First impressions of the Malaysian-spec 2022 Honda HR-V with VTEC Turbo
Sanjay · Jun 21, 2022 05:25 PM
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Indonesian-market HR-V RS
This morning, our review of the Thailand-market 2022 Honda HR-V went live (it’s here, if you haven’t seen it). Shortly after that we nipped down to Maxcom Motor in Bangsar to check out what we’ll actually be getting – the Malaysian-spec Honda HR-V in 1.5 V form.
Photos are still a no-no, so we'll use photos of the cars available in Thailand and Indonesia to illustrate.
Four variants, three engines
Preliminary Malaysian specs
Buyers will be able to choose between four variants in Malaysia: the S, E, V, and RS. All four have 1.5-litre engines, but the recipes differ; it’s naturally-aspirated (NA) in the S, turbocharged in the E and V, and hybrid in the RS e:HEV.
Indonesian-spec car; output of theirs is the same as ours
Kit list is healthy too, with LED headlights, an electric parking brake (EPB), rear air-cond vents, and Honda Sensing coming as standard features.
How does it feel like?
Philippines' HR-V V Turbo is closest in looks to our own V. Dark grille looks the business, perhaps even better than the silver one of the RS
What’s immediately surprising to us is that it doesn’t look as big as it does in photos, in a good way. It’s wide (the lightbar round the back helps) and has a sporty, low stance.
Indonesia's RS variant is pretty much our 1.5 V. Double-exit exhaust are on our turbocharged variants
‘Sporty’ is the automotive journalists’ village bicycle; but I’ll gladly borrow it for this round, especially for the turbo variants which get two exhaust exits.
RS is differentiated by silver stitching on the steering wheel, pretty much mirrored here too. Indonesian model above
The cabin might not seem as bold as the outside. It’s quite simple, has tons of storage spaces, and pretty darn spacious.
Rear air-cond vents are in every variant, Thai-spec car pictured
We saw the 1.5 V variant and gained a new appreciation for its light-coloured roof liner that makes the cabin feel airier than in the darkness of the Thai-spec RS e:HEV.
Spoiler alert, our HR-V won’t come with the glass roof. Not that it seems to deter prospective customers anyway, and it's probably a good thing given our weather.
Spacious cabin is a hallmark. Curved front seat backs help with more rear legroom
Now getting an extended time with we feel the interior is slightly less-driver focused than the last; that’s mostly due to the straight-facing infotainment screen compared to the driver-facing unit in the old car.
What to expect?
Phillippines-spec HR-V
More than anything, things look good for you as a buyer. The HR-V’s arrival means your options are a little more open; and competition always calls for better products among brands.
Thailand's RS e:HEV is pretty similar to what we are to get
And the HR-V seems like a car that will punch above its segment. The Corolla Cross isn't the only hunt the HR-V's looking forward to; it might nick a few sales from the Proton X70 too.
Indonesian car pictured. Our RS is hybrid-only
If you’re in the market for a competitively-priced new car – actual prices yet to be disclosed, but we expect a range that falls below RM 140k – then it would do you well to wait for its launch which isn't too far away anyway.
Well, either that or see it for yourself at any of these participating dealers from now till early July. The list of participating showrooms are below and make sure to call before heading down, the queues are something else...
With humble beginnings collecting diecast models and spending hours virtually tuning dream cars on the computer, his love of cars has delightfully transformed into a career. Sanjay enjoys how the same passion for cars transcends boundaries and brings people together.
