- after providing sketches earlier this year, honda has teased the u.s.-market honda hr-v subcompact crossover.
- judging by the image of the taillight, the hr-v will have a distinct design compared to the europe-spec hr-v.
- the 2023 honda hr-v will be revealed on april 4.
last year, honda gave europe an all-new generation of the hr-v subcompact crossover with a standard hybrid powertrain, but in the united states, the same hr-v that first went on sale for the 2015 model year soldiered on into 2022. now honda is finally prepared to give americans a fresh take on its smallest suv, releasing a new teaser image and confirming that the 2023 hr-v will be revealed on april 4.
the 2023 hr-v was first previewed earlier this year in a pair of stylized sketches, but the new teaser shows what appears to be a production-ready body. honda wouldn’t comment on differences between the euro-spec and u.s.-market hr-vs, but the image shows a distinct taillight design. instead of the trendy full-width taillight seen on the european hr-v, the u.s. model appears to have sharp, separated units with a led accent reminiscent of the lightning signature on the taillights of the current bmw 4-series. the bodywork also appears more sculpted than that of the european hr-v.
while europe’s hr-v is hybrid only, the u.s. market is expected to receive pure internal-combustion versions. the engine lineup will likely mirror that of the civic which offers the choice of a 158-hp naturally aspirated 2.0-liter or a 180-hp turbo 1.5-liter inline-four, but a hybrid also seems like a strong possibility.
the hr-v was honda’s third most popular suv last year, shifting just over 137,000 units, behind the cr-v (which sold more than 360,000 in 2021) and the pilot. as honda readies the hr-v for the u.s. market, its european arm also announced plans for three new electrified suvs, including the next-generation cr-v with hybrid or plug-in-hybrid options. like the hr-v, the next cr-v is likely to have a pure gasoline powertrain option in the u.s. when it goes on sale for the 2023 model year.