2024 Honda HR-V: A Comprehensive Guide On Features, Specs, And Pricing

The Honda HR-V is a modern-looking subcompact crossover that has been tasked with opening the door to Honda’s SUV and crossover lineup. It’s not the best-equipped model in the world, and it won’t win any prizes for either performance or economy, but it’s affordable, practical, and above all honors Honda’s legacy of tried-and-true reliability with a JD Power, consumer-verified rating of 83/100.

At its core, the Honda HR-V is designed to be an affordable family car that gives you a little bit of everything, and it’s at this job that it excels well. Power is derived from your average four-cylinder engine that isn’t very spunky, but it gets the job done, and what it lacks in the performance department, it makes up in driver-assistance technology and usability. In short, if you’re on a tight budget but need something new and reliable, the Honda HR-V will rise to the challenge.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including EPA, NHTSA, IIHS, and JD Power. Each model score is determined by Top Speed’s rating team, which factors in five different metrics. You can
read our Methodology page
for more information about our rating system.

What’s New For 2024

The Honda HR-V was redesigned for the 2023 model year, so it carries over for 2024 unchanged. This generation is much sportier than the model it replaced and has more modern technology, though it’s still based largely on the Honda Civic, from which it gets its chassis and powertrain.

2024 Highlights

• Independent rear suspension
• Simple but modern infotainment system
• Stylish appearance
• Plenty of standard driver-assistance technology
• Available AWD
• Decent cargo bay for a sub-compact

Exterior Dimensions

Engine Specifications And Performance

With the HR-V sharing is platform with the Honda Civic sedan, it should come as no surprise that it also has the Civic’s engine. Don’t get too excited just yet, however, because we’re only talking about the base, 2.0-liter inline-four that delivers 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque. With only three trims available, Honda maintains this entry-level engine as the only powertrain choice, with the Civic’s 180-horsepower, turbocharged engine not an option. The only transmission option is a CVT automatic that’s easy enough to live with, but leaves a little to be desired for those used to an automatic or, worse yet, rowing your own gears.

All of this said, the HR-V isn’t exactly as boring to drive as you might think. Sure, it takes nearly 10 seconds to hit 60 mph, and you don’t even want to talk about top speed, but with two-wheel drive and a nice stint on the highway, you can manage around 32 MPG. It should also be noted that, despite the meager power output, once you’re at speed, overtaking maneuvers are satisfactory. Don’t expect to be thrown back in your seat when you go full throttle, but the CVT does do a decent job in putting all 158 horsepower to work when duty calls.

Performance Specifications

Fuel Economy

The Honda HR-V thrives in a world where reliability is key, but it’s not the most fuel efficient of the bunch, even in the subcompact segment. The FWD models are good for as much as 26 mpg in the city, 32 MPG on the highway, and 28 MPG combined. Opting for AWD on any trim level will see those figures drop by 1-2 MPG across the board.

Interior Technology And Comfort

The interior of the Honda HR-V does a good job at hiding the fact that you’re driving a very affordable car. Of course, there are still plenty of plastic bits here and there, but the overall design is clearly inspired by the Civic, and that’s a very good thing.

Keeping in mind that the HR-V is a sub-compact, you’ll find that the front seats are rather comfortable. As long as you don’t have anyone in the back that requires extra space, there’s plenty of room here, though, if you’re more on the full-figured side, you might find that a little more width would be nice. Be that as it may, the seats are still quite comfortable, even on longer trips. The adjustability of the driver’s seat is pretty impressive at this price point.

Technology

Since the HR-V is so practical, there’s not a lot of high-end technology, but there’s something beautiful about how minimalistic and practical it really is. The entry-level trim comes with a 7.0-inch infotainment system that’s, well, adequate. The 9.0-inch touchscreen in the upper echelon of the range (the EX-L trim level) actually fit the cabin well and it comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. With the 9.0-inch display, you also get a wireless phone charging pad, but have to pay up a little extra for SiriusXM and the Wi-Fi hotspot.

Interior Dimensions

Safety And Reliability

Honda doesn’t play around when it comes to safety, and when you look at the list of standard safety and driver-assistance features, you’ll see that point driven home.

• Multi-angle rear camera
• Stability control
• Traction control
• ABS
• EBD
• TPMS
• Auto high-beams
• Traffic-sign recognition
• Traffic jam assist
• Lane departure warning
• Lane-keep assist
• Forward-collision warning
• Adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow
• Road-departure mitigation
• Collision mitigation braking system

Features like low-speed braking control and parking sensors are only standard on the range-topping EX-L and aren’t available on the lower trims. A blind-spot information system with cross-traffic monitor is available as an option on the Sport and EX-L trims.

IIHS Crash Testing

The IIHS found the 2024 Honda HR-V to be impressively safe with “Good” ratings (the best you can get) across the board, with the exception of headlights and LATCH system ease of use, both of which received “Acceptable” ratings. The 2024 HR-V even passed the IIHS updated side impact test with flying colors, something a lot of vehicles struggled with when it was introduced. 2023 models, which are mechanically the same as the 2024 model also received Good ratings across the board, including roof strength and moderate overalap crash testing. This generation of the HR-V received a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS for both years it has been in production.

