My wife, Claire, doesn’t care for most of the press vehicles I bring home. They are usually too fast, too loud, too expensive and burdened with a digital interface that defiles the basic tenets of sensible ergonomics. And big sexy wheels with low-profile rubber that sacrifice ride quality on the altar of style? To paraphrase Shania Twain, that don’t impress her much.
However, when I picked up this 2025 Honda HR-V in top EX-L Navi trim, I was pretty sure Claire would like it. I was right. And I quite like it too.
As Honda’s smallest SUV, the HR-V was completely redesigned for 2023. It got bigger, more stylish, gained a nicer interior, and its driving dynamics took a leap for the better. The HR-V went from quirkily functional to perky and desirable. It shares its platform with the Honda Civic, and hence shows a level of refinement and tidy handling in step with that competent compact sedan/hatch we like so much.
How much is the Honda HR-V?
The HR-V’s pleasingly curvaceous exterior is devoid of gimmickry, and while not a head turner, the $300 Nordic Forest Pearl here adds a touch of class. You’ll spot the top-trim EX-L Navi by the body-coloured side mirrors with integrated turn signal indicators. It’s refreshing to see a modestly sized grille that integrates nicely into a stylish front end. As opposed to an oversized maw that looks like it wants to eat you. I think the HR-V’s subtle lines will age well.
The 2025 Honda HR-V starts at $31,640 (includes $2,136 for freight, PDI and fees) for the base LX 2WD. The LX AWD asks $33,946. Next up is the Sport at $36,846, followed by this $40,046 EX-L Navi that adds leather, a larger 9-inch screen (up from 7-inch), wireless Android Auto, wired Apple CarPlay, 8-speaker audio, SiriusXM, and front and rear parking sensors. We also get a sunroof.
What powers the 2025 Honda HR-V?
All HR-V models ride on 17-inch wheels and run with a naturally aspirated 2.0L four-cylinder making 158 hp at 6,500 rpm and 138 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm. It’s hooked to a continuously variable transmission. By the standards of the class, the HR-V is slow. It makes its power higher up the rev range — no mid-range turbo grunt here. Granted, when tooling about town the 2.0L seems perfectly adequate, and Claire never once mentioned the HR-V felt underpowered. Although it should be noted her daily driver is a non-turbocharged front-drive 2005 Volvo wagon that couldn’t pull the skin off a rice pudding.
It’s when loaded down with passengers and at highway speeds where the HR-V feels woefully flat-footed. Mat the pedal and the CVT has the four-pot in full drone mode — lots of noise but not much meaningful forward progress. The HR-V would really benefit from having Honda’s sweet 180-hp, 177 lb-ft 1.5L turbo-four that’s found in the upper trim Civics and CR-V crossover. But since these entry-level crossovers are built to a price, I can understand why the HR-V doesn’t use this sportier engine.
On the plus side, the Honda HR-V has an impressively smooth and controlled ride. It soaks up most road imperfections in the most refined of manners. And like the Civic, it’s a fine handler. Those 17-inch wheels shod in high profile 215/60R17 rubber might not be the pinnacle of bravura (and the way they cower in the wheel wells borders on nerdy), but I’ll take the benefits of comfy compliance over style any day — especially in a work-a-day compact crossover.
2025 Honda HR-V interior features
The HR-V has a roomy, high-quality cabin that echoes the Civic in its cool design and user-friendliness. As Claire put it, “This is the first car you’ve brought home in a long time where I can actually just get in and drive, without having to sit around and figure out all the (insert cuss word/words here) stupid screens.” Thank you, Honda.
Pull the mechanical shift lever all the way back for Drive and you’re off. A trio of large rotary knobs — still the best layout — control HVAC functions, and the touchscreen gets a volume knob, although a tuning knob would be welcome. The 9-inch touchscreen sits proud of the dash and sports a menu structure that is clear and intuitive. Ahead of the driver is a pin-sharp digital info/gauge cluster. Each dash vent has its own little joystick for adjusting airflow and direction — so simple and effective. The narrow band of honey-comb grille that spans the width of the dash is a delightfully classy design element.
