Specifications of Honda HR-V III 1.8 (141 HP) 2WD CVT
General characteristics of Honda HR-V III 1.8 (141 HP) 2WD CVT
Given the amount of interior and cargo space available, you might be surprised to learn that the HR-V's compact dimensions include a wheelbase of just 102.8 inches. LX, EX, and EX-L models have a body length of 170.4 inches, while the Sport is slightly longer at 170.9 inches. Mostl models stand 63.2 inches tall, and 69.8 inches wide, with the Sport once again bucking the trend being slightly wider at 70.5 inches. Normally all-wheel-drive models would be higher off the ground than their front-wheel-drive siblings, but in this case, it's the other way around. Front-wheel-drive HR-V's have a ground clearance of 7.3 inches (7.4 for the Sport), while all-wheel-drive models have 6.7 inches of ground clearance (6.9 for the Sport). The curb weight ranges from 2,906 pounds for the entry-level LX front-wheel-drive, to 3,142 lbs for the all-wheel-drive EX-L.
The 2021 Honda HR-V's exterior color palette has been cut down slightly. A total of seven colors are available, with certain colors reserved for certain trim levels. Crystal Black, Lunar Silver, Modern Steel, and Platinum White Pearl are available across the range, with the latter costing $395 extra. The Sport trim is available in two additional colors called Aegean Blue, and Milano Red. The top-of-the-line EX-L model can also be ordered In Midnight Amethyst Metallic, which costs $395 extra. Last year's model-specific Orangeburst has now been dropped as an option.
This particular segment isn't known for delivering sporty performance, with most subcompact crossovers geared for green efficiency rather than speed, despite not having a hybrid powertrain option. The 1.8-liter four-cylinder's 141 hp and 127 lb-ft are adequate specs for a naturally-aspirated engine, but the CVT transmission fails to make the best of those figures. The result is a rather disappointing 0-60 mph time of 8.6 seconds for front-wheel-drive models, and 9.5 seconds for all-wheel-drive models in real-world testing. One could argue that these figures don't matter considering the segment, but the Hyundai Kona is a direct competitor and its modern powertrain allows for impressive efficiency, as well as a six-second sprint from 0-60 mph in real-world testing. While some in the segment are capable of towing, Honda publishes no towing capacity for the HR-V.
Only one powertrain is available in the HR-V range. It's a 1.8-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder that develops 141 hp and 127 lb-ft of torque. This power is fed via a CVT transmission to either the front axle or all four wheels depending on the model.
The CVT is effective enough within the confines of the city, and equally so on the highway, once it's up to speed. It's getting up to speed that's a bit of a problem, especially compared to a manual transmission. The CVT doesn't like bursts of acceleration. When you need to merge onto the highway or overtake slower moving vehicles, the CVT can be annoying. You mash the throttle into the carpet, the engine revolutions increase, and the noise levels go up. Everything that needs to happen happens, except for the actual increase in speed. The process of getting the speed of the car to match the noise and revolutions can be a tedious task. Having said that, it's a problem that also haunts many other vehicles equipped with CVT transmissions.
It's also worth mentioning that the naturally-aspirated engine feels rough and strained when compared to the more modern powertrains out there. Most manufacturers have moved on to smaller capacity turbocharged engines, with only a few manufacturers, like Honda, choosing to stick with a naturally aspirated engine in this instance.
Improved gas mileage is the main reason CVT transmissions exist. As annoying as they can be, you can see the benefits when it comes to consumption figures. According to the EPA estimates, the front-wheel-drive models deliver figures of 28/34/30 mpg city/highway/combined. The addition of an all-wheel-drive system does have an impact, but not as much as you might think. Its EPA ratings of 27/31/29 mpg compare favorably to rivals like the Hyundai Kona and Toyota C-HR that are only available in front-wheel-drive. Suddenly, the CVT transmission doesn't seem like such a bad trade-off. The HR-V has a 13.2-gallon tank, which allows for 396 miles of mixed driving conditions.
As mentioned before, the interior may look a bit drab, but the quality is good. LX and EX models come with a choice of black or gray cloth seats. It's worth keeping in mind that if you do decide to go for gray cloth, the upper door panels, center console, and dash insert will also be changed to match. The Sport model is only available with black cloth seats to match the black leather trim on the steering wheel and shifter. Leather seats, available in gray or black, are only available on models carrying the additional "L" in the trim nomenclature, like EX-L, and EX-L AWD.
This is another HR-V party piece. With all seats in place, the front-wheel-drive HR-V has 24.3 cubic feet of space in the trunk. The all-wheel-drive system does have an impact on trunk capacity, but the remaining 23.2 cubic feet is still impressive. Honda's Magic Seats allow you to fold the second row to a nearly flat position, resulting in 57.6 cubic feet of cargo space in the all-wheel-drive model, and 58.8 cubic feet in the front-wheel-drive model.
But it's not just the cargo space that's impressive. The various storage compartments are the result of a properly thought out interior design. The rear seat cushions fold up, revealing a large, secure storage space behind the front seats. It also has a large glovebox, center console bin, door pockets, and a large selection of cupholders.
