What's the big difference between the Honda CR-V, HR-V and ZR-V?

12/12/2024 02:05 AM

The past 18 months have been busy for Honda, with the Japanese manufacturer releasing all-new versions of its popular CR-V and HR-V, and launching an all-new model in the Honda ZR-V.

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While the nameplates might sound familiar, Honda has made big changes to its stable of SUVs – introducing hybrid powertrains and discounted nationwide drive-away pricing and overhauling the exterior styling and interior cabins of its established models.

While the CR-V is now in its sixth generation and the HR-V is in its third generation, the ZR-V is the spring chicken of the bunch – introduced in late 2023 as the first new nameplate for the Japanese brand in roughly two decades.

So what do the small HR-V, medium ZR-V and medium CR-V have in common, and how do they differ? We compared them across several key categories to find out.

Prices

The HR-V is the cheapest of Honda's SUV line-up, starting at $34,900 drive-away for the entry-level Vi X, while the top-spec e:HEV L hybrid will set you back $42,900 drive-away.

The Honda ZR-V is the next step up, price-wise, starting at $39,900 drive-away for the base-grade VTi X+, while the sole hybrid variant, the e:HEV LX, sits at the top of the pricing spectrum at $55,400 drive-away.

Finally, the CR-V is the most expensive model, with an entry price of $44,700 drive-away for the entry-level VTi X+, while the top-spec e:HEV RS hybrid is priced at $60,400 drive-away.

There are two all-wheel-drive CR-V variants that command a price premium over their front-wheel-drive counterparts, and there are two seven-seat options as well in the VTi X7 and VTi L7.

Meanwhile, the cheapest hybrid Honda SUV you can buy is the HR-V e:HEV X priced at $39,900 drive-away.

Honda employs national drive-away pricing across all of its models, which includes all on-road costs and statutory charges. Head to Honda’s official website to see any current offers or discounts on this drive-away pricing.

Powertrains

All three Honda SUVs offer the choice of a full-petrol or petrol-hybrid powertrain, but only the CR-V offers the choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, while the ZR-V and HR-V are front-wheel drive only.

All three models use a continuously variable transmission on petrol models or a dedicated electric continuously variable transmission on hybrids.

The least powerful Honda SUV is the petrol-powered Honda HR-V, which features a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine driving the front wheels only. Peak outputs are rated at 89kW of power and 145Nm of torque.

Meanwhile, hybrid HR-V models offer slightly more power and more torque, with the 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol hybrid powertrain producing a peak of 96kW of power and 253Nm of torque.

The petrol Honda ZR-V has a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing peak outputs of 131kW of power and 240Nm of torque.

The hybrid ZR-V variants boast a bigger 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol-hybrid system, boosting outputs to 135kW of power and 315Nm of torque.

Finally, the Honda CR-V is the gutsiest of the bunch, with a 140kW/240Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, or a 135kW/335Nm 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol-hybrid option.

Size

The Honda CR-V is the biggest, tallest, and widest car of the bunch, with the most ground clearance of the Honda SUVs and a large wheelbase offering more interior space. It’s also the only Honda SUV to offer the option of a third row, increasing seating capacity from five to seven.

The ZR-V is slightly smaller than the CR-V, although not by much, but it offers the least ground clearance of all three models. 

Importantly, the HR-V is not only the smallest Honda SUV but it also only offers four seats – deleting the middle rear seat – while the ZR-V has five seats.

While the HR-V only has two seats in the back, they do feature Honda’s famous ‘Magic Seats’ capability, allowing you to fold, lift and stow the seats in 18 different combinations, meaning you can carry tall or wide items while still allowing space for rear seat occupants.

Additionally, because the HR-V lacks a centre seatbelt and top tether point you can only install a child seat in the outboard positions, meaning the most it can accommodate is two child seats at once.

The CR-V and HR-V each feature three top-tether points and two ISOFIX-equipped seats, meaning it’s theoretically possible to accommodate three child seats at once.

