The Honda HR-V has been one of the front runners in the subcompact crossover segment, but for the 2022 model year, it’s finally getting a much-needed redesign. It’s not that the HR-V was ever bad, it’s just that its design was getting a little long in the tooth, so a new look could make it more competitive than ever.

The Honda HR-V redesign is long overdue

In case you haven’t been paying attention, the subcompact crossover segment has grown over the past few years. The “mini-ute” category is now home to cars like the Kia Seltos, Hyundai Kona, and the Mazda CX-30, but the Honda HR-V has proven to be a formidable stalwart in the segment as it’s existed since 2015 and given the others a run for their money.

However, the competition has put up quite the fight by offering customers excellent value propositions by offering the latest tech and standout styling at very affordable buy-in prices. We can only hope that the 2022 Honda HR-V is up to the challenge with a new look inside and out as well as a new pricing structure.

It’s all mostly speculation, for now

While we wish we had some cold, hard facts about the forthcoming Honda HR-V, we don’t. Honda hasn’t said much about the new HR-V, however, Autoblog and Car and Driver recently posted spy shots of what looks to be the 2022 HR-V wrapped in camouflage. From what we can see, the new HR-V looks more athletic with a forward-leaning stature and fastback rear-end.

There are also bolder wheel arches and a longer, flatter nose that give the small crossover a more substantial composure. Additionally, it looks like the HR-V will have the same front fascia, including the front bumper and grille, as its newer Accord stablemate. Overall, while this newer version of the HR-V looks bolder than ever before, it looks like it’s taking the more mature high road like the Mazda CX-30, as opposed to the younger, niche design that you can find on the Kia Seltos.

Will the HR-V have more power?

As of now, we don’t know what kind of powertrain Honda will put under the HR-V’s hood, but we’re optimistic that it will be something with a turbocharger strapped to it. If we had to guess, we would predict that the base HR-V will be powered by the same 2.0-liter, naturally aspirated that powers the entry-level Civic while the upper trims will get the same 174-hp, turbocharged 1.5-liter engine found in the higher Civic trims.

Currently, the 2021 Honda HR-V is powered by a 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 141 hp and 127 lb-ft of torque, so it’s easy to see that it could benefit from more thrust. You won’t win any races with the existing HR-V, although,  it is pretty fuel-efficient and it’s powerful enough to get you on the freeway in a decent amount of time. But, as always, the more power the better.

When will the 2022 Honda HR-V debut?

Again, there’s no official word on when the 2022 Honda HR-V will make its long-awaited debut, but we’re optimistic that the automaker will release more specific details within the next couple of months. As far as an actual debut, we would expect that Honda would probably make the new HR-V official by the summertime, as opposed to an official auto show unveiling, especially considering that new-car debuts have taken place online thanks to the pandemic.