2023 Honda HR-V Exterior Revealed Ahead of Launch This Summer

• Honda's most affordable SUV will be fully redesigned for 2023
• Details are scarce for now, but the HR-V's Civic underpinnings provide some clues
• Launches the second HR-V generation for 2023

Given the excellence of other Honda vehicles, we have our hopes up for when the fully redesigned 2023 Honda HR-V goes on sale later this year. While much about the new HR-V is still a mystery, we do know that it will share underpinnings with the new Civic; in contrast, the previous HR-V was based on the smaller Fit. The 2023 HR-V will be wider than its predecessor and ride on a longer wheelbase, which should equate to increased legroom throughout the cabin. The rear suspension also switches from a beam axle design to an independent setup, which should make the HR-V feel more agile on twisty roads.

Expect to see a Civic powerplant under the hood as well, though we don't know if it will be that car's standard 2.0-liter engine or the optional turbocharged 1.5-liter. A hybrid powertrain similar to the one in the Honda Insight is also a possibility.

Other aspects of the new HR-V — such as the interior design — are unknown   at this point, but we expect it will share an infotainment system with the similarly budget-friendly Civic. Also on our wish list is a return of the current HR-V's so-called Magic Seat, which helps maximize interior storage via clever seating arrangements.

Edmunds says

The Honda HR-V is a rare weak link in the automaker's otherwise sterling lineup. That should change with the release of the redesigned 2023 Honda HR-V, due out at the tail end of this year.