Honda ZR-V 2024 review: VTi LX long-term | Part 2

There are a lot of must-have features I look for when reviewing cars, no matter the segment.

In the modern world, decent cabin tech with phone mirroring is a must. I don't care if you're driving a city car or the biggest off-road SUV, easy access to Google Maps, Spotify and podcasts immeasurably improves the drive experience.

Safety is key, too. Not necessarily the usually poorly tuned active safety features that bing and bong should you exceed what it (incorrectly) assumes is the speed limit, or lane-keep assist that tugs at the wheel at random.

More things like AEB, rear cross-traffic alert, a decent reversing camera, parking sensors and a crash-test result that fares at least a little better than a stood-on empty Coke can.

I'm all about an engaging drive experience, that connection between driver and road that makes you feel connected to what's happening beneath the tyres, too. And a Goldilocks-level of power is nice, too. Not too much, not too little, but just enough to suit the nature of the car.

But one thing I've never cared about is a spare tyre, or lack thereof. To be honest, punctures strike me so rarely that whether there's a full-size spare, a space-saver tyre or a puncture repair kit (usually a can of goo that's meant to fill the puncture temporarily) never really crosses my mind.

But when I walked out of my house the other day, in a hurry as usual, with a long drive down to the South Coast of NSW ahead of me, and was confronted by that deflating feeling of an empty back tyre, I suddenly realised I've had the spare tyre thing all wrong.

They're bloody important, and here's why. A repair kit – the can of goo I mentioned earlier – can be a nightmare to use, and people who have used them tell me the success rate of it working is somewhere around 50 per cent.

The other option, then, would have been to call roadside assistance who could bring me a tyre. Our Honda ZR-V VTi LX arrives with five years of 'Premium Roadside Assistance' as part of its standard warranty package (and seven years if you purchased it between January 16 and March 31 this year as part of a Honda special offer).

But... that would have meant calling the number, hoping a vehicle was close by and not too busy, and then waiting for however long it took them to show up. Lots of private companies offer mobile repair services, too, but they're not cheap, and they're scarce outside major cities and towns.

The best option, no doubt, is a full-size spare, which allows you to replace or repair the punctured tyre at your leisure. But then you've got to sacrifice space, of course, because that big wheel and tyre has to go somewhere, and that somewhere is usually the boot.

The ZR-V, though, has what's called a 'temporary space-saver spare', which has a max speed limit (usually 80km/h) and is designed to get you home, or to your nearest service centre or tyre shop, in the event of a puncture.

In my case, the entire mishap cost me about 20 minutes, and exactly $30. I swapped out the flat tyre for the space-saver spare, ducked up to my local tyre repair shop, where a plug was fitted to the puncture for the sharp price of $30, and on which I've been driving ever since.

So bravo, Honda, for fitting a usable spare tyre to my ZR-V, and shame on any company which doesn't. I have a new must-have item, and trust me, all of you readers must have it, too.

Elsewhere, I'm really enjoying the Honda's drive experience, possibly more than I expected. It's hard to explain, but there's a satisfying heft and weight to all aspects of the drive experience, from opening the front doors to shifting into gear and turning the wheel.

It all lends this feeling of high-quality, though it could well be all in the mind.

Either way, I've been bloody impressed with the little Honda to date, and now, thanks to its on-board spare, I'm even more so.

Acquired: February, 2024

Distance travelled this month: 883km

Odometer: 8002km

Average fuel consumption this month: 8.9L/100km (measured at the pump)