Honda HR-V vs Honda CR-V

The new generation of the 2023 Honda HR-V presented a substantial styling update that aimed for a more sophisticated and modern look. It shed some of its previous quirky charm and embraced a sleeker profile with fewer interruptions and cleaner lines. Cosmetic details like black molding strips on the roof being removed and windshield wipers tucked under the hood also contributed to this new, polished look. The 2023 HR-V in Nordic Forest Pearl—a dusky, oceanic gray-green—was one of two new color options. Wheel specifications varied across trims: the standard 17-inch silver alloy wheels, Shark Gray wheels for EX-L models, and unique 18-inch black alloy wheels for the Sport trim. The Sport trim also featured a black rear spoiler, chrome exhaust, and an aggressively styled grille. Inside, the HR-V's seats ranged from black or gray cloth to black seats with orange contrast stitching in the Sport trim. The Sport trim also added features like a leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front seats, and additional convenience features such as heated side mirrors and illuminated vanity mirrors. The EX-L trim, which was the model driven, came with perforated leather seats offering ample shoulder support and a luxurious feel enhanced by its dual-zone climate control, power moonroof, and eight-way power driver’s seat. Honda continued the trend of refinement with the 2023 HR-V's interior, echoing touches from the 2022 Civic. The metal honeycomb grille that discreetly hid the vents lent a premium feel, complemented by touch-sensitive reading and map lights. The EX-L test car boasted quality materials throughout, cleverly designed to belie the HR-V's entry-level status. The design changes did not impact visibility negatively, despite the fastback appearance. The rear seat window and rear windshield appeared more significant than the 2022 model’s, and door-mounted mirrors improved the range of vision. Conversely, the 2023 Honda CR-V took a more conservative approach with its design, featuring a blunt nose, long hood, and stretched wheelbase. The sixth-generation CR-V's cleaner and slightly meaner look indicated a move towards a design that might age gracefully. Both the CR-V EX and EX-L trims came with 18-inch alloy wheels in a multi-spoke design and dark-tinted rear privacy glass, maintaining a uniform exterior appearance. Stepping inside, the CR-V EX-L upgraded cloth upholstery to leather-wrapped seats, steering wheel, and shift knob. The dashboard, adopting a similar design to the latest Civic, incorporated metal mesh trim and provided a clear separation between the dashboard's upper and lower portions. Digital instrumentation was a highlight for both trims, complemented by a power-adjustable front passenger seat, auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a power rear liftgate in the EX-L. The interior retained a high level of quality and simplicity, reflecting a thoughtful, cohesive design approach.

The 2023 Honda HR-V featured a single powertrain option: a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine delivering 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque. This marked an improvement of 17 hp and 11 lb-ft over its predecessor. The CVT transmission included a Step-Shift function to mimic traditional automatic transmission acoustics during acceleration but excluded paddle shifters. Drivers had the option to toggle between Normal, Snow, ECON, and Sport modes, adjusting the vehicle's transmission and throttle response to suit various driving conditions. Although Honda asserted that cabin updates rendered the HR-V quieter, moderate and high-speed driving proved otherwise, keeping noise levels noticeable. Both FWD and AWD configurations were available, with the latter leveraging independent rear suspensions and widened tracks for enhanced driving dynamics. While the HR-V was more entertaining to drive than anticipated, its competitors—Kia Seltos, Ford Bronco Sport, and Subaru Crosstrek—offered multiple powertrain options, often including turbo engines, giving them an upper hand in performance flexibility. For the 2023 CR-V, both the EX and EX-L trims carried a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering 190 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 179 pound-feet of torque from 1,700 to 5,000 rpm. This engine was mated to a CVT, which showed its presence during hard acceleration with a characteristic droning noise, a common trait among CVTs. Despite this, the turbo engine's torque was abundant for a compact SUV. Driving dynamics for the CR-V were praiseworthy, with its suspension, steering, and brake systems honed to near perfection. The CR-V managed to suppress unwanted body motion and absorbed impacts with finesse, making for a comfortable and engaging driving experience across different terrains. Though the CVT detracted from the overall joy of driving, it contributed to impressive fuel economy, with the EPA estimating a combined 29 mpg. The evaluation drive averaged 29.1 mpg in mountainous Southern California, validating these claims.

