2026 Honda HR-V Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Trim levels for the 2026 Honda HR-V include LX, Sport, and EX-L, and pricing in Canada ranges from $33,446 to $41,846, including a $2,000 destination charge and other fees. Adding AWD to the LX trim incurs a $2,300 charge, while this feature is standard on the HR-V’s other trims. Our test vehicle arrived in EX-L specification with extra-cost Nordic Forest Pearl (green) paint, wearing a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $42,246 with destination.

The test vehicle looked great—for a Honda HR-V. This little crossover’s blobby grille, stubby butt, and weird profile—which makes it appear as though it's leaning forward—are not inherently appealing. But the green paint and the EX-L’s 18-inch alloy wheels tucked under the gloss-black wheelarches make the HR-V look about as good as it can.

Those wheels reflect the most substantial styling changes for the 2026 HR-V. All three trim levels have new ones, with a 17-inch grey design for the LX and an 18-inch black design for the Sport. New paint colours include Boost Blue (Sport only) and Solar Silver.

Inside, the HR-V is more appealing, especially with available grey upholstery and trim, which create an upscale visual contrast against the otherwise black interior. Unfortunately, grey is available in Canada only with the EX-L trim and only with the white exterior colour. The LX and Sport have cloth seats, while the EX-L has genuine leather with perforated surfaces and interesting Z-pattern stitching. Honda has upgraded the EX-L model’s cabin lighting and detailing for 2026, adding front footwell lighting and silver steering wheel spokes.

The rest of the EX-L’s interior features the typical attention to detail for which Honda is known. From the unusual metal mesh dashboard trim and padding on the dash and the centre console, to the tamboured knobs and the satisfying control operation, the EX-L cabin looks and feels like it’s from a higher class of vehicle.

Honda installs a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine under the HR-V’s hood. It produces 158 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 138 pound-feet of torque at 4,200 rpm in a vehicle that weighs up to 1,510 kilograms (3,336 pounds). Needless to say, the engine works hard.

So does the continuously variable transmission (CVT). In urban driving, you don’t notice the CVT as it makes the best possible use of the available power. However, when you’re trying to get up to speed on wide suburban boulevards, accelerate onto fast-flowing highways, or pass slower vehicles, the HR-V’s lack of grunt is a genuine liability. The powertrain’s gutlessness also made overtaking nearly impossible and maintaining momentum crucial when climbing steep grades.

One might expect impressive fuel economy as the reward for putting up with the meek acceleration. However, official Natural Resources Canada ratings say the HR-V will burn 8.3 litres per 100 kilometres in combined city and highway driving with front-wheel drive (FWD) or 8.7 L/100 km combined with AWD. Maybe that’s possible under ideal conditions, but the HR-V averaged 9.5 L/100 km on our test loop.

Compare that to the 7.4 L/100 km achieved by a Honda Civic Sport we recently evaluated on the same route. Heck, the HR-V barely outperformed a BMW X3 30 xDrive we reviewed last year (9.7 L/100 km). That 255-hp turbocharged BMW weighed 1,884 kilograms (4,155 pounds) and could accelerate to 100 km/h in roughly six seconds.

Speaking of turbocharging, we think that could cure what ails the Honda HR-V. The turbocharged four-cylinder engine in the Acura ADX, the HR-V’s platform-mate, produces 190 hp and 179 lb-ft of torque while achieving very similar combined fuel efficiency to the naturally aspirated HR-V engine. Better yet, Honda should give the HR-V the same two-motor hybrid powertrain it offers in the Civic, bumping power and improving the HR-V’s dismal real-world fuel economy.

At least Honda got the dynamic tuning right. The HR-V has a multi-link rear suspension instead of the cheaper torsion beam setup usually seen in small crossovers. Paired with a standard brake-based torque vectoring system called Agile Handling Assist, it makes the HR-V feel lively in twists and turns.

The steering isn’t particularly quick, but the brake pedal feels good, and the brakes didn’t fade during a mountain descent from nearly 600 metres (2,000 feet) in elevation to sea level. The EX-L’s 18-inch wheels and tires offer impressive grip, too, and though it's modest, the 18.5 centimetres of ground clearance on the higher trims allowed us to straddle a rock in the road that likely would have damaged a Civic.

Once upon a time, the Honda HR-V was innovative. Now, it’s not. What made the original HR-V unique was its rear “Magic Seat,” which you could configure in several ways to carry various items. Now, it just flops down flat like in every other crossover.

Honda could have made up for this by copying the Buick Encore GX and the Chevrolet Trailblazer and adding a fold-flat front passenger seat to better accommodate long items. At a minimum, a 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat (instead of a 60/40 split-fold) would be nice so your ski-bum buddies and their skis could travel to the slopes together. But no, the HR-V doesn’t have any of those features or a panoramic sunroof (though a smaller moonroof is standard on the Sport and EX-L). Or rear climate control vents and USB charging ports. Or storage wells and nets in the cargo area to secure loose items.

