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The 2022 Honda HR-V is a spacious, frugal, reliable, and inexpensive SUV. But don’t buy a Honda HR-V. Yet. The 2023 HR-V will come with so many upgrades that if you’re looking at Honda’s smallest SUV it may be best to wait just a few months. Honda based the 2023 Honda HR-V on the new Civic platform, so it will be larger, have a nicer interior, and have better overall packaging.

It was probably time to retire the 2022 Honda HR-V

The 2022 Honda HR-V had a lot of positives, but the 2023 will have more.
2022 Honda HR-V | Honda

The 2022 HR-V was based on the old Honda Fit platform. It feels like it’s built to a price point, and while that means it’s affordable and starts at about $22,000, it was short on niceties. Basically, the competition has caught up to Honda and the 2022 Hyundai Kona and the 2022 Toyota C-HR both represent a better value at about the same price. It was hard to justify buying a 2022 HR-V.

The 2022 HR-V was underpowered

The HR-V's upgrades for 2023 should make it a better SUV.
The Honda HR-V | Honda

The 2022 HR-V is also underpowered. The hamsters in the wheel up front have a hard time getting the 2022 Honda HR-V going. The only engine available is a 141-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder that’s stuck to a fun-robbing CVT automatic transmission. So, while it’s not powerful, it’s also boring. Of course, that small motor means it’s great on gas, and the HR-V gets 28 mpg city and 34 highway.

The 2023 Honda CH-V addresses the old model’s shortcomings

The 2023 Honda HR-V will address many of the shortcomings of the 2022 model by simply not being as short.
2023 Honda HR-V Sport | Honda

The 2023 HR-V is a big step forward – OK 11 inches. The HR-V gains 11 inches in length because it’s now built on the updated Civic platform and that means it gets a longer wheelbase, more space, better suspension, and more storage. The extra length allows the 2023 HR-V to have fold-flat rear seats and lots more leg room than the outgoing model. But, not everybody loves the styling.

The HR-V’s big brother the 2023 Honda CR-V is also receiving a major update for 2023.

The 2023 HR-V is no Corvette, but it’s quicker

2023 Honda HR-V interior has more room.
2023 Honda HR-V interior | Honda

The 2023 HR-V will come standard with Honda’s 2.0-liter 158-horsepower four-cylinder engine. The SUV gains only 17 horsepower, but that’s a more than 10% gain. It is still mated to a CV-T, however. But, Honda says it will still see great gas mileage. It should see 26 mpg in the city and get up to 32 on the highway. All-wheel drive saps a bit of that efficiency.

How much does a 2023 Honda HR-V cost?

A white 2023 Honda HR-V subcompact SUV is parked outside in the shade.
The 2023 Honda HR-V | Honda

The 2023 Honda HR-V pricing starts at $23,650, which is a slight increase over the 2022 SUV. It comes in three versions, base LX, Sport, and EX-L. The base LX now comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Honda Sensing tech. The Sport version starts at $25,650 and adds heated seats, blind-spot monitoring, and 18-inch wheels. The EX-L starts at $27,450 and adds a power driver’s seat, dual-zone climate, and a larger 9.0-inch touch screen. A 158-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder is standard, and all-wheel-drive is a $1,500 option on all trims.

Related

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.