Verdict
At RM115,900, the Honda HR-V is RM3,840 cheaper and keeps annual road tax to RM120, versus RM140 for the iCaur 03. But the iCaur brings a 65.69-kWh battery, 426 km range and 181 hp/220 Nm motor, reaching 100 km/h in 10.5 seconds against the Honda’s 12.1 seconds. It is also the more practical load carrier with a 450-litre boot. Choose the HR-V for petrol simplicity, a 186 km/h top speed and its 501 kg weight advantage; choose the iCaur if home or public charging suits your routine.
Pick the Honda HR-V if you want the lower RM115,900 entry price, petrol power and a 186 km/h top speed in a 1,274 kg SUV.
Pick the iCaur 03 if you can charge an EV and want 426 km of range, a 450-litre boot and much richer cabin and safety equipment.
Key differences
- Power and torque: Honda HR-V 119 hp/145 Nm; iCaur 03 181 hp/220 Nm.
- 0-100 km/h: Honda HR-V 12.1 seconds; iCaur 03 10.5 seconds.
- Boot space: Honda HR-V 335 litres; iCaur 03 450 litres.
- Wheelbase: Honda HR-V 2,610 mm; iCaur 03 2,715 mm.
- Safety airbags: Honda HR-V four; iCaur 03 six.
- Top speed: Honda HR-V 186 km/h; iCaur 03 150 km/h.
HR-V
- RM3,840 lower purchase price and RM120 annual road tax
- 186 km/h top speed and 501 kg lower weight
- ULTRA rear seats and adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow
- Four airbags versus the iCaur 03's six
- 335-litre boot is 115 litres smaller
- No blind-spot monitoring, front parking sensors or 360-degree camera
03
- 181 hp/220 Nm motor and 10.5-second 0-100 km/h time
- 65.69-kWh battery with 426 km range, plus 80 kW DC charging
- Six airbags, blind-spot monitoring, 360-degree camera and 450-litre boot
- RM3,840 higher purchase price and RM140 annual road tax
- 150 km/h top speed versus the HR-V's 186 km/h
- At 1,775 kg, it weighs 501 kg more than the HR-V
What the 03 has over the HR-V
Based on the published spec sheets of the selected variants — a blank field on one side can also mean unlisted data.
The 03's wheelbase is 105 mm longer, which usually translates to more rear legroom. The 03 is 120 mm wider — more shoulder room, but a tighter fit in parking bays. Boot space favours the 03: 450 litres against 335.
Representative body-type outlines, drawn to scale from each car's length and height.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM115,900✓ | RM119,740 |
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Segment | B-Segment | C-Segment |
| Assembly | CKD | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM120✓ | RM140 |
| Monthly instalment (est.) | RM1,185/mo✓ | RM1,220/mo |
| Insurance / year (est.) | RM3,293✓ | RM3,361 |
| Fuel or electricity / year (est.) | — | RM1,370 |
| Energy cost / 100 km (est.) | — | RM6.85 |
| 5-year running costs (est.) | — | RM24,356 |
| Charging (estimated) | ||
| AC charge 0–100% (est.) | — | 10.0 hours |
| DC charge 10–80% (est.) | — | 55 min |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve DOHC, Naturally Aspirated with Dual Variable Valve Timing and Variable Valve Lift | 400V architecture |
| Capacity | 1,498 cc | — |
| Horsepower | 119 hp at 6,600 rpm | — |
| Torque | 145 Nm at 4,300 rpm | — |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline 4 | — |
| Fuel | Petrol | Electric |
| Bore × Stroke | 73 mm × 89.5 mm | — |
| Compression Ratio | 10.6 | — |
| Number of Motors | — | 1 |
| Motor Horsepower | — | 181 hp |
| Motor Torque | — | 220 Nm |
| Battery Capacity | — | 65.69 kWh |
| EV Range | — | 426 km |
| Charging Rate (AC) | — | 6.6 kW |
| Charging Rate (DC) | — | 80 kW |
| V2L | — | 3.2 kW |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | CVT Automatic | Single Ratio Automatic |
| Transmission Name | CVT | — |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Honda | — |
| Driveline | Front Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 12.1 seconds | 10.5 seconds✓ |
| Top Speed | 186 km/h✓ | 150 km/h |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,347 mm | 4,406 mm |
| Width | 1,790 mm | 1,910 mm |
| Height | 1,591 mm | 1,715 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,610 mm | 2,715 mm |
| Weight | 1,274 kg | 1,775 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 40 litres | — |
| Doors | 5 | 5 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 335 litres | 450 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 225/50R18 | 225/60R18 |
| Rear Tyre | 225/50R18 | 225/60R18 |
| Spare Tyre | Space Saver | — |
| Factory Tyres | Continental UltraContact UC6 | GitiControl P10 |
| Wiper Blade (Driver) | 22 inch | — |
| Wiper Blade (Passenger) | 19 inch | — |
