If any company was to take a fresh approach to the midi-MPV you’d expect it to be Honda. And when you first set eyes on the new FR-V, that appears to be the case.

It’s an unusual-looking car. From the front there are shades of the new Accord, which is a good thing. Aft of there, things get a bit more unusual, although it’s at least distinctive. The FR-V follows the Fiat Multipla by opting for two rows of three seats to make it a six-seater – halfway house between the excepted trend of either five or seven seats. 

Both seats in the middle of each row slide back and forth; the rear seat slides into the boot space to free up extra legroom if required and the front moves back to gain extra shoulder room – it can also be folded flat to form a table-top. If load carrying is more important than passenger capacity the rear seats fold flat. The great advantage of a six-seater is that even if the car is fully laden with passengers, the boot space remains clear for their luggage, a capacity that is greatly reduced if you use all seven seats in a traditional MPV.

Honda has aimed at the premium end of the sector occupied by cars such as the VW Touran. To achieve this, it’s worked hard on the quality of the FR-V and in the most part succeeded. The dash is a lot more exciting than the VW’s, with a complex-looking central pod that houses most of the switchgear. Some of the materials used don’t quite feel up to the standard you’d expect, and the high vehicle sides – although imparting a feeling of security – coupled with the dark fabric will make the interior a bit claustrophobic for some.