HondaHR-V

　　

2024 Honda HR-V Review

byMichael CantuCorrespondent

　　Michael Cantu has worked in the automotive industry since 2014. He has written over 800 car-related articles and tested and reviewed over 100 vehicles over the course of his career. Michael is a contributor at zzdcar and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Digital Trends and InsideEVs. Michael was featured on a few InsideEVs YouTube channel videos on the topic of electric vehicles. Michael was a MotorTrend Car of the Year judge for 2019 and was a driver in MotorTrend's World's Greatest Drag Races 7 & 8.

　　The subcompact 2024 HR-V is Honda's smallest SUV and the brand's most affordable vehicle. It's positioned below Honda's larger SUVs: the CR-V, Pilot and Passport. Last year's complete redesign brought new styling, updated tech and a bit more power. The little Honda boasts lots of passenger room, ample cargo space and is priced competitively. It also comes standard with Honda Sensing, an impressive package of advanced driver aids.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2024 Honda HR-V LX 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.06 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$133/mo  for HR-V LX

　　HR-V LX

　　LX 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT) - $24,600 MSRPLX 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT) - $26,100 MSRPSport 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT) - $26,150 MSRPSport 4dr SUV w/Blind Spot Information (BSI) (2.0L 4cyl CVT) - $26,700 MSRPSport 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT) (Most Popular) - $27,650 MSRPSport 4dr SUV AWD w/Blind Spot Information (BSI) (2.0L 4cyl CVT) - $28,200 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT) - $28,150 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV w/Blind Spot Information (BSI) (2.0L 4cyl CVT) - $28,700 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT) - $29,650 MSRPEX-L 4dr SUV AWD w/Blind Spot Information (BSI) (2.0L 4cyl CVT) - $30,200 MSRP

　　vs

　　$167/mo

　　Avg. Compact SUV

　　However, there are some drawbacks to consider before you commit to this pint-sized SUV, all of which you can read about in our test team's Expert Rating below. As part of your shopping search, we also suggest looking at some of its top competitors, including the Mazda CX-30, Subaru Crosstrek and Volkswagen Taos. Or if you have the budget for it, go for the larger CR-V, which is significantly better.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Average

　　7.5

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.0/10

　　How does the HR-V drive? Our first driving impressions of the HR-V were mixed. We didn't love the artificial feeling of the slightly overly light steering but got used to it over time. The engine and transmission also felt relatively adequate while tooling around at town at low speeds but utterly gutless once you have passengers on board and are trying to makes moves at highway speeds. In fact, the HR-V requires more than 10 seconds to accelerate to 60 mph, which is leisurely even for this class.

　　The HR-V's most redeeming qualities are its smooth and responsive brakes and tidy handling. Even as one of the larger SUVs is the extra-small class, the HR-V delivers relatively light-footed movement that Hondas are typically known for.

　　

Comfort

7.5/10

　　How comfortable is the HR-V? The HR-V's front seat cushions are shockingly stiff. It's almost like sitting on a wooden bench. There is also no lumbar support adjustment, which is surprising and disappointing, especially on our fully loaded test car. It's rare that we find the rear seats to be more comfortable than the fronts, but that holds true for the HR-V. Thankfully things get better from here.

　　Ride comfort is great. The HR-V doesn't filter out all road bumps, but it does an admirable job of softening them without being overly floaty or lacking in body control. We also appreciate how quiet the cabin is. The HR-V does a good job of keeping road, wind and ambient noise to minimal levels, and if you aren't prodding the engine for speed, you don't hear much from the powertrain either.

　　The climate control had no issues cooling the cabin, but it oddly maintained too cold a temperature for our tastes in any setting we chose. Perhaps it's to help compensate for the lack of rear air vents, another strike against the HR-V's overall comfort score.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below