2023 Honda HR-V

The 2023 Honda HR-V has been completely redesigned and is offered in three trim levels. The base LX trim starts at a price of $24,895 and gets features like keyless ignition, height-adjustable driver’s seat, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and automatic climate control. The Sport trim offers a lot more for just two grand more with convenience and creature comfort features such as heated front seats, heated ORVMs, and upgraded 18-inch wheels with a high-gloss black finish. The top-end EX-L trim brings in a sunroof, a dual-zone automatic climate control, power adjustments for the driver’s seat, a wireless charging pad, and wireless support for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. All three trims get a few ADAS features as standard which include Forward Collision Mitigation, Lane Departure Warning, and Adaptive Cruise Control. The Sport trim gets the Blind Spot Monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert feature added to the safety tech list.

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The base LX trim should be the one to go with if you don’t wish to stretch your budget much. However, the mid-level Sport trim does justice to its price tag with a perfect balance of comfort and convenience features along with having the necessary safety techs onboard.

Release Date

The 2023 Honda HR-V was released in April 2022. The SUV is now available for purchase through Honda’s official website and authorized showrooms across the country.

The 2023 Honda HR-V gets its much-needed upgrade since the segment has become saturated with more stylish and better crossovers than the HR-V. The powertrain is also new and is borrowed from the latest Honda Civic sedan. The motor is a 2.0-liter K20C2 naturally aspirated I-4 K-Series unit from Honda that also gets the i-Vtec system as well. The output figures are 158 horsepower along with 138 lb-ft of torque. The output figures have improved considerably over the last year's model however, it still leaves wanting for more in demanding situations. Honda has been silent over the possibilities of another optional turbocharged motor which we get with the Civic.

The motor is paired to a standard CVT unit that possesses the “droning” effect to a minimal extent. However, being a Honda, refinement levels are significantly better than rivals’ CVT units. Moreover, you won’t feel much lag while flooring the gas pedal. Load the HR-V completely, and the engine starts to show its weakness, especially due to the heavier curb weight of the SUV. The 0-60mph sprint comes up in a decent 8.6 seconds while standing a quarter-mile takes 16.5 seconds.

The Hyundai Kona gets a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated motor and makes 147 horsepower along with 132 lb-ft of torque, which is lesser when compared to the Honda HR-V. The Kia Soul makes exactly similar horsepower and torque figures to the Hyundai Kona while the former is quicker due to its lighter curb weight. The Subaru Crosstrek is the only offering in the entire segment with an aging flat-four motor that makes a decent 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque. However, it is the only one to come with a standard Symmetrical AWD system as standard.

2023 Honda HR-V Ride and Handling

Honda vehicles are known for their refinement levels, be it on the powertrain or the ride quality. The previous HR-V already had a refined ride while the all-new 2023 HR-V offers even more. The ride quality is supple over most of the tarmac conditions and the suspension absorbs undulations with ease and without crashing. Around the corners, the SUV remains mostly stable with minor body roll if you enter the corner at considerable speeds. The optional AWD layout works fine and offers that additional grip over slippery tarmacs.

2023 Honda HR-V Braking Performance

The brakes of the Honda HR-V were decent previously and the upgraded 2023 HR-V doesn’t get a huge improvement in this aspect either. The front axles get a pair of 11.5-inch brake rotors with ventilated discs while the rear brakes measure 11.1 inches with solid discs. The stopping distance from 60mph is mediocre at 140 feet.

The Hyundai Kona gets bigger 12-inch rotors at the front and 11.2-inch rotors at the rear. The Kona also weighs significantly more than the HR-V at 3,271 lbs and we expect its braking distance to be similar or slightly lesser than the latter. The Kia Soul gets the smallest 11-inch front and 10.3-inch rear brake rotors. However, it also weighs the least at 2,844 lbs hence, its stopping distance is expected to be lesser than the rivals here as well. The Subaru Crosstrek weighs slightly over 3,000 lbs and offers a decent enough braking distance despite having not-so-big braking hardware.

