How Honda is honing in on the GCC’s SUV market

It has been a big year for Honda so far in the region, most notably through the launch of its HR-V across the GCC and near east countries.

The five-seater compact size SUV was unveiled back in January, and has since been rolled out to showrooms across the Gulf, giving drivers a choice of three grades – DX, LX and EX – each with their own specifications.

With exterior styling designed to appeal to millennials, the HR-V’s side profile gives it the look of a coupe, while its grille is enhanced by a new interpretation of the ‘flying wing’, rendered in dark chrome and extending over the new projector-style headlights. A sporty front bumper gives an elegant yet rugged look, while the rear taillights with integrated LED light bars, add to the sports feel of the vehicle.

The EX grade includes a panoramic sunroof, while the DX grade enjoys 16-inch alloy wheels – going up to 17-inch for the LX and EX grades.

Inside, the HR-V’s youthful design merges unique style touches with ergonomics and technology on the dashboard, making it easy to reach and easy to use. As well as functionality, entertainment is well taken care of, with a 6.8-inch touchscreen display (LX and EX) featuring USB and HDMI ports that allow you to connect your smartphone.

The seating is equally tailored to drivers’ needs, with Honda’s ‘Magic Seats’ offering flexibility with three different cargo modes – tall, utility, and long. Spacious rear seat legroom, a wide tailgate for easy luggage loading, and plentiful low-floor cargo space add to the roomy feel of this SUV – a key consideration for those looking for comfort.

Under the hood, the HR-V enjoys a responsive 140hp at 6,500rpm, and a torque of 172 N-m at 4,300 rpm on a 1.8L i-VTEC petrol engine. Economic and efficient, the engine achieves 16.9 km/l on a tank of fuel.

The SUV is a front-wheel drive, driven by a seven-speed, fully automatic CVT, which offers the ability to drive in a relaxed automatic mode, or gear mode, using racing car-inspired, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters (EX only).

In terms of safety, the HR-V boasts a long list of active and passive features, including Vehicle Stability Assist with traction control, driver and passenger front airbags on all grades, and side airbags and side curtain airbags on the EX grade.

Other features include Electronic Brake Distribution, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Hill Start Assist, and Honda’s next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure.

The EX grade includes a multi-angle rearview camera with wide view, and all grades have LED Daytime Running Lights, with LX and EX also enjoying rear corner parking sensors.

Starting from Dhs69,900, Honda has brought a sleek, driver-friendly, cost-effective contender to the region’s competitive SUV segment.