Spec Check: Geely Coolray 1.5T vs Honda HR-V 1.5 VTEC Turbo

Is the 2022 Honda HR-V 1.5 VTEC Turbo better than Coolray Sport 1.5T?

The B-segment crossover market continues to heat up after Honda officially launched the 2022 HR-V in the Philippines. Now available with a 1.5-liter VTEC Turbo engine, the HR-V is now faster and sportier than ever. Combined with its new suite of technologies like Honda Sensing, the HR-V is putting other sporty crossovers on notice.

Perhaps the HR-V's closest competitor comes in the form of the Coolray from industry disruptor Geely. It's also powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, has (almost) similar dimensions, comes fully loaded with features, and also has intelligent safety systems on hand.

With these two crossovers looking evenly matched, it's time for another spec-check. For this comparo, we will be pitting the HR-V 1.5 V Turbo Honda Sensing against the Coolray Sport 1.5T.

Turbocharged Hearts

As mentioned earlier, both vehicles benefit from forced induction. Both have similar engine displacements but one has one less cylinder that produces more torque.

The Coolray Sport is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder dubbed G-Power. It produces a healthy 177 PS at 5500 rpm along with a generous 255 Nm of torque between 1500 – 4000 rpm. Power is then sent to a 7-speed wet dual-clutch clutch transmission with manual select (plus paddle shifters) and drive mode selector (Eco, Normal, and Sport).

Meanwhile, the HR-V gets a 1.5-liter VTEC Turbo inline-four. It makes 177 PS at 6000 rpm while torque is rated at 240 Nm and is available from 1700 – 4500 rpm. No dual-clutches here as the HR-V is married to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with manual select via paddle shifters. Like the Coolray, the HR-V also has three drive modes; Econ, Normal, and Sport.

Despite the HR-V having one more cylinder over the Coolray, the three-cylinder turbo from Geely generates more torque. Moreover, peak torque (slightly) comes in earlier at 1500 rpm compared to the HR-V. So on paper, the Coolray has the advantage over the HR-V.

The Coolray was also able to one-up the HR-V when it comes to fuel capacity thanks to a 45-liter tank. Meanwhile, the HR-V only gets a 40-liter tank which is 10 liters less compared to the previous generation model.

Sizing Them Up

So we already know what's under the hood of both crossovers, it's now time to see which of the two is bigger and has more space.

Let's start off with the HR-V Turbo. It measures 4385mm long, 1790mm wide, and 1590mm tall. It also has a 2610mm wheelbase, and a ground clearance of 181mm. As for the Coolray, it’s 4330mm long, 1795mm wide, and 1609mm tall. Its wheelbase is 10mm shorter than the HR-V's while ground clearance is rated 196mm.

Looking at those figures, it's clear that the HR-V is the longer crossover. However, the Geely is wider and taller which could translate to more shoulder room and headroom. The HR-V does have a longer wheelbase, but since there's only a 10mm difference with the Coolray, it's fair to say both vehicles offer decent amounts of legroom for the rear passengers.

But it is perhaps in ground clearance where the Coolray was able to outshine the HR-V. At 196mm, the Geely offers more peace of mind when going over rough terrain. The HR-V's 181mm of ground clearance is acceptable, but it could be a hindrance for buyers that are looking for something taller.

As far as cargo space is concerned, the Coolray can swallow 330 liters worth of luggage while the HR-V is rated to carry a total of 335 liters. Both also have 60:40 split-folding rear seats which allow drivers to store longer items with ease. While both crossovers appear to be evenly matched in terms of luggage capacity, the HR-V does have a neat trick up its sleeve.

Carried over from the previous generation HR-V are the ULT seats. Short for Utility, Long, and Tall, this unique feature allows drivers to set the rear seats, depending on the type of cargo. Utility Mode allows the seats to be folded flat while Long Mode enables users to fold both the front passenger and rear seats to maximize space. Last but not least is Tall Mode which allows the rear seats to be flipped up in order to fully maximize vertical space for taller items.

