The i-stop is not a problem as mentioned. The special battery is slightly more expensive to replace only, that's all. The original battery from Japan costs RM1,500 whereas the local equivalent is RM700-800. However, one can still use the normal battery which is significantly cheaper but i-stop will not function with the cheap batteries. The Mazda's i-stop or Skyactive system is proprietary hence the requirement of some custom components to cater for these features.

I haven't seen the HRV but have viewed and test driven its bigger brother, the CRV late last year before we chose the CX-5 2.5 CBU from Japan. Not too sure about the HRV but the interior dashboard and door panel of the CRV looks like a Proton Saga. No offense. Even the Proton Preve's interior and dashboard looks more upmarket than the CRV. That is one of the main reasons we scratched off the CRV an went for the Mazda CX-5 which looks more premium inside out.

From the scale of the interior quality and trimming and dashboard material, based on my observation

Honda CRV = Proton Saga < Proton Preve Turbo < Mazda 2/3/6/CX-5 < Ford Focus

Agreed. People still buy Honda due to Japanese reliability, other than the cars which look rather nice and sporty on the outside, in this case the HRV. It sure looks quite nice and classy on the exterior, but when you step into the car, the interior of the car is poor, looks like a Proton Saga. No offense. The interior dashboard layout and quality of materials on the dashboard and door panels etc. look cheap. On the other hand, with the Mazda(CX5 or any other model), exterior looks good and interior quality looks much nicer and higher quality than the Honda. It's not only the HRV but the City and CRV as well - the interior dashboard and door panel looked cheap in the layout and quality.

Only the Honda Accord's interior looked acceptable. All other lower-range Honda cars, the exterior of the car may look nice but the interior of the car is of sub-par quality at Proton's level (though reliability-wise the Honda should do a lot better than the Proton).

This post has been edited by SportyHandling: Sep 2 2015, 10:52 AM

One of my colleagues took delivery of the Ford Ecosport in white colour. It looks nice on the outside. Dashboard is a bit funky though. One thing I noticed is the sound of the Ecosport's engine is rather loud even if standing outside next to the car. Maybe the car wasn't run-in yet.

Subaru XV is also a nice car on the exterior.

No experience with the new X-trail. However, based on my 5-year ownership with the Nissan Sylphy's CVT, I can say it is reliable, super-smooth and quiet.

To me it is grossly overpriced. For the price you are paying, and you get this sort of quality it's not worth it, the CRV. The low-spec CRV is almost RM150k and the high spec model is even costlier.

I can understand people will still choose the HRV (despite its cheap interior) not only for its beautiful looks on the exterior but also the rather affordable price, closer to RM100k. But the hard-plasticky CRV for RM150k+ is just too much. Even the high-spec Perodua Alza at less than RM70k looks better (in the interior) than the CRV. As usual horses for courses.