When it comes to hybrid cars, Honda Malaysia is one of the biggest proponents of the powertrain in Malaysia. After all, most of the Japanese carmaker’s models are offered with the sophisticated Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) powertrain, including the Honda CR-V and Honda HR-V.
To show just how capable its two SUVs are, Honda Malaysia recently held a media drive for the range-topping e:HEV RS variants of the CR-V and HR-V. Thanks to their hybrid powertrains, the two SUVs combine great performance with excellent fuel efficiency. Both serve as good options for those who are not quite ready for an EV yet, especially with the coming targeted petrol subsidy.


Let’s start with my personal favourite SUV of the two, the CR-V. The highest-end e:HEV RS variant of the C-segment SUV is priced at a cool RM195,900 in Malaysia, and for that kind of money, it features a new generation 2.0L e:HEV hybrid system that offers 184PS and 335Nm of torque. Paired to an e:CVT with a new framework, the SUV can sprint from 0-100kmph in 9 seconds – not bad at all for an SUV this large.
What mainly drives the e:HEV RS CR-V is the electric motor of the hybrid powertrain that has the aforementioned outputs. The 2.0L Atkinson-cycle engine (148PS and 190Nm of torque), on the other hand, largely acts as a generator for the electric motor. The mill is only used for direct propulsion – completely disabling the electric motor – at higher speeds to maximise efficiency.




Naturally, fuel efficiency is the main appeal of any given hybrid model, and in the case of the CR-V e:HEV RS, it has a quoted fuel consumption of 5L/100km; that’s about 20km/L. Now, do note that I only drove the CR-V less than 100km alongside the HR-V, and I was not easy on the throttle throughout the media drive either.
So then, what is the fuel consumption I got? Well, approximately 17km/L, which is not far off from Honda’s quoted figure. With that in mind, I do think the 20km/L fuel efficiency is achievable in the real world.
Beyond fuel efficiency, how’s the performance of the CR-V? Very, very good. Honestly, I was surprised by how eager the car is to go once I put my foot down on the throttle pedal, thanks to the 2.0L e:HEV hybrid system. It feels quite a bit livelier than the CR-V’s hybrid powertrain, which I’ll get to in just a moment.





In terms of ride and handling, the CR-V is certainly tuned for comfort. It offers a comfortable, refined ride quality, but this is at the expense of handling (to an extent). Steering input, for one, is not quite as sharp as I had hoped. But given that this is an SUV geared towards larger families that will benefit more from a comfortable ride setup, I guess it’s not an entirely negative quality.
Next, there’s the HR-V e:HEV RS, which is priced at RM141,900. Unlike the CR-V, the HR-V’s hybrid powertrain has an electric motor that does 131PS and 253Nm of torque, while the NA Atkinson-cycle petrol engine – again, which mostly acts as a generator – outputs 107PS and 131Nm of torque. Yes, this B-segment SUV is not quite as powerful as the CR-V, and even the petrol model of the HR-V with a turbo engine has faster performance.




However, that is not to say the HR-V e:HEV RS doesn’t offer good performance. With the throttle pedal fully depressed, it still offers a good amount of pull. After all, the electric motor has a healthy 253Nm of torque, so it can easily overtake cars on highways as and when needed.
Compared to the CR-V, the HR-V also has better handling, though its ride quality is not as pliable. It has firmer suspensions with minimised body roll, so I’m more confident taking corners at higher speeds with the HR-V. Suffice to say it offers a more exciting driving experience than the CR-V, though it’s worth mentioning that the two SUVs are catered to different crowds.



As for efficiency, Honda says that the HR-V e:HEV RS has a fuel consumption of 4.1L/100km; that comes up to about 24km/L. Now, as I’ve said before, I didn’t spend enough time with the SUV to really put this figure to the test, and I wasn’t easy on the throttle pedal either. So it’s no surprise that the trip computer show that I only got about 18km/L, which, to be fair, is still quite decent for an SUV in this segment.
I’d also like to touch on the Honda Sensing ADAS of the HR-V and CR-V. The ADAS on both SUVs feel similarly competent for the most part, and as I mentioned in my driving impressions of the Honda City Hatchback e:HEV RS, it performs very similarly to the Honda Sensing of my 10th generation Civic TC-P facelift.
As before, the ADAS; Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS) only works above 70kmph, but I’m happy that it can keep the car centered in the lane very well when it’s active. The Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) keeps a good distance away from the lead car as well with braking that feels quite natural. All in all, I’m happy with the Honda Sensing performance of the CR-V and HR-V.


It’s great to see Honda Malaysia continue to offer a good selection of hybrid models in its lineup. Whether you want a more traditional petrol car or a hybrid like these two SUVs, you’re spoilt for choice. Well, unless you want an EV. In any case, I thoroughly enjoyed driving the e:HEV RS variants of the CR-V and HR-V; the combination of good fuel efficiency without sacrificing performance is a compelling package, in my opinion.