2016 Honda HR-V: Up Close
If there’s one thing Honda does well, it’s making small, comfortable and efficient vehicles. The automaker’s new small crossover, the 2016 HR-V, should do just fine.
As traditionally “small” SUVs and crossovers have gotten bigger and bigger, space underneath the Honda CR-V has opened up and Honda thinks it can fill it. Taking a page from Subaru’s playbook in which it created a smaller, smarter entry under the Forester with the XV Crosstrek, Honda’s “smaller can be better” strategy could fit buyers looking for a little bit of cargo room and efficient transportation.
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The HR-V uses the Civic’s 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine along with a continuously variable automatic transmission or optional six-speed manual transmission. The manual is not available on all-wheel-drive models.
The HR-V is based on the Fit but has more stylish front and rear styling, as well as a familial grille and shape. The rear of the vehicle is rather nondescript with a clamshell hatch offering access to a fairly deep rear deck and 60/40-split rear seats. The rear bumper acts as the only impediment for lifting heavy or bulky boxes into the rear cargo area.
Even though the HR-V will be an entry-level player, we like that Honda has included technology like its Expanded View Driver’s Mirror (on the fully loaded EX-L model), which allows drivers to see (in real time on the navigation screen) what’s happening next to them using the rearview-mounted camera.
Cars.com photos by Mark Williams
