Honda is set to announce the ZR-V price in India, but ahead of that, the carmaker has revealed key details, including its dimensions and engine specifications. Since it will arrive as a full import from Japan, a hefty ex-showroom price tag of around Rs 50 lakh is likely. The ZR-V will go up against premium SUVs such as the Skoda Kodiaq, Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line, Jeep Meridian and Citroen C5 Aircross. Here, we compare the Honda ZR-V with its rivals on paper, based on the confirmed details.
Honda ZR-V dimensions vs rivals
Overall, Kodiaq and Meridian are the largest here
Looking at the overall dimensions, the Honda ZR-V is one of the smaller SUVs in this group. Its 4,567mm length is only 67mm and 28mm more than the C5 Aircross and Tiguan R-Line, respectively; Skoda and Jeep SUVs stretch the tape beyond 4,750mm. The ZR-V has the lowest width, height and wheelbase length compared to rivals.
The Kodiaq and Meridian are inherently 7-seater SUVs, but like the rest, they can be had in a 5-seater guise as well. Speaking of boot storage, Honda has yet to reveal the India-spec ZR-V’s figure. The 5-seater Kodiaq Lounge variant offers the most storage capacity at 786 litres, while the 7-seater Meridian’s 170-litre figure is the least. As for wheel size, the VW SUV stands out with 19-inch units, the largest here, while the rest come with 18-inch ones.
One area where the Honda SUV has an advantage is kerb weight. At 1,569kg, it’s the lightest SUV here by a clear margin, and that does have an impact on fuel efficiency.
Honda ZR-V engine specifications vs rivals
Kodiaq, Tiguan make most power; C5 produces highest torque
*brand claimed.
The Honda ZR-V’s biggest point of difference is its strong-hybrid setup paired with a naturally aspirated petrol engine. Together, the system makes 184hp, ahead of just the 177hp C5 Aircross and 170hp Meridian. Speaking of the last two, these stand out in this set as the only diesel SUVs, and though they are not the most powerful, their torque outputs are higher than those of the petrol and hybrid competitors.
Meanwhile, the Kodiaq and Tiguan R-Line use the same 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, and both produce an identical 204hp output, the highest here. However, their 320Nm peak torque sits between the Honda and Jeep models. The ZR-V, by comparison, produces the least torque at 315Nm. Both the Citroen and Honda offerings have a two-wheel drive layout, while four-wheel drive is standard on the Kodiaq and Tiguan R-Line. Only the Meridian offers both options, depending on the variant.
Z-RV is most fuel-efficient at 22.8kpl
Where the Honda pulls ahead of its competition is in fuel efficiency. Its ARAI-certified 22.8kpl figure is the best in this group. That comes from the petrol engine running on the efficiency-focused Atkinson cycle, complemented by the strong-hybrid system. On a full tank, that should translate to an impressive range of 1,300km. While we have ARAI-rated efficiency figures for the Kodiaq and Meridian, and brand-claimed figures for the Tiguan R-Line and C5 Aircross, none of them translates to a range of over 1,000km on a full tank.
Dipan Sur
Saptarshi Mondal
Viraaj Bhatnagar
