2023 Honda HR-V EX-L and Sport Walkaround

The 2023 Honda HR-V's pricing and specifications have been fully revealed. It's available in three trims, LX, Sport and EX-L, and it starts at $24,895. It's more than 9 inches longer and more than 2 inches wider, which results in a larger passenger cabin, though about the same amount of cargo space. It's built on the platform shared with the new Honda Civic, which means the new HR-V picks up independent rear suspension, as well as a more powerful 2.0-liter four-cylinder. It makes 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy is down slightly to 27 mpg combined with all-wheel drive and 28 mpg combined with front-wheel drive. It goes on sale in June.

Video Transcript

JOEL STOCKSDALE: For a number of decades, Honda has sold the subcompact crossover, the H-RV, in markets all around the world. We've only gotten the HR-V since the 2016 model year. That generation is being replaced with this, the 2023 model.

It's the HR-V RV designed specifically for the US. Other markets get a version that will continue to be based on the overseas Honda Fit. This model is built on a platform that is shared with the Honda Civic.

With that new platform, it's significantly larger. It's over 9 inches longer and quite a bit wider. It also gets a number of mechanical upgrades. It has a naturally aspirated 2-liter 4-cylinder now instead of the old 1.8 liter version.

Additionally, it features fully independent rear suspension. Like the old version, it's available with both front wheel drive and all wheel drive. And it's driven solely by a CVT transmission.

The design is significantly different this time around. It's got a very aggressive front grille and has a more conventional looking shape all around. It is available in a couple of different trims. The one that we're looking at right now is the top level EX-L.

The EX-L brings a number of unique styling touches, primarily gloss black trim on the grille and on the lower bumper. It also features gloss black paint on the fender liners. It comes with 17-inch wheels, and features body color mirror caps.

There are other trims available. There's a base XL and over to the other side is the Sport model. This one features 18-inch wheels and slightly wider tires. It has matte black plastic trim around the wheel arches and on the grille.

Sport also features an exposed exhaust tip to give it a slightly sportier looking feel. The interiors of these two trims differ as well. The Sport model comes with fabric upholstery with contrasting kind of bronze-style stitching.

The EX-L, on the other hand, comes with leatherette upholstery. In general, the interior is very similar to the Honda Civic. Has a dashboard with this long honeycomb mesh covering up the air vents. Goes all the way across.

It features similar instruments. It's got a analog dial for speed and a screen for tachometer and other information. The standard infotainment is the 7-inch unit, but on the EX-L, you get a larger 9-inch.

It's a touch screen display, and comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The EX-L gets wireless versions. Other interesting details here-- there is a nod to the old HR-V here in the center console with this open section where you can store some items.

Being a much larger vehicle, the space up in front is quite a bit larger, and passenger space in the back should be larger as well. And there are some things we should talk about in the back too. We've moved over to the EX-L for this, in part, to talk about the back, but also to show off the leatherette upholstery in the back.

One of the things that has disappeared from the old HR-V is the magic seat, which could either fold down this way or have the seat bottoms flip up, ostensibly, to carry taller items that might be difficult to fit. Otherwise. That's gone. Apparently, Honda said that customers just weren't using that all that much.

There is still a tricky feature about the back seat though. And that's that this lower seat will collapse down a little bit when this folds, and that is in order to give you a flat load floor from the back to the front. Now, of course, part of the reason for getting a crossover is for cargo space.

And on this HR-V, it is actually about the same as the old one despite the greater size. Space behind the rear seats is a little over 24 cubic feet. And with the seats down, it's a little bit over 55 cubic feet.

As we've talked about, the EX-L comes with a leather interior. And that's kind of the primary difference, aside from the infotainment system, which is a 9-inch unit. Gives you more space for touch screens. It does lose the tuning knob, but it does still have a volume knob.

The only engine available on the 2023 HR-V is a naturally aspirated 2-liter 4-cylinder. It makes 158 horsepower and 138 pound feet of torque. That's about 17 horsepower more and a little over 10 pound feet of torque more than the old version.

Both come with a CVT, and they're available with either front wheel drive or all wheel drive. With front wheel drive, it gets 28 miles per gallon combined, and with all wheel drive, it gets 27. The HR-V will be available this summer, and it will start at just under 25,000.

[MUSIC PLAYING]