The 2023 Honda HR-V has undergone some notable and remarkable changes. This bold move gives the HR-V a much sexier exterior design and a more modern interior with noticeable room and a feature-rich environment for both driver and passengers. The body style reminded me of the Porsche Cayenne (circa 2020) and the stance is wider than previous generations. The driver experience was better for me and I felt like I had more control and the new HR-V is just more fun to drive with all the new features and upgrades.
Highlights
The highlights for me were the new body style. The exterior looks way better than previous generations. I also liked the space of the interior along with some noticeable upgrades from previous generations. Honda is competing in a tough category with the HR-V as there are a lot of choices but current retail sales look to be a tight race for the #1 spot in this category.
Driver Experience
The car is easy to drive and very responsive. I felt like I had pretty good clearance with the vehicle and the wider stance gave it great performance around turns and cornering. This is a very comfortable car to drive and it also has a lot of safety features. It really fits young, active driver lifestyles well.
Interior
The leather trimmed seats are very comfortable and it is easy to get comfortable in the HR-V. The leather wrapped steering wheel and interior trim look nice. I especially like the honeycomb style vent for the AC as it extends along the dash. It looks classy and also has plenty of USB ports up front and a charging station. The telescopic wheel and 8-way power seat make it easy to find a comfortable position for a range of driver heights and sizes. The 9 Inch touch screen that comes with the EX-L is much better than previous HR-V generations and the interface is user-friendly and easy to use.
Exterior
I really like the Exterior design changes Honda made for the 2023 HR-V. As I already mentioned it reminds me of the 2020 Porsche Cayenne in some ways which is certainly a compliment to the Honda design team. It has a nice wide stance and good ground clearance. It is basically a compact SUV version of the Civic. My tester had the Nordic Forest Pearl which had a nice sheen to it.
Engine / Powertrain
The new HR-V features improved performance from a larger engine and upgraded transmission. The In-Line 4-Cylinder achieves 158HP @ 6500 rpm. The engine is combined with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) with Sport Mode. You can count on 25 / 30 / 27 MPG with the HR-V. There are a lot of reasons to own the new HR-V, critics would argue acceleration and power is not one of them.
Safety
Honda continues to excel with safety and the HR-V is no different. HR-V delivers class-leading safety and technology features such as standard Honda Sensing and front knee airbags. Active safety features include Forward Collision Warning (FCW)9 (Honda Sensing® feature), Lane Departure Warning (LDW)10 (Honda Sensing® feature), Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) and more. There is plenty of Driver assistive technology and passive safety built into all Hondas. Honda won the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest accolade, the 2022 TOP SAFETY PICK+ (TSP+) rating. If safety is a top concern then there are plenty of reasons to consider the all new 2023 HondaHR-V.
Conclusion
After a full week driving the all new 2023 Honda HR-V AWD EX-L, I can say there are plenty of reasons to own this vehicle if you are looking for a vehicle in this class and category. The styling and new body shape plus the redesigned interior and the reliability of Honda along with resale value just to name a few. The Hr-V is easy to drive and comfortable (backseat as well) plus it has a lot of cargo space. The all new HR-V works for a variety of drivers and consumers which is why it is one of the top selling vehicles in its class.
Check out all the options and official info here:
https://automobiles.honda.com/hr-v
MSRP starting at $23,800
Vehicle As Tested MSRP $30,590
