Honda has executed a complete makeover of the HR-V for 2023 to more directly appeal to North American consumers.

The HR-V, which became the top-selling U.S. subcompact crossover in 2021 and retained the title in the first quarter, has become a core model for Honda and a key entry point to the brand.

The redesigned HR-V subcompact crossover, available in front- or all-wheel drive, moves onto the same platform as the latest Civic, providing a longer wheelbase, more interior space, a more powerful engine and an independent rear suspension.

The latest HR-V, which is 11 inches longer than the outgoing model, becomes a much larger crossover all around compared with the first-generation baby ute that was engineered off the discontinued Fit. It is powered by a 158-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 138 pound-feet of torque, and is paired to a continuously variable transmission. Horsepower has increased by 17 and torque has been improved by 11 pound-feet.

A 7-inch infotainment screen is standard on LX and Sport versions. A 9-inch screen comes on the higher EX-L trim, which also adds wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, wireless phone charger and an upgraded audio system. The HR-V adopts the latest camera-based Honda Sensing package of safety gear. A driver attention monitor and rear-seat reminder come standard.

The awd system is improved, Honda says, for a more responsive driving character. The system is tuned to send more torque to the rear wheels on slick roads for better stability and handling. The 2023 HR-V also adds hill descent control — a first for a Honda utility vehicle.

We’ve collected some early reviews from the automotive media.

“Honda’s decision to switch to the new global platform pioneered by the latest Civic sedan and hatchback was a smart move. We like the Civic an awful lot, and the HR-V compact SUV benefits mightily from the association. One turn of the wheel, and you immediately appreciate how good the chassis is. The HR-V rides nicer than most cars at this price point and handles better than most of them, too. The excellent body control resists pitch and dive and lean, and it handles bumps quickly and neatly, even when the suspension is already loaded up in a corner. Few people go looking at inexpensive compact SUVs for good driving dynamics, but the HR-V delivers anyway and is genuinely pleasant to drive.

“For as much as Honda got right on the new HR-V, the engine choice is all wrong. This 2.0-liter four-cylinder is a little more powerful on paper, but it’s pulling a larger, heavier vehicle. It should be no surprise, then, that the acceleration is abysmal. An unscientific stopwatch test showed we needed more than 11 agonizing seconds to reach 60 mph from a stop; if that result holds when we get to strap in our official timing equipment, the new HR-V would be at least 1.5 seconds slower than the old — and already slow — HR-V. Getting to 60 requires the CVT to run the engine up to nearly redline and stay there, which is a noisy place to be. People who live at altitude will spend a lot of time with their foot on the floor and the engine screaming like a giant blender.

“The only good news here is that you don’t really notice the dearth of power as much when you’re moving. Our same unofficial stopwatch said the new HR-V is about as quick to execute a 45-65-mph passing maneuver as the old one, so the difference is in the launch. Getting around town and driving on the highway, the CVT reacts very quickly when you ask for more speed. Some people like to bag on CVTs, but this one is a hero. It gets every last bit of performance out of this underperforming engine.”

— Scott Evans, Motor Trend

“From the moment you hit the throttle, the HR-V feels speedier than its predecessor. Torque arrives at a more generous 4,200 RPM — as opposed to 4,300 — with the four-cylinder providing more push on its way to 60 and just beyond. The HR-V is zippy around town and able to get up to highway speeds with no issue.

“Dynamically, the HR-V is an Olympic skier in a class of novices (except maybe the Mazda CX-30).

“The CVT is entirely inoffensive, too. Honda implemented fake “Step-Shifts” into this refreshed transmission making it feel more like a traditional automatic, and it ‘shifts’ with respectable quickness. Better yet, there’s no more annoying droning at low speeds.

“Higher up in the mountains, though, the non-turbocharged four-cylinder and the faux automatic didn’t exactly jive with the extra altitude. Although the 2.0-liter engine was still able to deliver enough power at these peaks, it took moving the shifter to S (for Sport) and burying the gas pedal deep into the footwell to keep the crossover at speed. And still, the HR-V wasn’t happy about this additional pressure, wheezing and whining its way up the mountain. Shoehorning in the Civic’s turbocharged 1.5-liter engine would be an easy fix here.”

