Driving high, driving low: The new Honda HR-V shows off firm handling in Taal and Cavite’s back roads.

WHAT do you do with a compact SUV with a big engine? Make it play harder, of course.
For the updated version of Honda’s compact crossover SUV, the 2018 HR-V and its RS variant with upgraded exterior touches, no less than the challenging rolling roads of the Maragondon mountain range in Cavite, and the punishing, stomach-churning climb from Talisay town in Batangas to the Tagaytay Ridge in Cavite, would do to prove the power and handling of the new HR-V.
A group of drivers started the 300-kilometer “Southern Getaway” drive from Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City on Sept. 12. On board the two variants of the HR-V — the 1.8 E CVT and the new 1.8 RS Navi CVT — the group tried out the cruising characteristics and fuel efficiency of the SUV on the South Luzon Expressway, then the acceleration and the characteristics of its engine and its CVT on the provincial roads of Cavite, before going to work in Sport drive mode — while using the paddle shifters — on the rolling roads of the Maragondon mountains and the 12-kilometer killer ascent from Talisay to Tagaytay ridge. It was also on this narrow pass, featuring 15 hairpin turns, where the HR-V revealed its advantage in handling compared to bigger, heavier SUVs.
No doubt, the HR-V’s vehicle stability assist (VSA) helped immensely in keeping the HR-V’s 17-inch wheels firmly gripping the road. The VSA enhanced the new HR-V’s handling, preventing it from over-steering and under-steering. The hill-start assist, on the other hand, prevented the car from rolling back during inclined stops.
By the time the drive concluded on the first day, with about 220 kilometers logged in and the group ready to call it a night, Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. president and general manager Noriyuki Takakura summed up the purpose of the drive: “This event gave us the opportunity to highlight the refreshed exterior styling, and the new RS variant, as an ideal urban road trip vehicle. The 2018 HR-V has been further refreshed and enhanced starting with the updated front fascia, with its new front grille and distinctive LED headlights, and new 17-inch sport black alloy wheels to complement the new look. Together with all these, the 2018 HR-V retains its sophisticated interior feel, spacious interior, advanced safety and technological features, and fuel-efficient drive train.”
The new HR-V certainly still holds true to the original intent of its engineering and design: The “Hi-Rider Revolutionary Vehicle,” as it was called when it first rolled out in 1998, the HR-V catered to those who wanted the brute force, generous cargo space, and the general can-do attitude of the SUV squeezed with the maneuverability and fuel efficiency of a small car. In the Philippines, the HR-V could be the suitable city ride that could double as the getaway car to a nearby provincial retreat.
“The new HR-V is the perfect compact SUV for Filipinos with an active lifestyle and require the convenience of everyday driving needs,” Takakura said.
And did Georges Ramirez and his team choose the ideal route within 100 kilometers of Metro Manila to exemplify that. What were, in decades past, dirt roads for intrepid rally racers have become well-paved inner provincial roads. The HR-V sure did make driving on them feel exhilarating again. Minus the dust, the bumps, and the drifting, of course.
The new HR-V 1.8 E CVT goes for P1.295 million, while the RS Navi CVT variant is priced at P1.495 million.