The 2019 Honda HR-V and 2019 Honda Pilot crossover SUVs have been updated for the new model year. They each come with mildly revised exterior styling. The centerpiece of each crossover's visual update is a new grille featuring a solid silver chunk in the middle. It evokes the design of the new Accord's grille. The headlights have also been simplified a bit in design, and they're available in LED form.

Along with the exterior changes are additional or upgraded features for each crossover. One upgrade we're ecstatic about is the infotainment system. Both the Pilot and HR-V will have a system based on the one in the Accord and Odyssey, plus it comes with a physical volume knob. Both also get expanded Honda Sensing availability, which is a group of driver assistance systems such as lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control and forward collision mitigation. The package is now standard on all Pilots, and is standard on HR-V EX and higher trims.

There are features and improvements specific to each SUV, too. The new Pilot picks up a bunch of toys from the Odyssey. One of them is a climate control and entertainment system that can be controlled via smartphone, giving control to any passenger, regardless of how far back he or she may be sitting. It also gets the in-car PA system from the minivan. A bigger rear-seat entertainment system and hands-free power hatch also are available. Honda also says it has refined the available nine-speed automatic transmission.

The Honda HR-V's upgrades start with additional sound deadening and a variable-ratio electric power steering system. The little crossover will also be available in two new trims: Sport and Touring. Honda didn't explain what differentiates the trims, but the company said that more details on both the HR-V and Pilot will be available when they go on sale.

On that note, both crossovers go on sale in July. The Pilot hits dealers first, on July 16. The HR-V follows on July 24. Among the details that will probably be fleshed out closer to those dates are any pricing changes, which haven't been revealed yet.

But you'll have to wait until next year to get the 1.5-liter turbo or the diesel.

Trust Honda when it says we’re looking at the 2019 HR-V for the European market, but truth be told, the styling tweaks the subcompact crossover has gone through are quite subtle. The most obvious change is at the front where there’s now a shiny chrome panel above the grille to replace the glossy black trim of the pre-facelift model. It’s a bit too much for our tastes, but it can easily be fixed by applying a black foil to revert to the HR-V’s original look.

The front bumper has also gone through a nip and tuck as the air intake sections are now deeper and host the circular fog lights. Honda modified the headlights a little bit by installing new projector lenses and updating the standard LED daytime running lights. Moving at the back of the revised HR-V, you’ll see a chrome bar above the license plate to mirror the front fascia’s updated appearance.

Go for one of the more expensive versions and Honda will install freshly designed 17-inch alloy wheels and will give the exhaust finisher a chrome trim for added bling. The higher-spec HR-Vs benefit from full-LED headlights and taillights, with the rear clusters featuring a slightly darker tint. Buyers will get to pick from a total of eight colors, including the new Midnight Blue Beam Metallic depicted here.

Stepping inside the cabin, you’ll immediately notice the reshaped front seats offering better support for extra comfort during longer journeys. Honda has also come up with a new upholstery using a material of a higher quality, while the pricier HR-Vs get a fabric + leather combo with fancy double stitching. The good news continue as additional sound-deadening material in the wheel arches, front bulkhead, trunk structure, and door panels guarantee a quieter cabin.

To further reduce the noise penetrating the cabin, higher-end trim levels will also feature Active Noise Cancellation. Available for the first time in Honda’s B-segment crossover, ANC uses two microphones mounted in the cabin to monitor low-frequency noises and cancels them through “precisely-timed ‘reverse phase’ audio signals” sent through the audio system’s speakers.

In regards to the oily bits, Europeans will be stuck for a while with the naturally aspirated 1.5-liter engine developing 130 horsepower (96 kilowatts) and 155 Newton-meters (114 pound-feet) of torque. It’s enough for a sprint to 62 mph (100 kph) in 10.7 seconds for the six-speed manual model while with the continuously variable transmission it’s half a second slower. Honda’s skilled engineers have updated the i-VTEC unit by lowering the amount of frictions between the pistons and the cylinder bores to increase efficiency and durability.

If you would rather have a thrifty 1.6-liter diesel, you’ll have to wait until spring 2019 when Honda will also be launching the HR-V with a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline mill. No word about the latter’s output, but in the bigger CR-V it’s good for 173 hp (127 kW) when fitted with the manual gearbox and 193 hp (142 kW) for the CVT-equipped models.

