Category: Compact MPV 
Price Range: £17,200 to £21,020
Fits six and their luggage; Honda's legendary reliability; generous finance and insurance scheme, diesel engine
Wind noise, some interior fittings feel a bit flimsy.
A flexible family car from Honda, with a peach of a diesel engine.
Since the FR-V is marketed squarely at the family market, safety was always one of Honda's top priorities. The driver gets an individual airbag, and the two passengers in the front seats share a large 'bag between them. The two outer seats at the front also hold side 'bags, and full-length curtain 'bags come as standard for the rear passengers.
There are ISOFIX mounting points with a top tether for fixing child seats directly to the frame of the seat, rather than relying on the seat belt. These are attached to the front centre seat and the two outer rear seats. Honda recommends the centre front seat is slid back away from the dash when a child seat is in place to keep it away from the large airbag in case of an accident. A rear-facing child seat cannot be fitted to either front passenger seat because the airbag cannot be disabled.
ABS anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brake Distribution and Brake Assist are standard, although VSA traction control is only available with the 2.0-litre engine. All models come with a Thatcham Category 1 alarm and immobiliser with remote central locking to ward off would-be thieves.
Honda in-house crash tests (to EuroNCAP benchmarks) have scored the FR-V with a theoretical four stars for front/side impact. However, pedestrian safety is very good with Honda's internal rating of three stars, and child protection extremely good at four stars.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Honda FR-V
wrote on 08 07 2006