At least the storage situation for the driver and front passenger is reasonable, even if the surfaces are plastic and produce scratching noises when things slide in them. The seats are pretty comfortable, too, especially the height-adjustable driver’s seat with eight-way power operation in the HR-V EX-L. Heated front seats are standard in Canada, though getting a heated steering wheel requires ponying up for the Sport or EX-L.

The back seat offers enough headroom, legroom, and footroom to carry adults, but the seat cushion is low, the seatback angle is too reclined, and there's no centre armrest, so support is unsatisfactory. In addition to the missing air conditioning vents and USB charging ports, the back seat doesn’t have cupholders.

Opening the liftgate reveals a 691-litre cargo area behind the rear seats, which is about the same as that of the Honda Civic Hatchback. However, the HR-V’s boxier roofline ups the practicality quotient a bit. Honda doesn’t publish a cargo space figure for the Civic Hatch with the rear seats folded, but it likely doesn’t quite match the HR-V’s 1,559 litres.

For 2026, Honda increased the standard touchscreen size from 7 to 9 inches and installed a faster processor to make the screen more responsive to inputs. Additionally, the infotainment system now includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and every HR-V features a wireless smartphone charger.

However, the standard system still doesn’t offer built-in navigation or SiriusXM satellite radio. Also, the base LX has only four speakers, while the Sport trim has six and the EX-L has eight. HondaLink is standard, but it’s a basic collection of app-based services and doesn't offer features such as automatic collision notification or an SOS emergency call button.

The tech is simple, and it played well with an iPhone. We had no trouble pairing to the infotainment system, using Siri, or streaming music via Pandora and Apple Music. The EX-L’s eight-speaker audio system sounded good, too. The 7-inch digital instrumentation panel is smart, and the walk-away automatic vehicle lock is a surprise-and-delight feature. Still, while some might value the HR-V’s technological simplicity, it pales in comparison to rivals such as the Hyundai Kona.

Honda equips every HR-V with Honda Sensing, a collection of driver assist features. They include forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-centring assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic-jam assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. In Canada, blind-spot monitors and rear cross-traffic alert are also standard. Front and rear parking sensors with low-speed automatic braking are exclusive to the EX-L and are helpful in cramped parking situations.

Overall, the Honda Sensing technology proved unintrusive, but the adaptive cruise control did not work as expected on several occasions. In one situation, after changing lanes, it did not quickly recognize a vehicle we were following, which braked after we got behind it. That delay triggered a forward collision warning, requiring driver intervention.

Later, while driving up a hill on a highway as the HR-V negotiated a gentle left curve, it falsely identified slower vehicles in the adjacent lane to the right as traffic directly in front. As a result, the Honda suddenly slowed, which the motorists behind the HR-V were not expecting. Again, driver intervention was necessary. The gutless HR-V also took its time regaining its speed on the hill.

Closer to the city, while driving in dense stop-and-go traffic, the driver aids were slow to react when cars ahead sped up. Then, when they braked and slowed down again, the HR-V was caught in the middle of an acceleration event to resume the set speed. Honda Sensing’s delayed reaction to the slowing traffic ahead required driver intervention to brake and ensure a safe following distance.

As for crash tests, the HR-V earns favourable ratings from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). For the 2025 model year, the HR-V also scored a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The IIHS hadn’t published updated ratings for the 2026 HR-V at the time of writing, so be sure to check those for any changes

The 2026 Honda HR-V is the second-cheapest vehicle in the automaker’s lineup. Only the base Civic LX Sedan costs less, and even the Civic Hatchback is $1,730 more expensive. That seems like a bargain. The HR-V sits higher off the ground, making it easier to get into and out of while providing extra clearance and improved outward visibility. You can also get AWD with the HR-V but not with the Civic. However, the Civic is faster and more efficient, and it offers an available hybrid powertrain that delivers even quicker acceleration while significantly boosting fuel economy.

Compared to other small crossover SUVs, the HR-V is priced relatively high and doesn’t offer a compelling value story such as lengthy warranty coverage or free connected service plans.

A Toyota Corolla Cross might be an even smarter buy. When priced like our HR-V EX-L test vehicle, it offers several connected service plans with free trial subscriptions, and a hybrid powertrain with 196 hp, AWD, and a 7.8 L/100 km rating in combined driving. If you’re planning to go off-road, the popular Subaru Crosstrek is an obvious choice thanks to its superior AWD system and ground clearance. Plus, Subaru now offers the Crosstrek Hybrid, which is good to drive and very fuel efficient (though official ratings hadn't been released at the time of writing).

While these alternatives are appealing, the biggest problems with the Honda HR-V pertain to its lack of power and an uncomfortable back seat. It's hard to believe the manufacturer is unaware of those shortcomings, so the delay in resolving them is difficult to understand. In a price-sensitive segment like this one, Honda can’t expect people to pay more for the HR-V simply because it's a Honda.