Honda today launched their all-new premium SUV, ZR-V Hybrid, in the Indian market. This move is part of their revised strategy. The company had earlier admitted that its global-first strategy for India was not successful. They also acknowledged that their product lineup lacked competitive offerings and failed to align with the preferences of Indian customers. As part of the new strategy, they launched the updated City sedan and, along with the sedan, they launched the ZR-V SUV. Honda has officially unveiled the SUV but the official prices have not been announced at the event.
Bookings for the all-new ZR-V have started and deliveries would begin around July this year. The Honda ZR-V is not a new product specifically developed for India. It is a global SUV that was launched back in 2022. Honda has sold over 8 lakh units of the ZR-V internationally since then. It is a premium SUV that is positioned below the CR-V in many markets. What makes the ZR-V special is the fact that Honda is launching a new product in the market after a gap of 3 years. It will be sold in India as a CBU, and that is the reason behind this premium price tag. What does the all-new ZR-V Hybrid offer in terms of design and features? Let’s find out.
In terms of design, the ZR-V gets a wide crafted front grille with sleek LED projector headlamps and integrated dual-function LED DRLs. The SUV gets a clamshell bonnet and the Honda logo is placed right above the grille. The bumper looks clean with air vents on the corners. The lower part of the bumper gets a faux skid plate and we also see the front parking sensors.
The overall design of the SUV is actually crossover-like. It gets rounded edges and corners and, as we move to the side, we see pull-type door handles, large ORVMs with integrated turn indicators, round wheel arches with cladding around them, diamond-cut alloy wheels with 18-inch rims, a slightly sloping roof, an integrated spoiler and a shark-fin antenna.
The sloping rear windshield meets the tailgate where we see the clear-lens LED tail lamps. These are wraparound units with blacked-out elements and LED inserts in them.
The ZR-V gets a muscular-looking bumper with gloss black cladding on the lower part. The tailgate is electrically operated and we also see the ZR-V and e:HEV branding on the tailgate. The SUV comes with chrome-plated twin exhaust tips and there is a silver-coloured skid plate on offer too.
The ZR-V is 4,568 mm long, 1,840 mm wide and 1,620 mm tall. It offers a wheelbase of 2,657 mm and has a ground clearance of around 180 mm. When compared to the Tiguan R-Line, the ZR-V is slightly longer. The SUV offers over 1,000 litres bootspace with the second row seats completely folded.
Coming to the cabin, the ZR-V comes with a premium-looking interior. As this is a CBU, Honda is offering all the features that are available with the international version. It comes with a large 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 12-speaker Bose premium audio system, multi-zone climate control, ventilated seats, LED headlights with adaptive high beam, active cornering lights, dusk-sensing and rain-sensing wipers, power-folding exterior mirrors, hill descent control, electric parking brake with auto hold, 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, hands-free power tailgate with walk-away closing, 8-way power driver’s seat, 4-way power passenger seat, 11 airbags, Honda Sensing or ADAS, 360-degree camera, lane change monitor, panoramic sunroof and so on. It would be offered in four colour options.
The cabin gets a minimalist yet premium-looking design. It gets an all-black treatment with soft-touch materials in several places. The seats are wrapped in leatherette material and the AC vents are neatly integrated into the carbon-fibre-finished plastic trim on the dashboard.
The centre console gets a floating-type design, which Honda likes to call an elevated “bridge” design. The traditional gear lever has been replaced with a push-button-type selector, similar to the one seen on the last-generation CR-V.
The engine on the new ZR-V is a 2.0-litre direct-injection sports hybrid engine that generates 184 PS and 315 Nm of torque. This is an advanced, high-performance engine that has been introduced in India for the first time. This engine offers a combination of performance and efficiency. It can do 0-100 kmph in 7.9 seconds while offering a claimed fuel efficiency of 22.80 kmpl. This engine is mated to an eCVT gearbox with drive modes.
Like most strong-hybrid systems, the electric motor and battery pack can independently power the SUV in EV mode for short distances. Once the battery charge drops, the system seamlessly switches to the petrol engine. The battery can also recharge itself while the engine is running and provide assistance whenever required.
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