The Honda HR-V was first introduced to the North American market in 2016 and quickly became a popular choice for consumers looking for a versatile and practical crossover SUV, or CUV. It sits below the larger Honda CR-V in the manufacturer’s SUV range. The HR-V offers the convenience of a higher ride and a large cargo area while maintaining the affordability and agile handling that feels more like a smaller car from the driver’s seat.
Honda’s excellent reputation for reliability combines with a spacious interior and, in the first-generation car, the impressive Magic Seat system, a design innovation that allows for various cargo configurations. This makes it a favourite among urban drivers and small families, who love its blend of efficiency, practicality, and value. It’s a worthy rival to cars such as the Mazda CX-30, the Toyota Corolla Cross, and the Hyundai Kona.
It’s worth noting that the HR-V sold in North America and China is different to the subcompact SUV of the same name sold elsewhere in the world. The HR-V sold here is known as the Honda ZR-V in other countries.
Honda HR-V: Cost, Reliability, and the Best Years to Buy
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Honda HR-V Pros and Cons
- Honda HR-V Generations
- Second Generation (2023-Present)
- First Generation (2016-2022)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Honda HR-V years are the best?
Honda is known for producing some of the best cars in reliability terms, and models such as the Honda Civic and Accord can often be found near or at the top of reliability rankings. Aside from a few teething troubles with early cars, the Honda HR-V offers consumers a good used buy.
Cars from 2018 onwards have updated technology and a smoother driving experience than earlier models, along with extra safety features. Those from 2019 onwards benefit from the refreshed look and extra features of a facelift, plus better noise insulation and a more refined driving experience. The latest generation has more up-to-date features, but it’s more expensive.
What are the worst Honda HR-V years?
Early cars from 2016 and 2017 are best avoided. Consumers have complained about sluggish acceleration and outdated infotainment systems, issues that were fixed from 2018 onwards. They’re far from bad vehicles, but the later examples are better.
Is the Honda HR-V a good deal?
Yes, a used Honda HR-V is generally a very good deal because of its solid reputation for reliability, strong resale values, and very practical interior. It’s a great choice if you need a subcompact SUV to use every day, and it has the space and comfort for occasional road trips. Used prices tend to be very reasonable. This, combined with Honda’s established track record for reliability, means an HR-V can be a cost-effective purchase.
Honda HR-V Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Good ride comfort
- Versatile and spacious interior
- Excellent reputation for reliability
Cons
- Weak acceleration compared to rivals
- Early infotainment system fails to impress
- Limited engine options
Honda HR-V Generations
Second Generation (2023-present)
Launched in 2023, the second-generation Honda HR-V builds on the success of the first model, bringing significant updates. The styling is more refined and modern, both inside and out, with a larger body and new tech features. It shares the same mechanical underpinnings as the Civic sedan and hatchback, which give it improved handling over the first-generation model. The interior uses higher quality materials than before. It loses the flexible Magic Seat system found in the first-generation car due to the restrictions in the platform, but you get 691 litres of cargo space in the trunk, or 1,559 litres if you fold down the rear seats.
Under the hood, there’s a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder i-VTEC engine with 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque. That’s less power than some competitors, and it’s not particularly fuel efficient, either. It’s fine around town and at lower speeds, but it needs to be worked hard at higher speeds, especially if you’re loaded with passengers. It’s an improvement over the 1.8-litre engine in the previous HR-V, though.
Both front-wheel-drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (which Honda calls Real Time AWD) models are available, and all use a continuously variable transmission (CVT) engineered for extra refinement over the previous model. All models get hill descent control as standard, and although the rear wheels only receive power when the fronts lose traction, you can at least tackle some limited off-road terrain.
On-road ride comfort is very good, and there’s an updated infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity included across the range. Earlier models had a seven-inch touchscreen as standard with a larger nine-inch version available on the top trims, but the nine-inch screen became the default in Canada for the 2026 model year.
The latest HR-V also has more advanced safety features bundled together in a package called Honda Sensing, which includes adaptive cruise control with a low-speed follow function and, on certain models, a blind-spot information system, while 10 airbags are standard across the range.
In Canada, trim levels start with the LX, which as of 2026 is well equipped as standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats and exterior mirrors, LED headlights, wireless phone charging, and a roofline spoiler, as well as a multi-angle rearview camera, push-button start, a lane-keeping assist system, and blind spot monitoring. It then moves through the HR-V Sport, which has a different grille, 18-inch gloss black wheels, a heated steering wheel, and a moonroof. The top-spec EX-L has parking sensors and an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, up from 6-way on other trims.
Being pretty new, there’s not much long-term reliability data on the latest Honda HR-V. However, Honda has an excellent track record in this department, and we’d be surprised if that changes. As always, check for any recalls or software updates to make sure a used purchase has the latest features.
Used second-generation Honda HR-Vs are still relatively new to the market but, given the new car’s starting MSRP of $33,446 at the time of writing, prices are very reasonable. Prices average between $25,000 and $35,000 for used examples with reasonable odometer readings. Note that models with a B in their trim name (e.g., Sport-B) don’t include blind spot monitoring, which had limited availability in certain model years due to supply chain disruptions.
First Generation (2016-2022)
Although the HR-V name has been used internationally since 1999, it first appeared in North America in 2016. This first-generation Honda HR-V helped to popularize the subcompact SUV segment in Canada as it combined the versatility of an SUV with the footprint of a small car. Based on the same engineering platform as the Honda Fit, this version has a 1.8-litre, four-cylinder powertrain with 141 hp. Like the second-generation model, it uses a CVT automatic transmission that’s designed more for fuel economy than performance. According to Natural Resources Canada, it delivers a fuel economy rating of between 7.6 and 8.5 litres per 100 kilometres combined, depending on model year and equipment. Front-wheel drive models were also available with a six-speed manual transmission, although they’re hard to find and were discontinued from the 2019 model year.
The first-gen HR-V featured what Honda called the Magic Seat system. Carried over from the Fit, this innovative idea lets you fold the rear seats all sorts of different ways to allow for multiple seating and cargo configurations. Choose from Utility Mode for maximum cargo space, Tall Mode for carrying larger items such as pot plants, or Long Mode to maximize space for the likes of surfboards or lumber. The cargo space has a capacity of between 1,583 and 1,665 litres, which is actually more than the model that succeeded it.
Early HR-Vs had a rather clunky infotainment system, but this was much improved on later models. There’s a range of trim levels to choose from: LX, which is the base model, Sport, which has features such as black accents and Honda’s LaneWatch blind spot camera system, or the top-spec Touring trim, which gives you extras such as on-board navigation and leather seats and trim.
The HR-V had a mid-life refresh in 2019 with revised body panels, upgraded LED headlights, and a new infotainment system that added physical buttons and a volume knob, something that was missing from the touchscreen-only system originally fitted. The facelifted HR-V also saw the Honda Sensing package included as standard, bringing in more advanced safety systems.
Honda has a fantastic reputation for reliability, although some owners of first-generation HR-Vs have reported problems with the CVT in earlier models, especially when accelerating hard. Making sure there’s a strong record of maintenance, in particular for transmission fluid changes, is a good idea. The infotainment system in early cars is somewhat slow and unresponsive, which is worth keeping in mind. You could get a third-party installer to replace it, although that obviously comes at a cost.
High-odometer examples of the first-generation Honda HR-V can be picked up from around $10,000, although for tidier examples with fewer kilometres you’ll be looking at around $17,000 and upwards. Later pristine examples will cost around $23,000 to $30,000.
