Honda HR-V - MPG, running costs & CO2

Unlike its predecessor, the HR-V is now only offered as a hybrid. This setup uses a small petrol engine and two electric motors, with power sent to the front wheels via a CVT automatic gearbox. It's a similar design to the Honda Jazz but with a larger battery mounted under the boot floor.

Honda HR-V MPG & CO2

The HR-V doesn't need to be plugged in, instead relying on energy recuperation and occasionally the petrol engine to keep its small battery topped up. While moving, the car will automatically switch between electric, hybrid and petrol power depending on the conditions and how the car is being driven. Typically, the HR-V will be electric when setting off and in low-speed traffic, boosting efficiency.

Official economy figures are 52.3mpg and 122g/km of CO2, which compares with up to 56.4mpg for the Toyota C-HR, 56.5mpg for the Renault Captur E-Tech Hybrid and 60.1mpg for the Hyundai Kona Hybrid. During our initial 71-mile test drive consisting of urban, motorway and rural driving, we averaged 44.8mpg, but our recent UK test drive was much more encouraging. This time, it was easy to surpass the quoted figure, even managing an average of over 60mpg in similar driving. Manage that on a regular basis and the Honda HR-V will be cheaper to run than its hybrid or diesel rivals.

Company-car drivers should also find its emissions place it in a relatively affordable Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) band, although a plug-in hybrid rival or a fully electric car would be even cheaper in this respect.

Insurance groups

The entry-level HR-V in Elegance trim sits in group 30 out of 50, which seems quite high for a small SUV. Springing for Advance or Advance Style only increases the insurance group by one band, so all HR-Vs will cost a similar amount to insure. This compares to the Renault Captur E-Tech and Toyota C-HR which start at a much more affordable group 15. The Hyundai Kona Hybrid costs a little more than these rivals to insure, sitting in group 22, but that’s still much more affordable than the HR-V.

Warranty

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Honda models get a standard three-year/90,000-mile warranty, which buyers can choose to extend for an extra cost. This just beats the three-year/60,000-mile warranty of mainstream rivals like the Ford Puma and Volkswagen T-Cross but the likes of Hyundai, Kia and Toyota offer a longer guarantee. For extra peace of mind, the HR-V's battery is covered for five years or 90,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Servicing

HR-V buyers can choose a fixed-price servicing package, paying either an upfront amount or spreading the cost over monthly instalments. This can provide a discount and make it easier to budget for routine maintenance during the first few years of ownership.