Features and more features

One of the most important aspects car buyers look for when buying a brand new car is the number of features it has. Thankfully, both the HR-V and Coolray come packed with plenty of amenities and conveniences.

The Coolray 1.5T and the HR-V VTEC Turbo both come with LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, leather seats, touchscreen infotainment, automatic climate control, 6-speaker sound system, electronic parking brake with auto-hold function, push-button start, a multi-info display with trip-meter and average fuel consumption monitor, auto-folding side mirrors, and a rear center armrest with integrated cupholders.

Despite the generous amount of features, there are some niceties that are only available on the Coolray and vice versa. Starting with the exclusive features of the Coolray, it gets a power-adjustable driver’s seat and a panoramic sunroof. Meanwhile, the HR-V comes with rear aircon vents, rear USB charging ports, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

But perhaps the biggest advantage the HR-V has over the Coolray is the added connectivity features. While the Coolray comes with a larger 10.25-inch display, the touchscreen only gets Bluetooth, USB, and smartphone mirroring via QD Link. The HR-V has a smaller 8-inch display, but it comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.

This means drivers can easily hook up their phones to the onboard touchscreen and use apps like Waze, YouTube Music, Spotify, and even Google Maps without having to look at their phones directly.

We’ve already said it before, but Geely should really start updating their infotainment systems as customers are now always looking for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard amenities. Some even find it as a deal-breaker, opting for a completely different vehicle just so they can have the aforementioned apps.

Intelligent Safety

As cars continue to become more and more high-tech, automakers have also made it a point to install advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) as extra peace of mind for the occupants. Also called intelligent driver aids, these serve as the vehicle’s extra pair of eyes, and both the HR-V and Coolray come with these said features.

Beginning with the Coolray Sport, the crossover comes with a 360-degree camera system, fully automatic parking, and blind-spot detection. All well and good, but the HR-V comes with a more comprehensive system compared to the Coolray.

Called Honda Sensing, the suite of intelligent safety systems gives the HR-V the following; adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, collision mitigation braking system, lane-keeping assist system, road departure mitigation, lane-departure warning, auto high-beam, and lead car departure notification.

With the HR-V’s more comprehensive list of intelligent driver aids, the Honda offers more peace of mind while on the road. Sure, the Geely also comes with some form of ADAS, but the HR-V has it beat.

What’s the price?

Now we come to the most important aspect of this comparo, the price. At PHP 1.598 million, the HR-V V Turbo CVT is quite pricey. Yes, it comes with a wider array of amenities including the intelligent Honda Sensing, but its sticker price is already bordering on the price of much bigger SUVs.

As for the Coolray Sport 1.5T, it’s more affordable thanks to its PHP 1.198 million SRP. While it may lack some of the intelligent driver aids of the HR-V, it does come with some exclusive niceties, a more powerful turbocharged engine, better ground clearance, and a panoramic sunroof.

And if you prefer to have more amenities, there’s also the Coolray Sport Limited that comes with front ventilated seats, a power tailgate with angle-memory function, and 18-inch gloss black alloy wheels. This one retails for PHP 1.218 million, but it’s still cheaper compared to the Honda HR-V.

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The Coolray may already be 3-years old in the market, but thanks to its value for money packaging, it’s no wonder it has been Geely’s best-selling model since 2019. As for the HR-V, it’s been vastly improved over its predecessor and now comes with VTEC Turbo and Honda Sensing. However, it’s now more expensive than ever. There’s the more affordable HR-V 1.5 S CVT Honda Sensing at PHP 1.250 million, but it doesn’t come with VTEC Turbo and loses some features over the top-of-the-line V.

If you had the money to buy either of these crossovers, which one would you pick? The disruptor from Geely, or the tried-and-tested contender from Honda? Let us know in the comments.