Welcome to Autodrivel

If you were a young person with money in the early 2000s and wanted a Range Rover Evoque, you didn’t have many options. But somehow the Honda HR-V GH arrived to grab our eyes and money, and it was a semi-success. Is it worth buying one today though?

The story begins in 1998 when Honda unveiled the HR-V concept at an auto show. The world saw it and wanted it, and Honda delivered. Because the Honda HR-V GH was truly an automotive curiosity for its time. Sure, today it looks as modern as an Bordesley, but in 1998, the Honda HR-V was the automotive equivalent of the Gorillaz, another product of the year 1998.

And in 1999, the production version of the HR-V arrived, designed to look modern and sleek, not like a wheeled wardrobe.

What’s the connection between the HR-V and the Evoque?

It’s like the connection between heaven and earth. In any case, the Honda HR-V GH was a proto-Evoque for several reasons.

• First, it was built as a city mini-SUV, but Honda was aware that no one (or very few) would take their HR-V off the tarmac. Like the Evoque, another urban accessory that allows you to look down on the rest of the traffic and features a 4×4 system mostly for show, since the chances of it being used are less than my chances of being contacted by .


• It was one of the first 2 door crossover coupes. Sure, there were abominations in 2 doors or even convertible SUVs elsewhere in the world, but in Europe the phenomenom caught traction only when the Evoque came about. In other words, the Evoque was the original fashion SUV but not quite, because the Honda HR-V GH offered the same recipe only cheaper and 2 decades earlier.


• Like the Evoque, the Honda HR-V came with a price tag that put it in the stratosphere of urban SUVs. Which isn’t much of an issue for the Evoque because it’s got the badge, looks and luxury to back it up, but the HR-V?

Honda HR-V GH Engines

Petrol

1.6 D16W1 and D16W5 V-TEC of 105 and 122 horsepower – We have the same engine on both version only that one has V-Tec, and the other doesn’t. Otherwise, it’s a classic Honda engine that shouldn’t offer any surprises, apart from the typical JDM cars’ oil consumption. And for the V-Tec you need reinforced metal plates on your legs in order to cope with all the power when v-tec kicks in yo!

Honda HR-V GH Reliability Issues 

• Do you know what the Tefal Titanium Force frying pan and the Multimatic S automatic transmission from Honda have in common? The oil needs to be changed just as frequently. Without exaggeration, the automatic transmission’s oil needs to be changed annually, and you need to pray that the transmission fails as late as possible. It’s not a matter of “If” but “When.” Most likely, all of them have been swept away by the years.


• The differential and planetary gears are made from yogurt aluminium cup lids and are equally durable.


• The windshield expands just as much as my jokes about Solihull, and there’s a good chance the windshield will crack in the first 100 meters of driving.


• There’s only one engine, which is good for configuration simplicity. However, things derail off track worse than on the set of the Little Britain in the good old days when the Audiovisual Media Services Regulations allowed us to do pretty much whatever we wanted. The V-TEC engine was only available on the 4-door version which was the only one with 4WD, but the automatic transmission was available only on the 2-door and front-wheel-drive model. Ofcourse it makes sense.

Honda HR-V GH Verdict

You could say it’s expensive and not that great, but somehow this car has endured and found its way into the hands of off-road enthusiasts who can’t quite afford a proper off-road vehicle. And no, the 4×4 system on the Honda HR-V wasn’t designed for off-road, despite what people might say in the comments. But if you’re not interested in the 4×4 system and don’t mind the appearance, the Honda HR-V is one of the cheapest crossovers available today. Plus, it’s reliable!

Which engines do I recommend? Considering there’s only one engine available, I’ll go ahead and recommend the engine that enjoys the least amount of oil. Because there’s no D16W engine that doesn’t enjoy oil, just like there’s no day when I don’t enjoy quality television.