When looking for an affordable vehicle, you want to know that the model you buy has as many features and benefits as possible for its price tag. This is not always easy since automakers are always looking for cost-saving measures to keep the price down and the profits up. Fortunately, many automakers have built a reputation for making affordable vehicles that are a great value for the money, with Honda at the top of this list. In 2016, Honda introduced the HR-V, joining the growing market of subcompact SUVs that represent an ideal vehicle for commuters and entry-level SUV drivers looking to get the most bang for the buck. The 2023 Honda HR-V represents the first full re-design of this popular model since its debut, entering the second generation.
According to Honda, HR-V stands for Hi-rider Revolutionary Vehicle. However, you might be forgiven if you thought it stood for Happiness, Reliability, and Value. The HR-V is smaller than its sibling, the CR-V, but still has enough interior space to comfortably seat up to five passengers. This is because Honda has built the 2023 HR-V on its Civic platform, leveraging the benefits of the extremely successful subcompact car. It also helps keep costs down, so you can find a 2023 Honda HR-V at an affordable price.
H Is for Happiness
No matter what you pay for a car, if you aren’t happy with it, you won’t care how much you actually paid. This is why it is crucial to find a vehicle that provides you with as many benefits so that you will truly enjoy driving and owning it. This was Honda’s goal in designing the new 2023 HR-V. The key to any vehicle is its powertrain, the combination of engine and transmission that powers your car. Too much power and your vehicle might not give you efficient fuel economy. Not enough, and you may find it hard to merge onto busy highways.
Honda found the happy medium with the 2023 HR-V and its standard 2.0-liter I-4 gas engine paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). A CVT is similar to an automatic transmission but does not have set gear speeds, resulting in more efficient engine performance. As it is, this combination gives the HR-V a very respectable 158 hp and 138 lb-ft of torque. This translates into a top speed of 115 mph and the ability to go from 0 to 60 mph in 9.4 seconds. While this won’t win any races, it will provide you with enough acceleration to get wherever you are going. The HR-V’s performance also means that you should be able to save money at the gas pump. The front-wheel drive HR-V averages 28 MPG combined, while opting for all-wheel drive on the HR-V cuts into fuel economy slightly, reducing combined fuel economy to 27 MPG.
You will also be happy that the 2023 HR-V is quite roomy for a subcompact SUV. There is 98.7 cu.ft. of passenger space inside the HR-V, which yields plenty of room for you and four passengers. There is even 37.7 inches of legroom in the back, so any backseat passenger won’t complain of feeling cramped. The attention to space carries over to the HR-V’s convenient hatchback, opening up to 24.4 cu.ft. of space for your things. If you need more room, you can easily fold down the rear 60/40 split bench seats to yield an impressive 55.1 cu.ft. of space. This will come in handy for those long road trips or a day of shopping.
R Is for Reliability
Reliability is always a factor when buying a new vehicle, especially if you are on a tight budget. Nobody likes buying a lemon. Every day your car is in the shop getting repaired is one less day you can enjoy driving it. You also need to know your vehicle is safe, especially if you plan on driving around with your friends and family. Honda has one of the best reputations for making safe and reliable vehicles, which is why it is one of the most reliable automakers in the world. With the HR-V, Honda has equipped it with advanced safety features to keep drivers and passengers safe no matter where they go. It’s no wonder why the HR-V has received a 5-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) based on a series of crash tests performed on most passenger vehicles on sale in the United States.
Every 2023 Honda HR-V features the Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver assistance technology, demonstrating Honda’s commitment to making safety standard on all of its models. The collision mitigation braking system will employ the emergency brakes if the system detects an imminent collision with the vehicle in front of you, helping you avoid a crash or reduce the impact if a collision is unavoidable. If you begin to drift out of your lane on the highway, the road departure mitigation system will swing into action. First, the lane-departure warning will sound to alert you. The vehicle will then engage the lane-keeping assist system, which gently adjusts your steering to get your HR-V back on the straight and narrow. The HR-V’s multi-angle rearview camera will also make it easier to back out of a parking space or driveway.
Finally, the standard adaptive cruise control on the HR-V will come in handy on long highway drives. Simply set the desired speed, and the system will adjust your speed downward if there is slow-moving traffic in front of you. Once the slower vehicles depart, the system will adjust your HR-V’s speed back up to where you originally set. All of this adds up to a vehicle that is reliable and ready for any challenge as soon as you drive off of the dealership lot. This attention to detail and safety helps set the 2023 HR-V apart from other models in its vehicle class.
V Is for Value
The 2023 Honda HR-V has a base MSRP of $23,800 for the entry-level LX trim with front-wheel drive, making the HR-V one of the most affordable subcompact SUVs available on the market. Not only does this come with the standard 2.0-liter I-4 engine and the Honda Sensing safety system, but you also get the HondaLink infotainment system on a 7-inch color touchscreen. Honda has mounted this in a display in the center of the dashboard. This will afford you easy access so you can toggle between your smartphone apps, Bluetooth audio, and the AM/FM stereo equipped with SiriusXM radio.
You can easily link your smartphone to the HondaLink system through the USB port in front. This will give you Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, depending on your smartphone’s operating system. You can then make calls using the system and stream your favorite music as well. The 2023 HR-V LX features a 4-speaker, 180-watt audio system, so the music is sure to sound great. The mid-level Sport model increases this to 6-speakers, while the EX-L increases it to 8-speakers.
Everything You’re Looking For in a Subcompact SUV at an Affordable Price
If you are looking for an affordable subcompact SUV that checks all the boxes, you should consider the 2023 Honda HR-V. This revised version of Honda’s popular subcompact SUV provides an excellent combination of performance, reliability, safety, versatility, and value, all at an affordable price. Head over to your local Honda dealer to check out the HR-V for you.
