2023 Honda HR-V Grows in Size, Specs to Come
As if the 2023 Honda HR-V hasn’t been teased enough. The wraps are finally off, yet we still know little about the mechanicals.
Here’s what we do know from Honda’s press release today — the HR-V will be longer, with a wider stance, than the outgoing model. It will also be larger overall, and it remains based on the Honda Civic.
Honda does say the HR-V will get a “more responsive” engine and a new independent rear suspension. I’m guessing the “more responsive” wording might mean that the Civic’s available 1.5-liter turbo-four will be the mill of choice. I’d also guess the Civic’s CVT will be the sole transmission. I’d expect all-wheel drive to remain an option.
Back to aesthetics — the HR-V gets LED head- and tail lamps and a rear spoiler, and the beltline is pretty low.
It sounds like Honda is going to release info on the HR-V in dribs and drabs over the next few months. That’s the type of marketing approach that makes more sense for, say, a highly anticipated sports car like the Civic Type R, but what do I know? I’m but a lowly blogger.
Anyway, you can at least gaze upon the new HR-V in this here post while we await further details on specs.
My hot take is that from the side, the HR-V looks clean but anonymous and bland, while the low, gape-mouthed grille reminds of the S2000. It’s not ugly, exactly, but not breaking new ground in crossover-utility vehicle design.
[Images: Honda]
Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.
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Looks like a nice car. A little weird having two completely different HR-V at the same time. Would've made things cleaner if the Euro/Japanese version was standardized to the Japanese "Vezel" and this to "HR-V". Eitherway, I'm glad they didn't name this Civic Crosstour.
Another blob CUV. Nothing to see here folks, move along.