From Jazz to HRV - what a disappointment!!

[YND]

I love my Honda Jazz, In fact, this is the second one I have bought, but I now need something a little bigger. So I set my heart on the 2026 HRV but that aspiration has ended in serious disappointment, and after the superb Jazz I can’t understand how this car is so bad. On the test drive, I found the engine noise and road noise really loud and intrusive, the car rocked and rolled over every small undulation. The revving of the engine after the slightest dab of the throttle was insane and there was a strange graunching noise at very low speed. The Honda deal and discounts were generous and very tempting, and the updated cabin looked great. On paper, this car was a dream to me (including the 360 degree camera) but now I will have to look elsewhere, but where!?

[Marco1979]

A ZR-V maybe? The bigger engine is quieter and more relaxed. I have never driven one, but from Jazz to Civic the 2.0 really impressed me.
Or you could test drive another HR-V, maybe this particular one was more noisy?

[YND]

Thanks Marco, sadly the ZR-V (like so many other desirable cars) breaches the £40k premium car tax threshold which I am absolutely not prepared to pay. The HRV’s price was under 40k which was one of the reasons it was top of my list…

[stani]

Or you could test drive another HR-V, maybe this particular one was more noisy?

Well, that's the case with all new HRVs. The same engine as in the Jazz - where it's just so-so okay, but not enough for the HRV...
 
YND: maybe new Mazda CX-5? The engine is powerful enough there. But the hybrid will come later.
And it also costs something.

[ahavoja]

the car rocked and rolled over every small undulation.

One possible explanation is tyre pressures. Maybe the tyres on the HR-V were overinflated, or the tyres on your Jazz underinflated.

[Tombola]

YND, If you decide to leave Honda and you want a car built in Japan maybe consider a Mazda CX 30 2.5 Skyactive G, bit cramped in the rear but build quality very good and similar to Honda, very well equipped for the money, superb manual gearbox or Torque Converter Auto box, I'm talking myself into getting one   

[Karoq]

I went from Karoq to early e:HEV HR-V the only points I would agree with you on was the
N O I S E !
Dreadful. Hardly any sound deadening at all. I had to change after a year due to increasingly wonky knee, hindering ingress/egress. Went to e:HEV CR-V. B L I S S! lovely and quiet, in spite of the 2.0L lump.
I you want to leave Honda go for a Kia Niro or Sportage I have the old (2021) shape eNiro full BEV and out of the 79 cars I've owned it is the best by far AND a SEVEN year warranty. Very well specc'd
I will never buy any car form a manufacturer that only oferfs 3 years. The majority are now offering up to TEN years.

[stani]

A ZR-V maybe?

Better than the ZR-V is the RAV4, I think. ZR-V - direct injection, RAV4 - D-4S.
RAV4 has a stronger engine, more power, higher ground clearance, larger trunk, larger dimensions, much greater towing capacity (up to 2,000 kg), greater range. And yet it costs about the same.

[YND]

Many thanks all for your suggestions. I was quite taken with the Mazda MX30 Makoto until I discovered its ridiculous rear passenger set-up. Then the Lexus LBX but not sure about the small boot. Much more research and test driving to come I guess!!