Meanwhile, the naturally aspirated HR-V will be in the hands of Euro customers from October 2018.

Usually when we find ourselves pining for a European-market vehicle, it's some sort of sports car or station wagon. But in a rare moment, we'd actually like to get a little crossover. You see, Europe is now getting something called the Honda HR-V Sport, and it sounds legitimately fun with a turbocharged engine and even a manual transmission.

Under the hood is pretty much the same turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine you'll find in a Civic or a CR-V. It makes 180 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque with the manual transmission, and 162 pound-feet with the CVT. Those are the same specifications as the engine in the Civic Sport Hatchback we get here. On top of that, the European HR-V Sport gets upgraded shocks and visual tweaks such as more aggressive bodywork, black wheels, and an interior in a sporty but sophisticated black and dark red upholstery with more supportive seats.

It all sounds like a pretty sweet combination, especially since we already enjoy the Civic Sport Hatchback, which offers the same power for roughly the same weight. Of course considering the power increase over the base HR-V, this model would probably need to be marketed as an HR-V Si here in the U.S. And we could certainly make arguments that any turbo Civic would be a better buy, but knowing the current automotive market, we definitely want to secure some fun crossovers as traditional sedans and hatchbacks become less popular.

Honda's smallest crossover, the HR-V, has hardly changed since its introduction to the U.S. as a 2016 model, and we'd say it's overdue for a remodel. Honda seems to think so, too, since one of our spy photographers caught the company testing a completely redesigned model. It's a significant design departure that could potentially have some big mechanical upgrades.

The styling of this HR-V is more aggressive, with the whole vehicle looking like its leaning forward, from the upright fascia to the fastback roofline. It looks wider, too, thanks to the the thinner headlights and a grille that doesn't seem to taper as much as it descends the nose. The flat, long nose and very prominent fender flares also bolster the HR-V's sportier appearance.

The fastback tail is a big departure from the current model, which had a more conventional hatchback shape. It does look as though Honda kept the roof as tall as it could right about to where the back seat ends, which will hopefully maintain headroom and clearance for stuff that might be carried with the Magic Seat flipped up. There is one bit of HR-V design that has carried over from the current model, and that's the concealed rear door handle.

Honda hasn't said much about the next HR-V, but we'd really like to see the old SOHC 1.8-liter engine (the first version of which appeared in the 2006 Honda Civic) replaced with something more modern and potent. The current Civic's base 2.0-liter four-cylinder would seem like a strong choice, offering an extra 17 horsepower (158) and 11 pound-feet of torque. The Civic's turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder with 174 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque would also be quite appealing, possibly as an optional engine. It's already available in the HR-V in some overseas markets. Front- and all-wheel drive will almost certainly be available. The current HR-V is only available with a CVT, and we don't see that changing, even though Honda has offered both the above engines with manuals in the past.

Considering how close to production-spec this prototype appears to be, we're expecting it to be revealed sometime this year as a 2022 model. Pricing will likely be comparable to the current model, which starts at around $22,000.

Spy shots taken in Germany earlier in 2021 suggested that Honda's next Vezel, which is known as the HR-V here in the States, would arrive with a much sportier design. While a new model is indeed on its way with a fastback-like roof line, the company told us that the crossover will not be sold in America. Instead, we'll get a different version designed specifically for our market.

"The development of a successor to the Honda HR-V for the United States market is underway. This new HR-V will be designed to meet the distinct needs of American customers, and it will differ from the Vezel/HR-V that will be introduced in other regions," the company explained in a statement, nipping any and all speculation in the bud.

Precisely what this means for Honda's smallest crossover — which doubles as its entry-level model since the Fit retired — is up in the air. We're guessing it will wear a market-specific design that will lean more towards ruggedness than sportiness. It might also be a little bit bigger than the model it replaces. At about 170 inches long, the HR-V has room grow without overlapping with the 180-inch long CR-V, the next model up in the range.

