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“Had a shortlist of the Honda FR-V 2.2 CDT-i or...”

written by autoq on 19/09/2005

Good Points
Good performance.
Tremendous flexibility.

Bad Points
Could do with slightly more storage.
Trip computer is awkward to access.

General Comments
Had a shortlist of the Honda FR-V 2.2 CDT-i or GrandScenic (also had 407SW and Mazda5, the Mazda didn't have a diesel , and the 407 didn't have the same height of loading-bay i.e. try sticking a bike in it).

Nearly went for the Scenic, but decided that the Honda was generally a better built package - ( 5 year servicing deal was a factor). It's a class above the Scenic quality wise - athough the Scenic has some good features - e.g. underseat storage, sun screens built into the door ,etc. Also the Renault sun roof is just that, whereas the Honda's is a (slightly) expensive option , and you have to take it with rear-Privacy glass which you may not want. Got it in Vivid Blue - which gives it a decent presence.

The car drives really well. It has an almost sporty feel about it. The 140Bhp gives it a loada grunt when you might want it. Sits at 80 with ease. No real engine rattle, road noise is acceptable although there is a slightly annoying airwhine at around 80 mph on a windy day - sounds like a window has been left very slghtly ajar. Might mention it to the dealer, but the noise not always there, and maybe I'm just being a bit too critical.



As stated above, the 3rd seat is great - have used it a couple of times for real (only had the car a week or so). Very handy. When not in use, the 3rd front-seat is a wonderful armrest/centre console storage tray ,etc. Definitely one of the big plus points.



Economy is presently around 37.5 mpg. Initially was getting 46 mpg when on the motorway, but have been doing loads of journeys of around 2-5 miles of stop-start traffic recently, so this is ok economy (given the perfomance also)

General storage is great also - seats are easy to fold flat. The outer 2 rear seats also recline very slightly (airplane style). It's a nice little feature.



Defiintely should be on anyones shortlist for mini MPV's at this price point.