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

• Recalls (NHTSA): 1 – Unsecured seat-belt pretensioners affecting as many as 303,770 units.
• NHTSA Investigations: 0
• NHTSA Consumer Complaints: 17
• Awards: IIHS Top Safety Pick+ 2023 and 2024

Warranties

All Hondas come with a pretty standard warranty that’s comparable to most of its competition on the market today. The basic bumper-to-bumper warranty includes 3-year, 36,000-mile coverage, but the powertrain is backed by a 5-year, 60,000-mile warranty. Beyond this, Honda replacement parts are covered by a one-year warranty while remanufactured parts are covered by a 3-year, 36,000-mile warranty assuming they are installed by a Honda dealer or authorized service center. A 5-year, unlimited-mile corrosion warranty is also included.

If you want Honda Care VSC, you can sign up within the first 3 years and 36,000 miles (the sooner the better) while Honda Care Maintenance is available for models that are less than one year old and have less than 12,000 miles.

2024 Honda HR-V Versus Its Competitors

Honda designed the HR-V to compete with models like the Subaru Crosstrek, Hyundai Kona, Toyota Corolla Cross, and Chevrolet Trailblazer. In the case of the Toyota Corolla Cross, the HR-V does excel in a number of categories like total passenger volume and second-row legroom. It’s the same story for the Hyundai Kona, but on a deeper level – especially in the subcompact segment – there’s always some give and take.

How The 2024 Honda HR-V Compares To The 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross

• 	2024 Honda HR-V	2024 Toyota Corolla Cross
  Model	Honda HR-V	Toyota Corolla Cross
  Engine	2.0-Liter Inline-Four	2.0-Liter Inline-Four
  Transmission	CVT	CVT
  Horsepower	158 Horsepower	169 Horsepower
  Torque	138 Pound-Feet	151 Pound-feet
  Driveline	FWD | AWD	FWD | AWD
  MSRP	$24,600 – $28,150	$23,860 – $29,385
  Fuel Economy	Up To 32 MPG	Up to 33 MPG
  Towing Capacity	None	1,500 Pounds

In the same way that the HR-V is based on the Honda Civic, the Corolla Cross, as its name implies, is based on the Corolla, but it’s really more than a lifted Corolla hatchback. In the looks department, the Corolla Cross is about even with the HR-V – both have a modern exterior design and both look like a proper crossover, albeit of the smaller variety. Under the hood, however, the Corolla Cross comes out on top with 169 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. FWD is standard and AWD is optional, just like in the HR-V, and you’re also stuck with a CVT transmission.

Where the Corolla Cross excels, however, is that it is available as a hybrid too. This model produces even more power with a combined rating of 196 ponies. This is where things get a little dicey, though, because if you’re willing to pay a little more, you can move up from the 30-32 MPG combined rating to as much as 42 MPG combined in the hybrid. Pricing for the Corolla Cross starts out at $23,860 and climbs to as much as $29,385 for the non-hybrid model. The Hybrid starts out at $28,220 and climbs to as much as $31,405, which really puts the hybrid out of the affordable category that makes the HR-V so attractive to begin with.

How The 2024 Honda HR-V Compares To The Hyundai Kona

• 	2024 Honda HR-V	2024 hyundai Kona
  Model	Honda HR-V	Hyundai Kona
  Engine	2.0-Liter Inline-Four	2.0-liter Inline-Four | 1.6-Liter Inline-Four
  Transmission	CVT	Eight-Speed Auto
  Torque	138 Pound-Feet	132-195 Pound-Feet
  Driveline	FWD | AWD	FWD | AWD
  MSRP	$24,600 – $28,150	$24,100
  Fuel Economy	Up To 32 MPG	Up To 31 MPG
  Towing Capacity	None	3,500 Pounds

Right off the bat, the Hyundai Kona comes out heavily competitive with a starting price of $24,250 ($350 cheaper), and it competes well within the segment. There are two engine choices available, the base engine being a 147-horsepower naturally aspirated inline-four and the other being a turbocharged, 1.6-liter inline-four with 190 horsepower. FWD is standard across the range, with AWD being an option only, even for the range-topping (and $31,800) Kona Limited. Models equipped with the naturally aspirated engine come with Hyundai’s intelligent variable transmission (a fancy CVT), while turbocharged models get a real eight-speed automatic with standard paddle shifters.

In terms of fuel economy, the Kona does quite well with FWD models garnering as much as 35 mph on the highway and 28-31 mpg combined. Going for AWD drops those figures to a max of 29 mpg on the highway and 26-27 mpg on the combined scale. With a starting price of $24,250, the Kona starts to get expensive quite fast with the SEL pulling in $25,600, the N-Line commanding $30,800, and the Limited calling for $31,800.

How Much Does A Honda HR-V Cost?

The Honda HR-V fights a tough battle in trying to be the most affordable subcompact on the market, but the truth is that the Toyota Cross and Hyundai Kona are a bit cheaper. The HR-V starts out at $24,600 and climbs to as high as $28,150. So, essentially, at the entry level, it’s not all that affordable, but if you want the range-topping model above all else, the Honda HR-V presents itself as a strong proposition that gives you a lot of bang for your buck.

Is It Worth Buying A 2024 Honda HR-V

Despite America’s love for big, boxy, and sometimes hard to park SUVs, the subcompact crossover segment is still very competitive. The Honda HR-V thrives in this segment more now than ever since its redesign in 2023, though buying one means to accept that you’re not going to get the absolute best fuel economy or performance possible. The difference in annual fuel cost is negligible (about $300-$400 according to the EPA), but that’s not something you should necessarily shrug off, either. If you’re looking for a safe, reliable vehicle that can fit the family and provides fair comfort for something in the subcompact class, then the HR-V is a great buy. You might pay a tiny bit more at the time of purchase and for fuel down the road, but the tradeoff is generally worth it.