With the exception of the acceleration, the new model of Honda's small SUV earns a "most improved" award.
Because it rains practically constantly in the Pacific Northwest, loggers can navigate the mountain routes with unwavering confidence, even in the downpour. During our test drive of the 2023 Honda HR-V, it started to rain, and the 18-wheeler in the rearview mirror approached us like it was trying out for a Duel remake. We ease off the gas in order to avoid becoming a Peterbilt hood insignia. Surprisingly for a CVT-equipped vehicle, the HR-V generated more noise but did not move any faster.
The straight uphill road turned right, then left, and then took a wonderful series of sweeping turns just as we were almost ready to disappear into a truck grille. The HR-V accelerated through as the truck slowed down. It was the first of many pleasantly unexpected things the tiny Honda had undergone makeover.
The HR-V is not known for providing exciting surprises. It has been a practical and uninspired mode of transportation since its debut in 2016, a machine designed to address the fundamental issue of transportation with a little extra room. The revamped HR-V wants to overcome its bad driving reputation while maintaining its promise of affordability and usefulness. Honda achieved this by transferring it from the diminutive and long-gone Fit platform to the roomier Civic underpinnings, while also giving it a little more power and a lot more personality.
Yes, you're so tough, tiny SUV. The new model is over 10 inches longer and three inches wider than the first-generation HR-V. It also has less stubby proportions and a growly front fascia.
Wide LED lights in the front and rear, dramatically framed inlets, patterned grilles, an angled hatch, and a clean roofline are all part of the exterior makeover. The roof panels were laser brazed, leaving a smooth finish. Although it won't be remembered as a ground-breaking vehicle design, we thought it was kind of cute, like an irate hamster.
Things inside are more enticing and the rodent is calmer. Compared to the previous model, which had the driver seated high and upright, the new model has a lower, more car-like seating posture. The seats come in leather in the top EX-L trim and patterned fabric in the LX and Sport trims, adding a splash of texture to every level. With a continuous line of honeycomb mesh running through each vent, the pillowy dash resembles the Civic in design. The padding on the steering wheel is thick.
The automobile has a better balance of tactile buttons and digital displays than the previous version, which makes it more elegant and unified. A tall shifter, deep cupholders that are situated forward and out of the way, and multiple locations to keep or charge a phone, including a pass-through that provides the passenger access to their own phone storage and USB charging, make up the ergonomic center console. Wireless charging was also available in the front tray of the EX-L variant we test drove. The lower plastic on the door panels has a wavy corrugation, while the upper touch areas are soft and squishy.
We can promise you that visibility in the new HR-V is significantly better if you're still fixated on the lower seating position—a higher vantage point is one reason many have switched to SUVs. The driving posture is more comfortable while providing a better perspective, the A-pillars are slimmer, and the door and hood beltlines are lower. After a full day of defying TLC's advice and outrunning trucks while chasing waterfalls, Honda claims the front seats were redesigned with more internal structure to offer support and a better posture. We concur that whatever is going on inside the seat cushions makes a positive difference.
The new seat is quite customizable in addition to being comfortable and supportive. We'd rank the new HR-V highly on a list of suggested vehicles for people of smaller stature because of that and the excellent sightlines. Tall drivers will still have plenty of room in the backseat, which leans back and has more padding than the seats in the previous generation. The passengers therefore don't need to be diminutive, despite the utility vehicle's size.
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