— Jeff Perez, motor1.com

“Honda wanted more space for people and cargo, stretching the vehicle by 8.7 inches and widening by 2.6 inches. That leads to 98.7 cubic feet of space in the top-level EX-L trim, 2.6 cubic-feet more than the last model.

“The cabin is also markedly improved. Over the previous model year, the materials feel less plasticky. The dashboard and center stack are lifted from the Civic sedan including more honeycomb design, and that’s not a bad thing. It’s simple but useful.

“Honda’s Body Stabilizing Seats, leather-wrapped on the EX-L trim and cloth on the lower trims, remained firm and comfortable after multiple hours of driving, enough to get an owner from their home in the city to the rural campground a few hours out without any fatigue.

“The backseat is also comfortable, with ample space and headroom for the average-sized person. It fits three, but three adults would be too tight for anything but a short trip.

“At the top of the trim line, the EX-L trim doesn’t allow for much road or wind noise, even at highway speeds. On the Sport trim, however, there’s a noticeable uptick.

“A Honda product planner told Newsweek that the Sport trim, intended to be the volume model, is for younger millennials who won’t mind a little more road noise. Their research shows that a quiet cabin isn’t among their car buying priorities until they get older.”

— James McCandless, Newsweek

“The new engine’s increased power reduces fuel economy compared to the original HR-V. It returns 28 mpg in combined EPA city/highway driving with front-wheel drive and 27 mpg with all-wheel drive. Thankfully, it uses regular unleaded fuel.

“Power is sufficient when the driving mode selector is set to Normal, and noticeably more enticing when the shifter is in Sport mode. But the CVT can’t be shifted manually to extract the most fun. Nevertheless, most drivers will find it well behaved, without the whine and lag that afflicts too many CVTs. You can still drive it with some gusto when the road warrants, as it lacks the previous HR-V’s excessive turbo lag off the line and its gooey ‘motorboating’ as the CVT rushes to catch up with the engine.

“Best of all, the driveline is far less buzzy and markedly more refined.

“Steering is a little loose on center and firms up at highway speeds. Most will appreciate it, and find it just right as it’s far better than the previous HR-V’s loose, light steering that was bereft of feel or fun. The HR-V is nimble, but not sporty, lively enough for tackling the twisties. But really push it and some body lean sets in, although grip remains impressive. Still, it’s far better than the previous all-wheel-drive model’s DeDion suspension or the front-wheel-drive model’s torsion bar set-up. It’s far more stable, no longer leaning at the least little provocation. It does a very good job of absorbing most road shocks, with only the worst bumps getting through. Like many Hondas, there’s above average road and tire noise.

“It makes for a far more sophisticated and involving experience than the previous buzzbomb, one that has clearly climbed a rung on the social scale.

“Just don’t let it get to you head. HR-V doesn’t stand for His/Her Royale Vehicle.”

— Larry Printz, Texarkana Gazette via Tribune Media Services

“Much of the front suspension and steering is brought over from the new Honda Civic, along with numerous other elements. Key dimensions are curiously similar as well, including length, legroom and hatchback cargo space. To say that the new HR-V is ‘based on the Civic,’ as I admittedly do, is not entirely accurate. While it certainly shares components, there’s just as much of the current CR-V in there, and there’s definitely less of a similarity with the Fit than the outgoing HR-V had. Why does this matter? It probably doesn’t, but the Civic connection at least speaks to the HR-V more clearly aligning with Honda’s time-honored compact car. Much as the Mazda CX-30 is the taller, SUV-ish version of the Mazda 3, so too is the HR-V now the taller, SUV-ish version of the Civic.

“The HR-V’s powertrain continues to be a downside. Even if buyers don’t care, the disparity remains, and although its fuel economy of 27 or 28 mpg combined (depending on drivetrain) is commendable, other more powerful entries in the segment match or surpass it. And by the way, the turbo Civic gets better fuel economy than the 2.0-liter.