I found the front leather seats to be quite firm, but no nagging butt-ritis set in after a longer haul, so that’s good. Missing is lumbar and power for any of the front seat function — notable omissions for this fully-loaded tester. One might also gripe about the interior mirror still having a quaint manual lever for the nighttime setting. Oh, and folks in the back seats don’t get HVAC vents.
This being the top tier model, the EX-L Navi gets real perforated leather (black only), rain-sensing wipers, Apple CarPlay (wired) and Android Auto (wireless), 9-inch touchscreen, navigation, and a somewhat disappointing 8-speaker audio upgrade. These features join the heated leather steering wheel, heated front seats, intermittent speed-sensing wipers, and dual zone climate control found on lower trims.
The centre console has two cup holders, a wireless phone charging pad, and a handy-dandy pass-through by your thighs. And all HR-V trims brag the Honda Sensing package that bestows a litany of standard safety systems and modern driver aids — forward collision warning and mitigation, blind spot info, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, cross traffic monitor, road departure mitigation, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise with and low-speed follow. To this, the EX-L Navi adds low-speed brake control and front/rear park sensors.
Rear seat legroom and headroom are generous, sightlines are good, and the power sunroof adds a sense of airiness to the cabin. As the HR-V is one of the larger offerings in the compact crossover segment, it trumps most for cargo capacity and functionality. Pop the hatch and you’re greeted with 691L of cargo capacity. Additionally, the floor is flush with the hatch opening which makes for easy sliding in and out of heavy and bulky objects. Flip down the 60/40 split rear bench and capacity expands to 1,559L. There’s an underfloor divided compartment as well.
Claire and I put this utility to use during a visit to the garden centre, where the little Honda swallowed two cedars, some perennials, and several bags of soil and mulch. On another occasion, the HR-V took me, my 1946 upright bass, an amp, and a bunch of other musoid detritus to a jazz gig at Frank Stronach’s exclusive Magna Golf Club. Granted, the Nordic Forest Pearl HR-V didn’t exactly blend in with the Range Rovers, Bentleys, G-Wagons and Rolls-Royce Cullinan parked out front, but nor did it embarrass itself. Or me. A suitably presentable proletariat conveyance for the help to arrive in, I’d say.
2025 Honda HR-V fuel consumption
Published fuel consumption figures for the 2025 Honda HR-V with all-wheel drive are 9.4/7.8/8.7 L/100 km in city/highway/combined driving, respectively. I came in at 8.1 for the week which is okay, but hardly earth shattering — or earth saving.
Final thoughts
Like all Honda products, the 2025 HR-V comes off as a highly engineered piece. The chassis is excellent, the controls work with precision, and while the cabin might not have the flash of some competitors, it’s nicely assembled and ergonomically sound. And for this segment, the HR-V plus-size dimensions make it one of the more roomy and functional. It is notably larger that the Toyota Corolla Cross.
The HR-V’s only real Achilles heel is its tepid engine that’s lashed to a CVT. If you’re in a hurry, the 2.0L will be spending a fair amount of time droning away near its red line. Not a happy place to be, but as noted earlier, once up to speed things settle down nicely. On the highway, the HR-V is calm, tracking straight and true.
I will defer to my better half for the verdict. “I like this Honda a lot. It’s so easy to drive and I like being up higher. The dog liked the back too. I would own one of these. Too bad the radio sounds like (deleted).” Ahem…
Pros
✔ Lots of cargo space
✔ Generous rear seat legroom and headroom
✔ User-friendly, cool design
Cons
✘ Tepid engine that’s lashed to a CVT
✘ No HVAC vents in the back
✘ Disappointing 8-speaker audio upgrade
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