The interior of the 2023 Honda HR-V, though not cavernous, felt well-proportioned and thoughtfully designed. The center console featured a two-tier layout with additional storage beneath the controls for drive modes, parking brake, and hill-descent control. Two USB ports facilitated device connectivity, making the space convenient for storing cords or extra devices. The fastback design minimally impacted rear-seat headroom, with measurements at 39.4 inches in the front and 38.0 inches in the rear. Cargo capacity stood at 24.4 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 55.1 cubic feet when folded, slightly reduced from the previous model year but still among the largest in its class. The thoughtful hinge design of the 60/40 split rear seats provided ergonomic seating and a nearly flat cargo floor when folded. Passenger volume varied slightly across trims, with the LX and Sport offering 98.7 cubic feet and the EX-L offering 97.3 cubic feet. Front-row legroom improved to 41.9 inches, although rear legroom decreased to 37.7 inches. In comparison, the 2023 Honda CR-V boasted being the roomiest CR-V yet, despite a seating position that felt relatively low, akin to a car rather than an SUV. Outward visibility was excellent, and the redesigned seats offered commendable comfort. Rear passengers enjoyed more space, legroom, and multiple seatback recline positions to adjust headroom issues. Storage options in the CR-V were abundant, with a sizable bin under the center armrest, door armrest trays, door panel storage bins, and a forward tray near the shifter. However, the abundance of hard plastic in these storage areas posed a noise issue with items potentially causing scrapes and rattles. The CR-V EX-L's cargo area, accessible via a power liftgate, measured 39.3 cubic feet with the rear load floor panel in its lowest position, expanding to 76.5 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. The inclusion of storage trays and grocery bag hooks added to its practicality.

The 2023 Honda HR-V upgraded its infotainment to a tablet-style touchscreen mounted above the dashboard. Physical knobs and buttons controlled power, volume, and important functions like Home, Back, and Seek. All trims now came with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, with wired connections in LX and Sport trims and wireless versions in EX-L. The HR-V featured a 7-inch digital gauge cluster and a 7-inch color touchscreen display, with the EX-L receiving a larger 9-inch display and a Qi-compatible wireless charging pad. The EX-L’s infotainment system included six programmable shortcuts and a Smart Shortcuts feature that adapted to user preferences. Standard tech also included three USB-A ports, Bluetooth connectivity, and a four-speaker audio system, with Sport trims upgrading to a six-speaker system, and EX-L adding an eight-speaker system, Wi-Fi capability, SiriusXM, and HD Radio. The 2023 CR-V's tech featured a 7-inch digital instrumentation panel and a matching 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system in EX trims, complete with large volume and tuning knobs, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The EX-L trim upgraded to a 9-inch touchscreen and added wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, wireless charging, and an eight-speaker sound system. These features brought the CR-V up to par with rivals, yet remained relatively modest considering its price. While higher trims offered more advanced systems like Bose premium audio and navigation, mid-tier CR-Vs sufficed with good Bluetooth connectivity and decent sound quality. The EX-L's more extensive list contrasted with the EX's basic setup, but it still lacked some features offered by competitors.

The 2023 Honda HR-V updated its safety suite significantly. Honda Sensing, now standard across all trims, included adaptive cruise control, collision-mitigation braking, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and road-departure mitigation. New safety features added traffic-sign recognition, traffic jam assist, automatic high-beams, and a driver-attention monitor. Sport and EX-L trims also featured a blind-spot information system, with EX-L adding front and rear parking sensors and low-speed braking control. This extensive safety suite provided enhanced peace of mind and unobtrusive operation during test drives. Crash testing for the 2023 HR-V had not been completed by NHTSA or IIHS, though updates to airbags and other features aimed to improve upon the previous model’s safe performance. The 2023 Honda CR-V also received significant improvements to its safety technology. Standard Honda Sensing included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping, lane-centering assist, and automatic high-beam headlights, complemented by blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. New additions included seatbelt reminders, rear-seat reminders, driver monitoring, and traffic sign recognition. The new camera and radar units improved safety feature accuracy, while Traffic Jam Assist combined adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist for better low-speed support. Some features like lane-centering assist introduced a less-than-ideal artificial feel to the steering. Like the HR-V, the 2023 CR-V awaited crash test results from NHTSA and IIHS, but it was built with improved front airbags and Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering for enhanced crash protection.