The 2022 Honda HR-V represents the last model year of the second generation of HR-V, which was released way back in 2013. Being in continuous production for more than 9 years, the 2022 HR-V does feel its age, especially when it comes to the Spartan cabin design and the bland-looking exterior. Some features that are offered with the Honda's rivals are missing from the HR-V's list as well.
Offered for a base MSRP of $21,870, the 2022 Honda HR-V is one of the cheapest offerings of the subcompact crossover SUV segment. We admire the frugality of the powertrain, the spacious cabin, and an infotainment system that is loaded with all the necessary features. With the all-new third-generation just around the corner and competing with the much more modern rivals like the Mazda CX-3 and Hyundai Kona, here are 10 things you need to know before buying the 2022 Honda HR-V.
10 Mixed Bag of Performance
The 2022 Honda HR-V comes with no changes to the powertrain and retains the 1.8-liter naturally aspirated SOHC inline-4 motor putting out 141 hp and 127 lb-ft of torque. This engine comes mated to a CVT automatic transmission, and the car can be had with both FWD and AWD drivetrains. The HR-V runs 0-60 mph in 8.6 seconds for the FWD variant, with the AWD version clocking a 9.5 second time. Those times are respectable for a base engine small crossover, but the CVT tends to blunt the initial response and unlike some of its rivals, Honda doesn't offer an optional peppier engine for the HR-V.
That said, if you are looking for something that is going to provide you with driving enjoyment while out on the open roads, you would be pretty disappointed with the HR-V as the CVT automatic makes the driving experience feel lackluster. If you put your foot down from any speed, the car hesitates before picking up speed. In comparison, the snappier Mazda CX-3 turns out to be a much better offering of the segment in terms of overall performance.
9 Not The Best In Terms Of Refinement
If you expect the 2022 Honda HR-V to be refined since it comes with the legendary i-VTEC motor, you are in for a huge disappointment. In comparison to the segment rivals, the HR-V turned out to be the worst of the lot in terms of NVH levels and that does adversely affect the overall comfort factor provided by this subcompact SUV.
When the tachometer goes above 4,000 RPM, the engine does sound very boomy, and there is a noticeable amount of vibrations that creep through the pedal and steering wheel. The sound deadening is pretty mediocre too, and that leads to higher than average wind noise and tire noise. All of these contribute to a subpar traveling experience.
8 Very Fuel Efficient
Even though the performance and refinement are subpar for the segment, the HR-V always managed to come out as one of the best of the segment when it comes to gas mileage. With a small four-cylinder engine mated to a CVT automatic transmission, the front wheel-drive HR-V rates 28 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway.
The AWD variant also managed to come out with a class-leading 26 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway. With a 13.2-gallon fuel tank capacity this subcompact crossover SUV could do 409 miles on a tank, which is more than adequate for a car that is mainly aimed at city driving and occasional highway trips.
7 Spacious Cabin
The versatility offered by the 2022 Honda HR-V is next to none, and we do praise the engineers from Honda for extracting the maximum amount of passenger and cargo space from such a small vehicle. This is apparent the moment you get into the front seat, which has more than enough headroom, legroom, and shoulder room.
The fabric seats for the lower trims and the leatherette upholstery for the EX-L trim also feel quite good. They are very supportive too. Even the rear seat provides ample room, and it turned out to be pretty comfortable for three adults. There are more than enough cubbyholes and storage space for knick-knacks as well. The Magic Seat feature allows taller items to be carried inside. The cargo capacity of 24.3 cu ft is superior to the Hyundai Kona and Subaru Crosstrek.
6 Bumpy Ride Quality
The ride quality has always been an Achilles heel of the Honda HR-V it remains in this 2022 iteration as well. Coming with strut front suspension and torsion beam rear suspension with coil springs that are tuned to a stiffer setting, the ride quality is quite bumpy, especially at lower city speeds.
Most of the bigger potholes aren't filtered out properly by the suspension system, and that can be jolting to the passengers. While taking corners, there is quite a bit of body roll too. However, we found the ride quality to be decent out on the open highways.
5 Scores Well In Crash Safety
As with past model years, the 2022 Honda HR-V surprised us with the highest 5-star overall crash safety rating in the NHTSA crash test. The car also did reasonably well in the IIHS crash test with a good rating in most categories, apart from the side-impact test which received a poor rating.
The strong build quality, use of high-tensile steel and a long list of standard safety features contribute to the excellent crash safety ratings. However, all the driver-assistance features like automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist can only be had if you opt for the EX or EX-L trims.
4 Has A Decent Infotainment System
The 7" touchscreen infotainment system is offered with all the trims except the base LX trim. This is a fairly intuitive infotainment system and comes loaded with all the features like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, voice recognition, and many more as standard. However, the one that comes with the LX trim is pretty bare bones.
We also found the 6-speaker audio system to be up there with the best of the lot. There is more than enough punch low-down, and we were also surprised with the clear mids and highs. Even if you crank up the volume, the audio doesn't crack, unlike some audio systems in the rivals.
3 Brakes Perform Quite Well
The braking performance feels solid and is done by 4-wheel discs, with the front end coming with 11.5" rotors and the rear end with 11.1" rotors. There is ABS, EBD, brake assist, and many more too.
This is all that is needed to stop this 3,142 lbs subcompact SUV with ease. The initial bite is decent, and when you press the brakes harder there is more than enough progression on offer as well. The hard braking doesn't make the car twitchy and brake fade is pretty minimal too. However, we wish the brake pedal offered a bit more feedback to the driver.
2 Exterior Looks Ordinary
Even though the car is quite long in the tooth, with the second generation coming to the United States about 9 years back, the design still looks attractive even though it is not going to turn many heads. The main highlights of this subcompact SUV have to be the best-in-class height and longer wheelbase, making it look bigger than most of its rivals.
The car is also well-proportioned, making it look more classy. However, the front-end does look over styled with its massive chrome strip on the grille and different textures below. There is nothing much that stands out in the profile and rear end design as well, apart from the machine-finished alloy wheels, roof rack rails, LED taillights, and chrome accents.
1 Bland Interior
The interior is not going to appeal to anyone who plans to get the 2022 HR-V and a lot of it has to do with the bland color palette. The cabin lacks pizzazz, especially in comparison to the rivals from Hyundai and Kia, which offer more beige and black color schemes. This also makes the HR-V looks a bit cheap and Spartan.
We also think that the dashboard design is plain and looks like something that would come in a car 10 years back. Since the HR-V's all-new third-generation is expected to arrive later this year, Honda has also not bothered to make any changes to the dashboard. However, we do like the chrome elements to the center console and the chunky steering wheel wrapped in premium leather.