A few months after the 2022 Honda HR-V was unveiled in Europe and Japan, the company has now confirmed that it will be sold exclusively in e:HEV guise across the Old Continent. This e:HEV powertrain consists of a 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine that works alongside two electric motors and a lithium-ion battery pack. It produces 129 hp and 253 Nm of torque and has a clear focus on efficiency. In fact, it is rated at 5.4 lt/100km (43.5 mpg US) on the WLTP cycle, emits 122 g/km of CO2 and will hit 100 km/h in 10.6 seconds.
Honda already uses the e:HEV powertrain in the new Jazz but for the HR-V, it has revised the number of battery cells, increasing them from 48 to 60 to account for the HR-V’s larger size. The e:HEV system has three driving modes, Electric Drive, Hybrid Drive and Engine Drive, and the SUV automatically cycles between them depending on which is the most fuel-efficient at any specific time. For example, the powertrain will operate in Engine Drive mode when driving at a constant high-speed on a highway and if further acceleration is required, such as when overtaking, the car will switch to Hybrid Drive to get some extra performance. Hybrid Drive also doubles as an engine-driven generator that can be diverted to recharge the battery.
The Honda HR-V e:HEV can also be driven in Sport, Econ, and Normal models. Drivers can also select a B-range mode from the transmission that offers selectable levels of energy recovery when coasting or braking. Beyond its powertrain, the new-generation HR-V offers much more space than its predecessor thanks to new underpinnings. The interior has also been transformed and closely resembles the cabin of the new Civic. Key new features of the interior include a 9-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto and a 7-inch digital instrument cluster.
The 2022 Honda HR-V e:HEV will go on sale across Europe in late 2021. Pricing details have not yet been announced.
