which variant of the HR-V to buy?
Thoughtful boot aperture and handy multi-way foldable seats means you can fit a LOT inside
Prices weren’t the only thing going for the HR-V. It’s a looker (still is), and apart from its MPV-like utility (uber-practical interior, Ultra Seats), the featureset still holds up.
| Honda HR-V pre-FL equipment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| S | E | V | |
| Headlights | Non LED |
Non LED |
LED |
| VSC | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Airbags | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Keyless entry/start |
No | Yes | Yes |
| A/C system |
Manual | Auto | Auto |
| Cruise Control |
No | Yes | Yes |
| Paddle shift |
No | No | No |
| Reverse camera |
No | No | Yes |
Bear in mind that the Mugen parts were not available seperately, and only two colours were offered (Dark Ruby Red Pearl and White Orchid Pearl)
Just before the facelift was introduced Honda Malaysia put out a limited run (1,020 units) HR-V Mugen. The equivalent of a shiny Pokemon, it was circa RM 119k new, and it came with a full bodykit, decals, Mugen badging inside and out, as well as limited-edition floormats. Everything else matched the V variant otherwise. Carlist has a couple…
HR-V RS facelift
After that, the facelifted 2019 Honda HR-V gained a lot more standard equipment, and even then it got plenty of running improvements along the line.
| Honda HR-V FL equipment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E | Hybrid | V | RS | |
| Headlights | Non LED |
Non LED |
LED | LED |
| VSC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Airbags | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Lanewatch Camera |
No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Keyless entry/start |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| A/C system |
Auto | Auto | Auto | Auto |
| Cruise Control |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Paddle shift |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reverse camera |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
No matter if its the early or later-term models, the fuel-sipping powertrains stayed the same. The 1.8-litre engine plus CVT automatic is a comfortable experience be it in traffic jams or long distance drives, while the Hybrid variant provides sprightlier proceedings.
| Honda HR-V powertrain options | ||
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Output | Transmission |
| 1.8-litre i-VTEC |
142 PS, 172 Nm | CVT |
| 1.5-litre i-DCD |
152 PS, 190 Nm | 7-speed DCT |
To answer your ‘which variant’ to buy question, we’d suggest you go for the V variant, if possible of the facelifted variety. Not only is the kit count richer, facelifted models are at most 3 years old, so barring any hanky-panky by the previous owner your new-to-you car should still be covered by official Honda warranty.
What about the hybrid, you say? Aside from the regular five-year/unlimited mileage warranty, Honda also offers an eight-year warranty (with unlimited mileage) for the hybrid battery. Now, the Sport Hybrid i-DCD was first launched in 2019, so your battery warranty will last till 2027.
Common problems: What are they?
Judging from quick checks with owners and social media scouring, the HR-V remains relatively problem-free. ‘Buy and drive’ is apparently the case with this one, but this being a used car, things like Carsome Certified backing and of course, your own due diligence helps a bunch.
At least, check to see that the car’s been serviced on time. Even better if it’s got a full record of what’s changed throughout the car’s life. MyCarInfo would be a valueable resource, because via them you can know the car’s insurance history; whether or not it’s been claimed for anything major like a big accident or flood damage.
Overall, the Honda HR-V still has plenty of life left to give to you, its new owner. Check out Carsome’s listings of the HR-V in this link right here.
Keyword: Snubbing an Ativa? Look at used Honda HR-Vs from RM 55k: more power, greater practicality, cheap to run