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.
Honda is launching its ECO (Easy Care Option) prepaid servicing and insurance pack with the FR-V. The five-year service pack costs £330 and includes the first five 12,500-mile services up to and including the fifth year 62,500-mile service. It represents a saving of £600 for petrol models and £700 for diesel, but consumables such as tyres and brake pads are excluded from the pre payment. The service pack is transferable if the car is sold within the five-year term.
Customers can also pre-pay for three years' insurance for the FR-V. For £1300 you will receive three years' fully comprehensive insurance for a maximum of three drivers who are aged between 30-70 and have had no disqualifications. Northern Ireland buyers are not included in the ECO deal, though. Dependent on how much no-claims-bonus you have racked up this may or may not be a good deal. But for those who may live in inner-city areas which are costly for car insurance there could be substantial savings.
Combined fuel consumption is measured at 37.7mpg for the 1.7-litre and 33.6mpg for the 2.0-litre, which is on par with its competitors. Carbon dioxide emissions are rated at 179g/km and 199g/km respectively, which - if the FR-V is used as a fleet car - places it in the 21 and 25 percent tax brackets.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Honda FR-V
wrote on 08 07 2006