The Honda HR-V is all-new for the 2023 model year. Sadly, that doesn’t mean that Honda put a lot of effort into making this new-generation compact crossover a compelling option.

The 2023 Honda HR-V is a budget compact crossover whose price tag, while not the lowest in the market, is at least commensurate with the brand. The HR-V has reliability going for it and, to be frank, not much else.

Completely redesigned for 2023, the Honda HR-V sees a few improvements over the previous generation, but loses some versatility and gets no hybrid option. The interior is spartan and simple while the exterior is now a contemporary bland.

For our money, we’d recommend looking at every option in the market before settling on an HR-V. Most of its competitors are better-looking, have nicer interiors, and sport a much better drive quality.

The Trailblazer has a nicer interior and a sleeker look than does the HR-V. It’s a little more expensive, but it’s peppier to drive and offers roughly equivalent technology options. The Chevy doesn’t have the reliability expectation of the HR-V, however.

The Mazda is better than the Honda in almost every way. It’s better looking, drives a lot better, is more confident on the road, and has a nicer interior. Reliability is about the same, but the CX-30 is more expensive and gets slightly lower fuel economy returns.

The HR-V and the Corolla Cross are roughly equivalent to one another. Neither has a glossy interior or nice ride quality or better drive dynamic. The Corolla Cross has an extremely efficient hybrid option, though, that we’d consider over the standard HR-V.

The starting price for the 2023 Honda HR-V is competitive for the segment, but most are spending about $2,500 more to get into the mid-tier Sport model at around $27,000.

The table below shows the most common trim levels and how much they will run you.

The 2023 Honda HR-V was completely redesigned, making the second generation of this compact SUV for the North American market. Besides design changes inside and out, the HR-V loses its configurable rear seating but gains several standard amenities and technologies with this new generation.

The base model begins with standard LED headlamps, keyless start, automatic climate control, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Advanced safety and driver’s aid systems like forward collision mitigation, lane departure mitigation, and adaptive cruise control are also standard. Unfortunately, for now, neither the hybrid nor full-electric models of the HR-V are available in North America.

Unlike other Honda models, the HR-V does not have the initial pep and vigor that marks a Honda. Most Honda models feel quick, even if they aren’t, but the HR-V feels like a dead fish from the get-go and never changes.

Powering the 2023 HR-V is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that outputs 158 horsepower to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional. We drove the AWD version.

The little HR-V struggles to do much of anything beyond in-town, low-speed driving where acceleration from a light or stop sign doesn’t need to be hurried. For retirees and those who routinely drive well under the speed limit without care for the rest of traffic, this is probably fine. For the rest of us, the HR-V can be frustrating.

Maneuverability is inherently very good, of course, because the 2023 Honda HR-V is small. But there’s nothing special about it and the driving engagement and quality is pretty empty.

The Honda HR-V is a mixed bag for safety. Mostly due to its fairly long list of complaints and some potential investigations.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the 2023 Honda HR-V an overall rating of five stars for crashworthiness. There is an active investigation and several consumer complaints open for the HR-V as well.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has given the 2023 HR-V its top award of “Top Safety Pick+” with perfect scores across its crash testing. Advanced safety systems similarly performed well with the HR-V.

Most outlets that publish reliability expectations consider the HR-V to be slightly above average to above average. RepairPal marks the HR-V as the most reliable of the compact SUV options. This being the first year for the model, though, we temper our expectations somewhat as we wait for this new Honda to be vetted.

In our opinion, the 2023 Honda HR-V Sport model is the best value in the lineup. The base model LX has a lot of equipment and a low price tag, but the Sport adds some details that set it apart and a lot of extra content that’s worth having.

Remote engine start, heated side mirrors, keyless entry, heated front seats, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert are all nice upgrades for not very much money.

The warranty coverage for the Honda HR-V is pretty standard for the market.

• Basic: 3 years / 36k miles
• PowerTrain: 5 years / 60k miles
• Honda dealerships offer Genuine Accessories coverage for dealer-installed add-ons
• If buying used look at our best extended warranties

The 2023 model year Honda HR-V is all-new for 2023, so finding a used model is not likely. The previous generation had mixed results and is often ranked as one of Honda’s least reliable vehicles. Since Honda ranks high overall for reliability, that still puts the HR-V above many of its competitors.

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