The CR-V and ZR-V both benefit from a flat floor in the back seat, improving toe room for all three rear occupants.

Other important callouts to mention: The seatbelt for the middle rear seat in the CR-V is roof-mounted which can be pesky to secure, while the HR-V lacks air vents for rear occupants.

In this author’s opinion, the ZR-V boasts the comfiest front seats of the group, with the perfect mix of bolstering and cushioning.

Boot space

In regular five-seat, petrol form, the CR-V offers the biggest boot with 589 litres of storage space. This drops to 581L in hybrid models or 471L in seven-seat models. The CR-V features a removable, retractable cargo cover, a power tailgate on all grades, and a very small pocket of underfloor storage.

The ZR-V has the second biggest boot, with 380L of storage or 370L on hybrid models. It does, however, offer a larger pocket of underfloor storage space than the CR-V and it boasts a removable hard parcel shelf.

Finally, the Honda HR-V only offers 304L of boot space but boasts a lower boot floor, providing more height but creating a lip when loading and unloading objects. Like the ZR-V, it has a solid pocket of underfloor storage and features a removable fabric cargo cover.

All three cars have rear seats that fold flat in a 60:40 configuration to increase boot space.

Spare wheels

If you want a full-size spare wheel, you'll have to buy a five-seat, petrol-powered CR-V.

The HR-V only offers a tyre repair kit, while the ZR-V gets a space saver.

Finally, if you buy a hybrid variant of any of the models, you'll get a tyre repair kit. 

Fuel economy

With its smaller engine, the HR-V is the most fuel-efficient Honda SUV, with a claimed consumption of 6.2 litres per 100 kilometres on full-petrol models, or 4.3L/100km on the hybrid variant.

Meanwhile, all-wheel-drive variants of the CR-V are the thirstiest on fuel, with a claimed combined consumption of between 7.4–7.7L/100km depending on the variant. Honda claims opting for a hybrid version of the CR-V will reduce this consumption figure to 5.5L/100km.

Meanwhile, the ZR-V sits somewhere in the middle, offering between 7.0–7.2L/100km of claimed fuel consumption on petrol models, or as little as 5.0L/100km on hybrid models.

All three run on unleaded petrol with a minimum octane rating of 91.

Servicing

All three Honda models have the same servicing costs, which are capped at $199 per visit for the first five years, with intervals set every 12 months or 10,000km.

Over the first five years, you’ll pay a total of $995 in scheduled servicing costs, regardless of whether you opt for a hybrid or full-petrol model.

Honda’s standard warranty covers its vehicles for five years, with no kilometre limit.

Safety

All three cars have a four-star safety rating from ANCAP – the CR-V was most recently tested in 2024, while the HR-V was tested in 2022 and the ZR-V was tested in 2023.

These scores are carried over from the European safety testing, Euro NCAP, and reflect the fact that Australian-delivered models essentially receive fewer sensors than their European counterparts.

The Honda CR-V, ZR-V and HR-V all feature the Honda Sensing safety suite from the base grade, which includes active features like lane-departure warning, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control and a forward collision warning. They also all get front and rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring and a reverse camera as standard.

In terms of safety equipment gaps, only the entry-level HR-V misses out on blind-spot monitoring and a rear cross-traffic alert as standard.

Honda CR-V vs Honda ZR-V vs Honda HR-V: Which one should you buy?

All of Honda’s SUV models offer hybrid powertrain options, similar standard infotainment and safety packages, and extremely affordable capped-price servicing.

If you have a bigger budget and either need seven seats, a bigger boot, a full-size spare or the option of all-wheel drive, opt for the Honda CR-V.

Meanwhile, budget buyers in need of a flexible footprint offering clever storage options, with a comprehensive list of standard features and good fuel economy should consider the Honda HR-V – but make sure you’re not looking to accommodate five people at once given it has four seats.

Finally, if you want a punchy yet frugal hybrid option with a stylish, city-friendly footprint that offers a seriously comfortable cabin, go for the Honda ZR-V.

MORE: Visit Drive‘s Honda showroom here

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