Currently reading: New 2023 Honda ZR-V is hybrid SUV to rival Nissan Qashqai

Stylish Civic-based crossover arrives to plug the gap between HR-V and new, larger CR-V

The all-new Honda ZR-V has arrived in Europe as a Civic-based hybrid crossover to fill the gap between the HR-V and CR-V.

Conceived to rival the Nissan Qashqai, the ZR-V arrives as part of an extensive refresh of Honda's European model line-up. At the same time, the brand has introduced the new e:Ny1 electric crossover and the significantly overhauled, sixth-generation CR-V.

The ZR-V will effectively take the place of the current CR-V in the brand’s European line-up as that model is upsized in its next iteration to better compete with the Skoda Kodiaq and Toyota Highlander.

Read more: Honda ZR-V review

When it lands in dealerships in July, the ZR-V is expected to be priced from around the £40,000 mark - making it a more premium proposition than the Nissan Qashqai E-Power.

Customer deliveries are set to begin towards the end of the year.

Honda zrv 2023 rear quarter

Already on sale in the US (where it's badged as the HR-V), the ZR-V has been designed with a focus on attracting younger buyers and as such majors on "sporty and expressive" design cues, enhanced dynamics, practicality and agility.

It will be sold in Europe exclusively as a hybrid, using a 2.0-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder petrol engine and two electric motors - a set-up familiar from the Civic, with which it shares its platform.

With a combined 181bhp and 232lb ft of torque, this powertrain promises what Honda calls "powerful acceleration comparable to a V6 3.0-litre engine", although final performance figures are yet to be revealed.

It emits 130g/km of CO2 and gets an efficiency rating of 50mpg on the WLTP test cycle.

The ZR-V channels its reserves through an e-CVT to the front axle only, with the US-market four-wheel-drive car confirmed as not being available here.

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The e-CVT clutches the engine onto the wheels only at high speeds, at one fixed ratio. The rest of the time, the engine spins a generator to make power for the electric motors.

Honda zrv 2023 interior

Honda highlighted the new front grille, longer bonnet and "sleek" roofline as features that most obviously set the ZR-V apart from the CR-V.

At 4570mm long and 1840mm wide, it's much closer in size to the outgoing CR-V than the HR-V and is said to offer around 20% more cargo space than its smaller sibling.

Felix Page

Felix Page
Title: Deputy editor

Felix is Autocar's deputy editor, responsible for leading the brand's agenda-shaping coverage across all facets of the global automotive industry - both in print and online.

He has interviewed the most powerful and widely respected people in motoring, covered the reveals and launches of today's most important cars, and broken some of the biggest automotive stories of the last few years. 

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Comments
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skikid 14 May 2023

A great pity not made in the Uk could have been nearer to £30k,the final example just looks a tad boring compared to artists impressions shown

FastRenaultFan 12 May 2023
Stylish your joking right?
This is about as stylish as a brick because that is what it basically is. The sad part is all they had to do was put the badge in the grill and angle the lights or even curve them up a bit and it would have then at least had a bit of style at the front of it but no it's dull and boring both inside and out. I predict it will be a flop.
BearR 23 November 2022

The design is non offensive but not stylish enough to stand out in this crowded market, grill looks like a Maserati