Sold my HR-V...

[richardfrost]

My reason for swapping is because my particular car is an early example and not built well, I have had numerous issues, including a motorway breakdown - my first since a Morris 1000 in 1980. Also my circumstances have changed, meaning I will be doing more motorway/commuting and I need a larger boot which can accommodate three elderly dogs. If it was just the dogs, or just my flaky car, I would probably not be considering a change just yet, but both together makes it sensible.

Had a conversation with the Honda sales guy, from whom I have bought two CRVs, two Jazzes and an HRV. He reckons the HRVs just aren’t built as well as the Civic and the CRV. He suggested I look at a 2WD CRV. I had a drive in a ŠKODA Octavia Scout. Seemed to have everything I need and all the same toys as my HRV EX. Also tried a Toyota Auris and RAV4, and looked at Nissan Qashwhatever, Peugeot 2008 and 3008, had a long hard look at the Honda Civic Sport Tourer and the CRV.

In the end, I have bought a one year old ex demo Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Ticks all my boxes and with a 5 year warranty, I will have 4 years before I need to start worrying about things breaking on it. Will probably have the car by Wednesday, so that's that.

What I will say is that the HRV has held it's value reasonably well, considering mine was an ex demo car so already discounted heavily.

Will still be hanging around as my son's 2005 Jazz is still on the drive. MOT tomorrow so fingers crossed.

[olduser1]

Good choice in the RAV, not sure about the Hybrid version.
The HRV was assembled in Mexico - workers there are on $ a day etc etc

[richardfrost]

not sure about the Hybrid version.

I wasn't sure too but I was determined not to have another Diesel car, and the Hybrid keeps the MPG in the high 40s to low 50s. Plus it means I have my first 'automatic' car ever. Adaptive Cruise Control will be a God send on my morning motorway commute into Bradford and Leeds.

[peteo48]

Some friends of ours have got a RAV 4 Hybrid - nice car and very well built from what I can see. Good luck and thanks for the advice about the HRV - I'll pass it on to my daughter who will be in the market next year.

[Vinney]

I'm trading my 66 plate hrv in for the crosstar.  My local dealer has given me 11k for it.  I do like a lot about the hrv, but it annoys me no end that the stop/ start rarely works and it's not got text scrolling so you don't know what music is playing, plus it's diesel and that's being phased out.  The tax is only £20 a year though, so I shall miss that

[sparky Paul]

Good luck with the Toyota, I'm sure it will be reliable. Brother has had three RAV4 diesels from new, none have ever put a foot wrong afaik, apart from one failed battery.

plus it's diesel and that's being phased out.

Not for a few years yet, I hope!

Welcome to the forum, by the way 

[richardfrost]

Good luck with the Toyota, I'm sure it will be reliable. Brother has had three RAV4 diesels from new, none have ever put a foot wrong afaik, apart from one failed battery.

This thread is 3.5 years old! The RAV4 has been great apart from two of the expensive valves broke off when checking/inflating. One I got replaced under warranty and the other I got replaced by a local independent at 1/4 the cost from Toyota. Bit worrying that they break so easily. Other than that is has been a super car to date. But I am ready to change in the next 12 months due to reduction in commuting to essentially zero, reductions in dogs to just one tiny one and the realisation I am never getting the Mk1 Jazz back from my lad. And if I do, it will be pretty much wrecked as it is doing work as a van at the moment.

I'm looking at the new HRV, the Crosstar, the Toyota Yaris Cross, Ford Puma and, at a stretch, the electric MG estate that Jocko fancies - although that will give me range anxiety.

[sparky Paul]

Of course, I thought I'd been here before... There's that many people swapping cars on at the moment, I can't remember who's coming and who's going! 

[Basil]

What about the Suzuki Vitara, they do an hybrid now, not sure what it's like but I quite like the look of them ?

[culzean]

What about the Suzuki Vitara, they do an hybrid now, not sure what it's like but I quite like the look of them ?

My brother has had a Vitara 1.4 boosterjet AWD for a couple of years and that engine is an absolute peach, I have driven it and it feels like the 1.8 Civic for power.

Full torque from below 2000 revs and about 140 ponies,  fuel consumption great as well ( will check with him what he is getting on shot lockdown journeys ).  His wifes family are from Lake district so the Vitara gets to go on M6 a fair amount in normal times,  and he loves Scottish mountains so more long journeys,  and absolutely fine. 

The road tests criticise the plasticky interior mainly ( they have to pick on something to please their big advertisers like Ford and VW ) and Suzuki are about #3 in reliability tables.  Suzuki 4WD have always been pretty bombproof - I believe Suzuki have a tie-up with Toyota on Hybrid tech.

[sparky Paul]

Not sure about Suzuki being bombproof, I remember looking at the 05-14 shape Grand Vitaras, the engines put me off.

The 2 litre petrol was prone to rattling cam chains, and the diesels were Renault 1.9 dci units, with all their problems. A friend had a black 2.0 petrol, it looked lovely but ended up costing him a fortune.

However, any sharing technology with Toyota has to be a good thing.

[John Ratsey]

What about the Suzuki Vitara, they do an hybrid now, not sure what it's like but I quite like the look of them ?

It's a very mild hybrid compared to the Honda e:HEV drivetrain - not much more potent than the old Honda IMA system - and perhaps an exercise in adding the hybrid badge to help sales. See https://media.suzuki.co.uk/assets/documents/original/5085-vitarahybridbooklet.pdf for more info.