The second-generation Honda HR-V is finally here and boy is it different. The vehicle that serves as genesis for this particular Honda model is far more compact and angular than the new crossover is. Now we have a vision of exactly what the 2023 HR-V looks like and how Honda wants it to affect the brand as a whole. Every aspect of the exterior design is way more conventional but thankfully, the engine will get even more power. That won’t take much since the outgoing model makes just 141-horsepower from its 1.8-liter four-pot.
That might sound strange to customers from
across the pond since Honda has already released an HR-V there. To make it even more confusing, Honda will also sell North
America’s HR-V in European markets from next year, but in those places, they’ll
change the name to something else they haven’t communicated yet.
Honda has made it clear that the US and
Canadian market 2023 HR-V will ride on the same platform as the 11th generation
Civic. That car has a wheelbase that’s about five inches longer than the
outgoing HR-V so expect more space in both directions as Honda says it’ll be
wider too without getting into specific numbers. With that information in mind,
it’s easy to surmise that Honda will use any number of engines from the Civic
for the new HR-V. The base Civic engine already makes more power from it’s
2.0-liter four-cylinder unit at 158-hp than the 2022 HR-V. If Honda’s more
adventurous, we could also see the compact model’s 180-hp 1.5-liter
turbocharged four making an appearance too.
The unrelated European and Asian market
2022 Honda HR-V has a completely different look than the North American model Regardless
of which motor they pick, it’s clear that Honda wants the new crossover to
really bolster the whole lineup. “This new HR-V will advance its position as
the segment leader with young buyers, first-time buyers, and multicultural
customers,” said assistant vice president of Automobile Sales of American
Honda, Michael Kistemaker.
