Honda ZR-V

FIRST DRIVE We put Qashqai and Sportage SUV rival to the test

- Jordan Katsianis

IF you're in the market for a mid-size SUV - which an awful lot of UK buyers are - Honda has just launched an intriguing new option to rival the top-selling Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage.

Honda claims its new ZR-V offers a compelling combination of an efficient hybrid engine, a spacious interior and excellent build quality in a simple but highly specified range of trims. The most popular of these is predicted to be the mid-level Sport model we're driving here.

At the time of going to press, Honda UK had yet to confirm pricing for the newcomer, but we were told to expect the line-up to start at around £40,000.

All British-market ZR-Vs feature Honda's e: Hev powertrain, which pairs a 2.0-litre petrol engine with two electric motors that power the front wheels. Configured in a generator-style layout, the petrol engine is largely used to power one of the two electric motors. The system can also charge a small battery pack, with that second electric motor smoothing out progress. It's a complex system on paper, but in operation is simple and works well, offering the same instant torque delivery and smooth performance as an electric vehicle, only with a petrol engine whirring away in the background.

The powertrain's output can be tricky to pin down because of the way the system works, but the 181bhp and 315Nm of torque produced by the main electric motor are the most relevant figures if you're trying to gauge the ZR-V's on-road performance. But more impressive is the 50mpg we recorded on test, even when pushing that clever petrol-electric hybrid powertrain. This was more than the 48.7mpg official claim.