The All-New Honda HR-V Turbo Packs A Punch But Is It Better Than The Hybrid?

Our sister publication, Mobil123.com had a taster of the HR-V Turbo on a circuit, but it wasn't the turbo grunt that impressed them the most.

The long-awaited launch of the All-New third-generation 2022 Honda HR-V in Malaysia is just around the corner, and while we personally got the chance to sample the e:HEV Honda HR-V in Thailand, we've had to turn to our sister publication Mobil123.com from Indonesia to give you an impression of what the turbo variant is like.

Picture credit: Mobil123.com

2022 Honda HR-V Turbo - How does it perform?

Mobil123.com recently got to sample the Honda HR-V RS Turbo on Lombok's Mandalika circuit, and while HR-Vs are not really built for the track, we suppose Honda Indonesia wanted the media to experience the performance of the HR-V turbo on a circuit.

On paper, there is a 56PS power difference between the Turbo and the naturally aspirated HR-V. The most expensive and potent HR-V in Indonesia comes with a maximum power of 177 PS at 6,000 rpm, while the 1.5-liter NA petrol engine only pushes out 121 PS at 6,600 rpm.

For torque, the HR-V RS Turbo has a peak torque of 240 Nm at 4,500 rpm, while the NA has 145 Nm at 4,300 rpm.

Before starting a lap at Mandalika Circuit, Mobil123.com said they set the driving mode to the 'Sport' setting, which is only available on the HR-V Turbo.

Picture credit: Mobil123.com

They said the combination of the 'Sport' driving mode, turbo engine, plus a CVT automatic transmission with Step-up Shift technology really does give the car fast acceleration.

Honda HR-V Turbo Drag Race

To show how much more performance you get from the HR-V Turbo, Honda Indonesia set up a drag race between it and the old HR-V with the NA 1.8-litre engine on a 400-metre straight track. The best results recorded a difference of 3 seconds between the two models, with the HR-V Turbo recording a 16-second time compared to 19 seconds recorded by the NA.

But what Mobil123.com was most surprised with is how the HR-V Turbo handled itself on the track. According to them, they felt minimal body roll and the car easily went around corners at speeds between 80-100 km/h.

According to the Large Project Leader of the All-New Honda HR-V, Yoshitomo Ihashi, the excellent handling is contributed by the rigid chassis, suspension improvements, and dimensions changes.

"With the addition of length, height, and lower ground clearance, the new 2022 Honda HR-V is more stable," he concluded.

When exiting the corner, the acceleration of the HR-V Turbo is on point, thanks to the Step-down Shift Control, whose duties include maintaining engine speed when the system senses a bend. This technology exists in both the Turbo and NA variant.

Mobil123.com concluded that if the price isn't an issue and you're looking for the most sophisticated, luxurious, and fiercest All-New HR-V, the RS Turbo variant should be your choice. 

Honda HR-V Turbo, e:HEV or NA?

But then again, Indonesia is limited to Turbo and NA variants, whereas we will have all three, including the Honda HR-V e:HEV hybrid, which will present more options to Malaysian buyers. 

There's no doubt that the Honda HR-V turbo is a powerful car, but the HR-V e:HEV hybrid will have more torque (240 Nm vs 253 Nm) and better fuel economy than the Turbo, which to some might just trump the HR-V Turbo. 

In the words of Honda Malaysia, Torque matters! And in the words of our government, targeted fuel subsidy might just be around the corner - so perhaps fuel efficiency will also be a top priority for us Malaysians, which means the hybrid should be the best option here on our shores.