| Wiper Blade (Rear) | 14 inch | — |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Malaysia (CKD) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Strut | MacPherson Struts |
| Rear Suspension | Torsion Beam | Multi-link |
| Front Wheels | 18" Alloy | 18" Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 18" Alloy | 18" Alloys |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack & Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 4 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side) | 6 (Driver & Front Passenger, Front Side, Curtain Airbags) |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Manual for Rear Doors | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 5 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | — | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available on 2 Outer Rear Seats | Available on outer two rear seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes, Honda Sensing | Yes |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Reflector | LED Projectors |
| Taillamps | LED Combination | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | — | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Manual Adjustable | Powered Front Seats with Ventilation |
| Rear Seats | Manual Recline, 60:40 Split Folding, ULTRA Seat | 60:40 Split-folding with Ventilation |
| Front Air-con | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Rear Vents | Rear AC Vents |
| Sunroof | — | Panoramic Sliding Roof |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 1 USB-A & USB-C Front | 1 Wireless Charger, 2 USB Front, 2 USB Rear |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | — | Sunroof Shade |
| Audio | 8" Touchscreen Infotainment System with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 4 Speakers | 15.6" Touchscreen with Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, 12-speaker Infinity Sound System |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Driver's Side Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up & Down with Anti-pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Start (Depress Brake Pedal) |
| Locks | Keyless Operation with Walk-away Auto Lock | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | — | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control with Low Speed Follow | Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Manual Operation | Remote Control Operation |
| Parking Sensor Front | — | 4 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 4 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, with Multi-angle | Yes, 360-degree Monitor |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | — | ✓ |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Electroluminescent Analogue | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited✓ | 150,000 km |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 5 years | 7 years✓ |
| Warranty Notes | — | Power battery 10-yr/200,000 km; drive unit and HV components 10-yr/200,000 km; one-to-one battery replacement below 60% health |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration. Running-cost estimates assume 20,000 km/year. Fuel at RM1.99/litre (RON95, subsidised). Electricity at RM0.44/kWh (TNB domestic, home charging); public DC charging costs around RM1.30/kWh. Charging times estimated from battery capacity and peak charging rates. Insurance: comprehensive motor tariff, no NCD. Instalment: 10% down, 2.5% flat rate, 9 years. Prices checked November 2026.
Used HR-V & 03 for sale
Our reviews & guides
Honda HR-V
HR-V vs 03 FAQ
Is the Honda HR-V or iCaur 03 better?
The iCaur 03 is better equipped and quicker, with 181 hp, six airbags, a 450-litre boot and 426 km range. The Honda HR-V suits buyers who prefer petrol power, lower annual road tax and a higher 186 km/h top speed.
What is the price difference?
The iCaur 03 costs RM3,840 more than the Honda HR-V. That gap brings EV hardware, a 65.69-kWh battery, 181 hp motor, larger boot, six airbags and equipment including a 360-degree camera.
Which one has the larger boot?
The iCaur 03 has the larger boot at 450 litres, compared with 335 litres for the Honda HR-V. That is a 115-litre advantage for luggage.
How long does charging take?
The 03's 65.7 kWh battery takes about 10.0 hours for a full AC charge, and an estimated 55 minutes from 10% to 80% on a DC fast charger at its 80 kW peak.
Which has the better warranty?
The 03 carries a 7-year manufacturer warranty against 5 years for the HR-V. 03: Power battery 10-yr/200,000 km; drive unit and HV components 10-yr/200,000 km; one-to-one battery replacement below 60% health.