The 2022 Honda HR-V has finally and officially been launched in the Philippines. Now in its third generation, the HR-V has remained a top-selling model in the Honda PH lineup. Globally it has sold 3.5 million units with 7,000 units being picked up in the country since its 2015 release.
Developed with the concept “Amp Up Your Life”, the 2022 Honda HR-V is all about pleasure, confidence, and aesthetics. How does Honda plan to deliver all that? Let’s start with the new HR-V’s looks.
This new model sports a totally redesigned exterior. The rear hatch looks boxier and higher off the ground, but the main highlight is the front end. No more overly sharp edges were used, and instead, you’ll find a good mix of sleek and sporty. A new horizontal slatted grill dominates the center with slim headlights on its flanks. The only honeycomb pattern you’ll find is on the lower grill. On either side are LED foglight units which are very much similar to those used on the CR-V.
Over to the side, the Honda HR-V has taken on more of a coupe profile. The rear fenders and hatch look much higher off the ground, while the rear door handles are still conveniently tucked into the C-pillar – a trademark of the HR-V if you will. To add to the sporty vibe, Honda fitted in black fender claddings that greatly complement the new 17″ alloy wheels. The wheels come in two colors depending on the variant: two-tone black and silver for the base S variant, and gray finish on the top-of-the-line (TOTL) V Turbo variant.
Capping off the exterior is the LED taillight bar that spans the width of the tailgate. This piece gives a very premium look to the Honda HR-V. A sharkfin antenna and new-design bumpers as well as dual exhaust pipes for the V variant round up the exterior updates.
Moving to the interior, the new Honda HR-V has gotten a major cabin makeover, too. Everything has been designed to be human-centric with great attention to ergonomics and quality materials. The upholstery materials of choice are fabric seats for the S, and leather for the V variant. The gauge clusters also differ in that the S gets comes with a smaller 4.2-inch digital display while the V variant gets a significantly larger 7-inch display.
Common interior features share between both variants of the Honda HR-V are an 8-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a push start system, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, single-zone automatic climate control with rear air vents, and a new air diffusion system that distributes air evenly throughout the cabin. As Honda puts it, the interior’s layout goes by the “man maximum-machine minimum” principle, with technology and design serving the needs of both driver and passengers.
Perhaps the ULTimate (see what we did there?) update to user convenience is the new ULT seats that Honda included in the new HR-V. Three adjustable configurations can be used depending on the user’s needs. In Utility mode, the two rear seats can be folded to give more cargo space. In Long mode, folding the rear along with the front passenger seat gives more forward and horizontal space. In Tall mode, the seat bottoms in the back can be lifted up, this time for more upward and vertical space. This feature is an HR-V exclusive in its segment.
Aside from what’s obvious on the outside, the biggest change to the 2022 Honda HR-V is what’s under the hood. Yes, the new-generation crossover will still offer the familiar 1.5-Liter DOHC i-VTEC engine found in older models on the S variant, but the TOTL V variant was fitted with a 1.5-Liter VTEC Turbo engine, making it the first-ever boosted HR-V. The new mill puts out 177 PS and 240 Nm of torque. That’s 56 PS and 95 Nm more torque than the naturally-aspirated motor. Both engines are paired with a continuously variable transmission.
Okay, maybe there’s another “big change” in the Honda HR-V, and that’s the addition of their proprietary safety suite Honda SENSING. With the brand’s thrust towards realizing zero traffic collision fatalities by 2050, this updated version of SENSING aims to help this cause with the following features:
- Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
- Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow (LSF)
- Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)
- Road Departure Mitigation System with Lane Departure Warning (RDM with LDW)
- Auto High-Beam (AHB)
- Lead Car Departure Notification System (LCDN)
All these work in conjunction with a long line of standard safety features such as smart keyless entry, security alarm and immobilizer, All Passenger seatbelt reminder, front and side airbags, speed-sensing door locks, ISOFIX child seat anchors, rear seat reminder, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Hill Descent Control (HDC), Hill-Start Assist (HSA), and a lot more.
All these along with the use of Honda’s G-force Control (GCON) body structure ensure everyone’s safety. GCON enhances impact absorption and that gives added protection for all occupants in the event of a collision. Honda’s pretty serious about those ASEAN-NCAP safety ratings, and they don’t plan on losing their rating for the new Honda HR-V.
The 2022 Honda HR-V is available in a total of four colors, with 1 being exclusive to the range-topping V variant. Ignite Red Metallic, Meteoroid Gray Metallic, and Platinum Pearl White (+ PHPÂ 20,000 to SRP) are available on the S, with Premium Opal White Silver Pearl (+ PHP 20,000 to SRP) being added as an option for the V.
The base model Honda HR-V S is priced at PHP 1,250,000 while the TOTL V VTEC Turbo variant is tagged at PHP 1,598,000.
With a new architecture, a more modern design, better ergonomics and cargo space flexibility, the addition of Honda SENSING, and a new engine to choose from, the 2022 Honda HR-V is the whole shebang. We’ve driven it in all its iterations, and after testing the other Honda vehicles in the lineup with pretty much the same new and added features, it’s very safe to say that the new Honda HR-V is something to be very excited about.