Across the pond, the HR-V will enter its second generation as a more stylish crossover characterized by a tall, upright front end and a steeply-raked roof line (pictured). Surprisingly, the crossover-coupe body style is becoming much more popular in Europe than in the United States; even Citroën, the self-appointed king of unconformity, planted a stake in the booming segment in 2020. Under the sheet metal, the European variant of the next-gen HR-V will receive a hybrid system consisting of a gasoline-burning engine and two electric motors.

Honda will introduce the European-spec HR-V online on February 18, and sales will begin shortly after. It hasn't published the American model's unveiling date yet, but we expect to see it in the metal before the end of 2021.

The next-generation Honda HR-V has been revealed, and in many ways it's a major departure from the old model. Not only does it have a sportier stance, but it's now a hybrid only. But there are still some classic HR-V features sprinkled about.

The shape of the HR-V (shown here as the Japanese-market Vezel) is much more coupelike with the forward leaning rear hatch. The tall, wide headlights and more vertical nose make it look wider and more imposing. The myriad diagonal creases of the outgoing model are gone, making the new car cleaner overall. The slatted grille is also quite interesting, as the slats appear to blend into the body work. Like the old HR-V, the new one has a rear door handle that's integrated into the door frame, giving it a two-door appearance.

Inside, the interior looks like what has been previewed for the 2022 Honda Civic. The dash is low, wide, and minimalist, and has the popular single air vent motif. In the center stack, there are dedicated, physical controls for climate control with three stylish knobs. Pulling from the old HR-V again, the rear seat still has the versatile split fold-down and flip-up functions. Exact dimensions for the interior and exterior haven't been provided, though, so we're not sure how much larger the new HR-V is.

Only one powertrain has been announced for the HR-V so far: the naturally aspirated 1.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid. Though exact numbers haven't been given, it should be the same powertrain found in the new Fit. The gas engine makes 96 horsepower and 97 pound-feet of torque while the electric motor makes 106 horsepower and 187 pound-feet. Front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive are available.

In Japan, the HR-V goes on sale this April. No release announcements have been made for the U.S., but we would expect Honda to offer it, here, considering the general popularity of crossovers. And as far as Honda's offerings go, it sold slightly better than the Odyssey, and more than double either the Passport or Ridgeline last year. It's possible it could use the same hybrid powertrain as in Japan and Europe, but it could also get the closely related but higher output 1.5-liter hybrid from the Insight. It's rated at 151 horsepower combined, and its electric motor makes 197 pound-feet of torque.

Although we still don’t know the specific looks of the North American flavor, which is rumored to be different from the European and Japanese versions, there are still new things to be learned about the 2022 Honda HR-V. Such as the fact that it will only be offered as a hybrid with proprietary e:HEV technology on the Old Continent.
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Slowly, but steadily, all secrets of the third-generation subcompact crossover SUV are being unraveled. Officially, because it seems that Honda likes to give us information with a teaspoon. As far as the 2022 HR-V in Euro-spec is concerned, we just found out the e:HEV will be the sole offering. No more regular ICE versions for the Old Continent, as the automaker tries to honor its pledge of electrifying all “mainstream models in Europe by the end of 2022.”

So, after the last partial revelations about the specifics of the Old Continent HR-V, it’s time for more exact details. The new iteration is scheduled to hit European dealerships from late 2021, but again there are no prices to discuss. Instead, we do know a little more about Honda's two-motor hybrid technology that is now offered as a standard perk.

It seems the 96 kW (131 PS/129 hp) and 253 Nm (186 lb-ft) rating was for the e:HEV powertrain’s total power output, not just the 1.5-liter i-VTEC gasoline engine as we initially thought. Disappointing, right? Well, at least the automaker promises the “effect is an effortless and comfortable journey, whether traveling through urban areas or cruising at high speed on motorways.”

And it’s also going to be an efficient one. The hybrid system produces CO2 emissions from 122 g/km (WLTP) and is rated for fuel efficiency at 52.3 mpg / 4.49 l/100 km (WLTP). Of course, Honda's exclusive use of the hybrid powertrain isn’t a surprise, considering that both the larger CR-V and the Jazz hatchback are also solely offered with a hybrid powertrain in Europe.

And it does come equipped with a B-range for the auto box with selectable energy recovery levels, as well as a sprint to 62 mph (100 kph) in a sensible 10.6 seconds.