GRR Garage: Honda HR-V – living on the lanes

As those of you who read our tales of living with our previous long-termer (the Renault Kadjar) will know the daily journey to and from GRR HQ is a 50-mile blast through some of the best countryside roads in the UK. So our everyday commute is a great barometer to just how well tuned to British B-Roads our cars are.

So how has the HR-V stood up so far? Just fine. No crossover with a low-capacity diesel-engined is going to be set up to hammer its way across the lanes of West Sussex, but the key is all-round ability, which is what the HR-V has. While it's more at home cruising down the lanes or through town you can give it more of a push from time to time. The steering doesn't deliver sportscar levels of feel but it also can't be accused of suffering the pitfalls of being too light. Push the HR-V to its edge and the whiff of understeer that comes with a mixture the front wheels being driven and a higher centre of gravity begins to rear its head. But it gives you full warning that it's coming and isn't about to send you into the tree ahead of you, without at least warning that danger is oncoming.

For those less confident behind the wheel, sudden changes in input aren't going to lead to sudden slayings, the HR-V will soak up all but the worst behaviour before it passes the edge. Round the corner and find your way blocked by an unexpected object (by which we of course mean a deer) and the brakes are firm and reassuring. Stamp on them with all your might and the rear will go light almost immediately, dancing left and right as the Honda's mass finds its way to the front, but thankfully not snap round.

The flowing roads of the English countryside are not what the HR-V was designed to attack, but it's far from out of its depth.

Pricetag of our car: £26,780.

MPG this week: 50.3.