THE HONDA HR-V SUV

An Urban Warrior

Taking the 2023 Honda HR-V SUV out for a spin reveals a few things right away. First, with a price of around $30,000 for the all-wheel drive EX-L model, it’s a small, reasonably priced SUV that is truly designed for New York City. Here drivers are often required to parallel park into small spots, get through brutal winters, and head off to places on trips that need cargo space (think Costco runs or ski trips).

The Honda HR-V seats five or can adapt into a ski- or surfboard-carrying workhorse, as both back seats fold down in a 60/40 split configuration. This means that the whole back row can fold down, allowing skis (for example), luggage, and people to fit in different sections of the back seat. It’s a nifty and functional design feature. And the cargo cover keeps prying eyes from knowing there is anything in the back cargo section, a real plus for city parking while on the go. The EX-L version has comfortable leather-trimmed and heated seats, with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob; all lend an air of luxury to this subcompact SUV vehicle class leader.

AN ECONOMICAL FIND
The vehicle has a 4-cylinder, 158hp 2-liter engine, which means it’s not the roaring beast that much more expensive SUVs are, but because of its smaller wheelbase and lesser weight, the smaller engine serves most purposes. And all three iterations of the SUV (LX, Sport, EX-L) average a combined city/highway 28 miles per gallon, using regular unleaded fuel, making this a much more economical SUV to drive. 

It’s fun to drive, too, especially on busy city streets, where it holds its own with enough acceleration to allow quick thinking when needed. The Honda Sensing Technologies that are standard on all models help with that, too, including the forward collision warning, collision mitigation braking system, and lane-keeping assist system. And our favorite technology is the blind spot information system, which shows you your side mirrors when a car is sitting in your blind spot.  

These technologies are just as helpful on the highway as the adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and road departure mitigation systems, all designed to keep you safer inside the Honda 

SLEEK & SPORTY
From the outside, the Honda HR-V looks sleek and sporty, with an array of colors (we’re partial to the Milano Red and the Modern Steel Metallic) and 17-inch alloy wheels that give it a luxe look that’s way above its price range. In addition, the rear privacy glass on the Sport and EX-L models helps keep prying eyes from seeing what you’ve left in the vehicle in the back seat.

Parents will love the rear-seat reminder, designed to make sure nothing precious gets forgotten in the back seat; everyone in the car is protected by a series of airbag systems, including side curtain airbags with rollover sensors. 

So, while the Honda HR-V SUV may not be the most powerful vehicle on the road, it is certainly a safe, responsive, and comfortable ride perfectly suited to big-city living. 

For more information about Honda HR-V SUV, visit automobiles.honda.com/hr-v