I also like the FR-V, though hardly unique. Personally, i'd really like one of the pre-facelift Fiat multipla's!. But the youngest of them is going to be 16 so chances of finding a good one is, well, not good!.

Going back to the FR-V though, on Autotrader there are 20 diesel versions nationwide, but if you set the mileage cap to 100k that figure drops to 7!. And the youngest is 2009. I believe SLO really rates the 2.2 diesel though that doesn't mean you are not potentially going to have problems with a 11 year old version.

For that reason, and given the low mileage covered, i'd go petrol and i'd also go automatic to make the front centre seat more useable. For UK cars, that means the 1.8 petrol, very reliable and quite pokey with 138bhp, but a bit short of torque. The auto hides this to an extent, but not the excess revs needed for a boost of acceleration. So might be worth looking at Japanese imports, which could have the 2.0 engine with auto. Of course if you actually don't want an auto, the 2.0 manual was available in this country.

Without having any experience of this car, I will reiterate what others have said as I've been browsing Honda forums:

AFAIK, the three petrol versions all use a Honda R-series engine which has a chain-driven camshaft (this replaced the D-series' belt-driven engines). Reports of the tensioner pulley on the serp belts going is common at 60k-70k intervals. It is fairly common to have a noisy canister purge valve too, which creates a knock. Continual reports of it guzzling due to bad oxygen sensors.

Advice tends to be that the petrol is more likely to be trouble free for longer. The iCDTI was Honda's first attempt at a diesel (N22A) and is riddled with issues that they've iteratively solved since. iCDTI has reports of dual mass flywheels going fairly early, EGR valves, cracked manifolds and turbos, etc.

Mileage arguments shouldn't be considered. The iCDTI is reported to give only 35mpg. In short, stick to the petrols.

I've got one of these! It's a 2007 diesel, which I've owned since new (it was the top model at the time with leather etc - can't remember as I type what they call it!). We really like it (though I am, funnily enough, beginning to think of selling it, but only because the children are starting to move out and we really don't need a second car of this size any more).

The seating arrangement is really good for a few situations:

-family of 4 (like us), with 2 grandparents visiting, and when you still want a full boot for pushchairs, shopping, suitcases etc.

-one parent & 2 chlldren, tryng to go for an after school trip with another parent and 2 children (eg in our cases it was my wife and our children, and a friend and hers) - again, still needing a full boot.

The front middle seat is a bit tight to fit 3 adults across (though I have done that if you slide seats forward backwards, but it's not ideal), but our children loved sitting there when allowed as you get a great view forward.

Our car has been pretty much faultless other than usual wear and tear. Economy is not that bad - we average about 41mpg (mix of country and small city driving), and on good runs can touch 50 mpg. We moved overseas for a while, so my father looked after it then - liked it so much be bought himself one (a petrol version, but the same age) - he wishes he'd bought diesel as the economy is far worse in petrol. That being said, as he lives in London, if he'd bought a diesel soon he'd have problems as the diesel does not meet the ultra low pollution rules coming in.

As I was in the army when I bought it, we drove to and from Germany a fair few times in it - a very comfortable car for such trips. People constantly say "oh, its a rather wide car" - in fact, that's an optical illusion, and its narrower than plenty of other cars, but you do sit a bit nearer the door than many (to squeeze that middle seat in).

Tax is a bit higher than some newer cars (which is another reason why I'm thinking of getting rid of it). But to be honest, I am in a real dilemma about selling it - so far (touching wood) it has been a great, reliable and practical car, and a lot of me thinks its better to hang on to something you have owned and serviced since new. On the other hand, it's getting on for 13 years old (though low milage for its age due to my time overseas - my father kept it running, with the occasional longer trip, but by and large didn't do much mileage) so I have no idea if it's about to start to get expensive. Hope that helps - happy to answer any other questions!

We've owned a 2008 1.8 petrol auto since May 2011

In 9 and bit years one thing has failed, the lock on the glovebox.

Up until recently, I'd say the best car I ever owned was a W124 E280 estate, followed by a first gen Honda Insight (had that pre-family).

I'm now minded to say this FR-V is.The practicality is stupendous - beats any 5+2 people carrier hands down.

Another thing, it handles and rides beautifully.

Unless you absolutely have to have a diesel, get the 1.8 petrol, especially the auto. The gearing gives a nice high 5th, meaning 35mpg is easy on a run.

We will never, ever, ever, sell it.

Edited by Sulphur Man on 25/06/2020 at 16:46