“Beyond the powertrain, the driving experience is impressively refined for the segment. Perhaps it’s the various CR-V bits and pieces, but it does have a more substantial, sophisticated feel. Body roll is kept in decent check and the steering is consistently weighted with commendable response. The ratio is noticeably slower than the Civic’s, though, and working through a winding mountain road required just a bit more turning angle than expected. There’s definitely a more engaging and sporty version lurking within should the research groups determine such a thing should be unleashed.

“Ditto outdoor adventure capability. Ground clearance measures only 7 inches, and there are no roof rails available. If you want to mount something on the roof, you’ll need special window-mounted “feet” to secure the crossbars. Those are more complicated and difficult to use, and could just as easily be popped on a Civic. The marketing story for this car involves young owners leaving the city for weekend adventures, but it’ll require more effort to do so with the HR-V than many competitors. Perhaps there’s a TrailSport lurking within as well.”

— James Riswick, Autoblog

“On the road, what first strikes me about the HR-V is how quiet it is. The near lack of road and tire noise is super impressive for the class, especially compared to the much louder previous generation. (The EX-L model I’m driving has 17-inch wheels with all-season tires, but the Sport model gets 18s that might be a little rougher and noisier.) Ride quality is greatly improved, too, thanks to the HR-V’s new independent rear suspension, with the car remaining composed over rough road surfaces. Front-wheel drive is standard, but the HR-V I’m driving has the optional $1,500 all-wheel-drive setup that sends more torque to the rear wheels than before. While the HR-V certainly isn’t sporty and has plenty of body roll in corners, the AWD model has neutral handling without much understeer.

“Honda’s sole powertrain offering is the HR-V’s biggest dynamic weak spot. It’s a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter inline-4 making 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). That’s the exact same setup as in the Civic sedan, and it’s 17 hp and 11 lb-ft more than the old HR-V. But the new HR-V is still slow to the point of being aggravating, especially when trying to accelerate up a hill. Putting the gear selector in S keeps the revs higher, but it barely helps, with the powertrain feeling sluggish even when flooring it, like it’s trying to drag itself through molasses. Fuel economy is worse than the old model too, though I’m easily able to match the EPA’s 30-mpg highway rating in mixed driving.

“Every HR-V comes with the Honda Sensing suite of active safety features, which includes adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, automatic emergency braking with forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, traffic sign recognition and a rear-seat reminder. All those features work well without being too intrusive, but the HR-V’s backup camera quality is awful.”

— Daniel Golson, CNET

“The HR-V powertrain remains unsatisfying. It’s an improvement over the last one, but by so little, they shouldn’t have bothered. The previous 1.8-liter four-cylinder made 141 horsepower, got an EPA-rated 28 mpg combined, and was loud and lethargic. The new model’s 2.0-liter engine, also borrowed from the Civic, makes 158 horsepower, gets the same combined EPA fuel economy, and it is still loud and lethargic. Honda made some attempt to quiet it down with a polished crankshaft and a low-friction cam drive, but it still howls and shivers when you floor it. The CVT behind it plays make-believe as a gearbox, promising faux downshifts and stepped acceleration to distract from the hardworking four-banger, but straight-line acceleration is all bark and barely a nibble. We expect it to be a few tenths quicker.

“Where we do expect to see dramatic improvement is in handling and stopping numbers. Like many small SUVs, the previous HR-V offered all the driving pleasure of a Home Depot lumber cart. The new HR-V may not be superquick, but it’s light and cheery on the road, feeling connected while still cushioning choppy pavement. This is thanks to the multilink rear suspension, which replaces the torsion-beam setup of the previous generation. The body also uses more adhesive for increased rigidity. Aluminum components reduce weight front and rear, and the front suspension rides smoothly on a low-friction damper mount. The steering, too, is vastly better than the previous car’s and feels light but not flimsy.

“We got behind the wheel of the HR-V expecting a dutiful but joyless driving experience. What we found was a charming small machine that could use a bit more push (to keep from being pushed by fast-moving tractor-trailers) but made a willing and encouraging road-trip companion. Big windows, easy-to-read displays, an attractive and comfortable interior, and a pliable chassis are the HR-V’s defining characteristics. This is still a vehicle designed to solve the basic problem of transportation, but it now fulfills that mission with lively enthusiasm, if not outright speed.”

— Elana Scherr, Car and Driver