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 (105 kW) from its 1.8-liter four-pot. What we can’t confirm yet is exactly how much more power the new car will make.
That might sound strange to customers from across the pond since Honda has already released an HR-V there. However, that model is actually a totally different beast so it’s not indicative of what we’re getting here. 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.
Read: Honda Confirms America’s 2023 HR-V For Europe Under Different Name
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.
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.
“By gaining aspirational qualities beyond its segment, the all-new 2023 Honda HR-V will welcome a new generation of customers to Honda and grow in importance as a gateway to the Honda brand,” he continued. That’s quite the hype for a crossover that seems to have lost many of the aggressive styling elements that helped it stand out in the past.
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What do you think of the way this new HR-V looks? Are you excited for a bit more space and some GR86-esque styling cues? We can only hope that they’ll make an Si version of some kind.
