2027 Honda HR-V

Refreshed last year with more standard features that include a 9-inch touchscreen and wireless device charging, the Honda HR-V subcompact SUV rolls on as a great buy loaded with standard safety and convenience features. Redesigned in 2023 and related to the Honda Civic, the HR-V lacks the Civic’s hybrid option, unfortunately, but does offer all-wheel drive. The interior is optimized for space with a tiered console, deep door pockets, and a relatively large cargo hold.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation subcompact SUVs, including the Honda HR-V.

The front-wheel-drive HR-V can be equipped with all-wheel drive (AWD) for $1,500 on each of its three trims. Rivals such as the Chevy Trax and Hyundai Venue lack an AWD option, but this crowded subcompact SUV class is loaded with compelling rivals, including the Mazda CX-30, Toyota Corolla Cross, Kia Seltos, Hyundai Kona, and the Subaru Crosstrek. The CX-30 and Crosstrek both come with all-wheel drive as standard. The HR-V costs a bit more than the Nissan Kicks, Chevy Trailblazer, and Toyota Corolla Cross, but it’s still a reasonable value.

Before buying a Honda HR-V, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. Like many Honda models, HR-V resale values are above average for the segment. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

Driving the HR-V is like going for a walk: It’s calm, pleasant, and unexciting, and if you try and push it, its joints may creak. A 158-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder motivates things, and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) balances power and efficiency relatively well, earning an EPA rating of 28 mpg combined with FWD. Hammer the throttle and the powertrain seems to groan in protest, but in normal everyday driving, it’s just fine. The HR-V lacks the verve of the 191-hp CX-30, and the relatively larger size of the Honda makes it a bit heavier and slower.

We’d love to see the 200-hp hybrid powertrain used in the Civic and rated at up to 49 mpg combined put into the HR-V, though it would drive up the price. The Civic Sport Hybrid sedan costs $2,700 more than the Civic Sport.

Like the Civic, the steering feel is nicely weighted, and the HR-V handles with more agility than the larger CR-V. It’s relatively quiet and composed on the highway, but it’s easy to park and has excellent outward vision.

Powertrain

The HR-V adopts the Civic’s mesh vent panels and horizontal dash layout. There’s a lot of black but it’s mostly soft to the touch. Climate dials and buttons are a nice antidote for too-much touchscreen. Active noise cancellation and an acoustic windshield give it a bit more refinement than most rivals.

We’ve mentioned a few of the space-optimizing design elements such as the tiered center console, but by the tape, the HR-V measures up as one of the roomiest in the class. It has 37.7 inches of rear legroom, barely trailing the Chevy Trailblazer, Jeep Compass, and Hyundai Kona. Cargo room is a similar story, with 24.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats. There’s plenty of space for four adults, and a fifth could squeeze in for a road trip home from college, say.

Tiered Console

The Honda HR-V is larger than some rivals, and the interior space is optimized to make the most out of it. The standard wireless device charger sits below the climate control panel, and cupholders separate it from the gear shifter. The console narrows into a thin band with a drive mode selector and a few other functions, which all hover over an open recess with USB-C ports to stow or charge other devices. Deep door pockets also reflect the great use of space.

Good Standard Features

Last year introduced a 9-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, as well as wireless device charging. That last bit is unusual in this cost-sensitive segment. The HR-V also has conveniences such as adaptive cruise control and active noise cancellation.

High-Value Sport Trim

For $1,800 more than the base LX, the mid-grade Sport strikes as the best value. It upgrades from 17- to 18-inch wheels, and adds heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, remote start, gloss-black exterior trim, blind-spot monitoring, and Smart Lock, which means you don’t have to take out the fob or your app to unlock and lock the doors on approach.