The Honda HR-V had a strong fuel efficiency department when compared to its rivals. However, with the upgrades for 2023, the latest HR-V compromises slightly on the EPA ratings for that extra power and torque figures. The average numbers now have dropped to 26mpg in the cities and 32mpg out on the highways. The combined mileage has also dropped to 28mpg as compared to the previous model’s 30mpg. The gasoline tank has increased in size and now holds 14 gallons of fuel. With one full tank, the SIV can cover 364 miles inside the cities and 448 miles out on the highways before heading towards the gas station.

The Hyundai Kona offers slightly higher EPA ratings than the HR-V, mainly due to its lower power and torque output numbers. Moreover, its smaller 13.2-gallon gas tank doesn't allow it to offer even identical driving range numbers to the new HR-V. The Kia Soul disappoints with its fuel efficiency ratings despite weighing the least. Despite that, it can cover commendable distances of over 400 miles inside the city limits and over 500 miles out on the highways on a single tank full of gasoline. The Subaru Crosstrek is the least fuel-efficient option here but the deficit is compensated by that huge 16.6-gallon gas tank.

On the inside too, the 2023 Honda HR-V gets its much-awaited upgrade too. The cabin feels borrowed from the latest Civic like the powertrain but it is a good thing. The dashboard now wears the strange but stylish chicken-wire design in the middle that hides the air-con vents neatly. The climate controls and the placement of the infotainment display are also similar to the Civic and the combo of manual and digital controls with rotary knobs looks good too. The driver's instrument cluster is a digital unit with analog display gauges and the center stack isn’t too thick. 

The gear-selector sits right in the middle of the center stack which is also padded but the cup holders are pushed backward on either side with an awkward placement. The front seats offer superb comfort levels while the driver’s seat gets height adjustments right from the base trim itself. The Sport trim adds power adjustments to the driver’s seat and heating to both the driver’s and the passenger seat as well. The rear seats are comfy too with adequate headroom and legroom in place. The magic seats present on the previous HR-V have been tossed which reduced the overall flexibility of loading cargo into the latest model. The cargo capacity is decent at 24.4 cu-ft.

The Hyundai Kona gets a stylish cabin too but lacks the premium touch of the Honda HR-V. Moreover, the cabin feels less airy and tighter than the HR-V too with cramped rear seats, especially in terms of legroom. The cargo capacity is disappointing too at 19.2 cu-ft only. The Kia Soul is a compact vehicle itself but is surprisingly spacious on the inside. However, the comfort levels aren’t as great as you’d find inside the HR-V but the cargo capacity is similar to the latter at 24.4 cu-ft. The Subaru Crosstrek might be old but still packs in enough space and comfort inside its cabin to give the newer and better rivals a run for their money. Moreover, the legroom at the front seats of the Crosstrek is significantly higher than all the offerings on the list as well.

Some of the key interior features available with the 2023 Honda HR-V include:

• Single-zone/two-zone automatic climate control
• Height adjustable and power adjustable driver’s seat
• Heated front seats
• Ambient interior lighting
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear selector stick
• Auto-dimming IRVM
• Premium leather upholstery

How intuitive is the 2023 Honda HR-V’s infotainment system?

The infotainment system onboard the 2023 Honda HR-V is a standard 7.0-inch touchscreen unit. As standard, the system offers Android Auto and Apple CarPlay along with a four-speaker audio system, and three USB ports. The Sport trim gets its audio system upgraded to a sis-speaker unit while the top-end EX-L trim gets satellite radio, wireless support for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a wireless device charging pad.

