2022 Honda HR-V breaks cover for Europe with standard hybrid power
This one isn't for America, though. I'll explain.
Feast your eyes on the 2022 Honda HR-V. The Japanese automaker revealed the latest SUV on Thursday. It looks good, but this one actually isn't for the US. While the HR-V we've known for quite some time now is actually a 'Murcanized version of the Vezel crossover sold globally, Honda has a specific, new HR-V coming just for us Yanks. That's not to say the 2022 HR-V revealed today couldn't foreshadow what's to come, though. So, let's dig in.
The new HR-V gets a total redo from the inside out. Designers aimed for a coupe-like roofline that, in my opinion, looks a little funky here, at least in photos. The fascia ditches the large chrome plate up front in favor of something sort of EV-esque. Thin, horizontal lines create the grille this time around with a blue aura around the Honda badge -- the latter denotes the brand's latest e:HEV powertrain. More on that in a bit. Right above the grille is a thin chrome strip to provide just a bit of separation and link the headlights together. I get big Ford Edge and Mazda CX-9 vibes here, in particular.
From the side, the 2022 HR-V looks pretty lengthy, especially with the long hood that designers worked to emphasize. The sloping greenhouse is on full display before it leads us back to the rear. A light bar replaces the jagged taillights and it looks much better with a thin strip connecting them, just like the front fascia.
The cockpit seems to take the idea of the Honda E electric car and tries to work it into a more mainstream crossover with success. I love Honda's latest steering wheel design, and this interior might actually give us an idea of the 2022 Civic, too. The teaser sketch Honda released last year seems to mirror the tablet-style infotainment screen, three chunky knobs on the dashboard and a more stacked-looking dashboard design. Again, we're not getting this one, but it looks like a proper leap past the outgoing HR-V.
Under the hood, Europeans will receive the e:HEV powertrain, which we've seen in the CR-V and Jazz (Honda Fit) across the Atlantic. Specifically, it's a 1.5-liter inline-four engine married to two electric motors and lithium-ion battery. Honda didn't detail the performance specs specific to the new HR-V, but in the Jazz, the powertrain combo makes 107 horsepower.
Honda promised its entire lineup of vehicles in Europe will be totally electrified by next year, and the 2022 HR-V is a big part of said promise. Europeans will have the chance to take one home later this year. Meanwhile, we'll have to stay patient on what Honda has cooking for the US-specific HR-V.
