A third-generation of the Honda HR-V has been announced, moving the compact crossover a little more upmarket. It comes with some bold new styling that is coupé-inspired, but Honda hasn’t revealed much about the technical details yet.
Bold new design from the Honda HR-V.
The standout point from the exterior design is the body colour grille that is integrated with the front bumper. Almost as if it were all just one piece. We think it may be a little EV-inspired, especially when looking at the slimmer headlights.
Much like a more sporty coupé, the Honda HR-V features hidden rear door handles. A trick used to create the illusion of their only being two seats. On a crossover, the illusion is much less effective, but it does create a smoother body.
The roofline too is inspired by coupés, tapering down beyond the C-pillar. While this does make a more sporty appearance, it can also seriously limit headroom in the back seats. Fortunately, it doesn’t look like it tapers as much as a Nissan Juke which really forfeited rear comfort for the look.
There will be wheel size options that buyers can choose from as well. Theses are 16-inch and 18-inch wheels. Both sizable enough for a compact SUV to look good on the road.
Honda says that the cabin will have class-leading interior space and comfort. This will be thanks to soft-touch materials and other “contemporary” fabrics. This is something we will have to wait to see for ourselves on how successful it is, but we do know that a nine-inch touchscreen infotainment system will be standard.
While we wait for official specifications, here is what we know about the engines.
Much like the wheels, there are two engine options. Both use a 1.5-litre petrol engine, but the one is a hybrid and the other not.
The non-hybrid drives the front wheels with 90 kW and 145 Nm. On the other hand, the hybrid gets all-wheel drive with 81 kW and 253 Nm. If this were to be your next car, which one would you pick?