Some of the most notable infotainment features available with the 2023 Honda HR-V include:

• 7-inch touchscreen display
•  4-speaker/6-speaker audio system
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay(with wireless support on top-end EX-L trim)
• Satellite radio
• 3 USB ports
• Wireless device charging pad

Much like its interior, the exterior of the 2023 Honda HR-V brings in a fresh styling too. Even though the all-new design looks less busy than the earlier one, it leans more towards being aggressive and the front grille along with the sleek LED headlamps further enhance the appeal too. The hood now gets a couple of sculpted lines giving a new muscular feel from the front and a blacked-out plastic underbody cladding is standard across the trim levels. The front bumper gets blacked-out treatments below the grille along with a silver-colored faux skid plate. From the side, the design is smooth with no sharp edges and despite the right amount of curves present, the HR-V doesn't look chunky at all. From the rear end, the HR-V looks even sportier and brings out a true vibe of an expensive SUV, to be honest. The exterior dimensions of the SUV have increased on paper and the added length results in a more spacious cabin than the previous model. The ground clearance is decent at 7.3 inches.

Of late, Hyundai vehicles have been getting some strange and unconventional exterior designs and the Kona is no different. The SUV is the most compact one here, on paper and in real life too. As a result, we saw the Kona offering cramped rear seats earlier. The Kia Soul appears like a hatchback in the guise of a crossover. The front end looks appealing with that huge grille and the sleek LED headlamps. Moreover, it almost shares the exterior dimensions with the Kona as well. The Subaru Crosstrek still carries a dated design even though it was updated a few times but slightly. It has the best ground clearance here and is almost as big as the latest Honda HR-V.

Some standout exterior features include:

• 17-inch/ 18-inch high-gloss black-finish wheels
• All-LED headlamps
• Chrome exhaust tip
• Tinted glass for rear windows
• Body-colored ORVM covers
• Sunroof

Honda vehicles seldom disappoint when it comes to safety and the brand also ensures that the vehicles are equipped with adequate safety techs as well. The 2023 Honda HR-V is yet to be crash tested by both the NHTSA and the IIHS. However, the last year’s model went through the crashworthiness tests from both organizations and passed with flying colors. Apart from the basic safety features, the latest HR-V also gets three ADAS techs as standard from the base trim onwards which are Forward Collision Mitigation, Lane Departure Mitigation, and Adaptive Cruise Control.

Some of the standout safety features include:

• Forward Collision Mitigation
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Lane Departure Mitigation
• Blind-spot Monitoring and Rear Cross-Traffic alert
• Front and rear parking sensors

2023 Honda HR-V vs 2022 Hyundai Kona

The Hyundai Kona has been an affordable and compact crossover in the segment since its launch and has taken on some established rivals quite well too. Its cramped rear seats and lack of cargo space have held it back. The Honda HR-V surpasses the Kona both in terms of interior space and cargo space along with offering a better performance aspect too. In the design part, the Honda HR-V looks and feels more mature than before when compared with the Kona.

2023 Honda HR-V vs 2022 Kia Soul

The Kia Soul is mechanically quite similar to the Hyundai Kona such as having almost similar exterior dimensions and identical engine output figures. However, the Soul’s design and appeal are on a different level, especially from the front end. The wagon-style crossover disappoints truly in the fuel economy aspect since it fails to deliver better numbers than most of its rivals despite weighing significantly less than them. On the inside, the SUV offers adequate space for all the occupants but the cargo capacity is modest at the best.

2023 Honda HR-V vs 2022 Subaru Crosstrek

The Subaru Crosstrek has been serving a specific set of shoppers who consider practicality and comfort over everything. The Crosstrek rides on an aging platform, being powered by a dated flat-four motor. However, its output figures are still decent enough for the class. The real charm of the SUV lies in its standard Symmetrical AWD system. The Honda HR-V sure has a better design and more modern cabin than the Crosstrek but fails to deliver similar or better cabin space. The Crosstrek also benefits from its sizable gas tank which compensates for its lackluster fuel economy figures.

After seeing for ourselves that the Honda HR-V has taken a step forward in the right direction with the latest 2023 model, it is absolutely a worthy crossover to consider. The ground-up design and the Civic’s platform have enhanced the vehicle further such as making it more agile and comfortable than before while the safety aspect can only be confirmed after the SUV goes through the NHTSA and the IIHS crash tests. The standard safety techs offer complete peace of mind and the increased output figures definitely make it more enjoyable than before. However, if you desire practicality and comfort, the Crosstrek should be the go-to vehicle, or else, the latest HR-V will do just fine.