2023 Honda HR V AWD: Off-Road Quick Take
SUVs are so hot right now. Brands are ditching their sedans and coupes left and right in favor of crossovers that come at a cost premium over their sedan counterparts.
NEED TO KNOW
- Sampled on the off-road trail at the 2022 Texas Truck Rodeo with permission to get it dirty
- Writer’s verdict: about what you’d expect from a small crossover; fits the bill for urbanites wanting to get into nature
- Now based on the Civic platform rather than the older Fit platform — noticeable improvement in interior refinement
- 25/30/27 mpg EPA fuel economy is competitive for the class
- Starting at $23,800 for LX; EX-L AWD tested at $30,590
Honda, not willing to kill off the Civic, introduced the HR-V back as a 2016 model for the US market based on the Honda Fit hatchback of the time. That model carried on until now with this 2023 redesign that you see here. This HR-V is based on the Civic platform now and that can be seen in its interior design more than anything. Its grown-up and mature character versus the previous generation is also in line with the current 11th-generation Civic as well.
This AWD EX-L model looks to tackle most of what US consumers will need. Just enough ground clearance for getting out to a remote campsite, and AWD to help maintain traction in dirt, rain, or snow.
We sampled this AWD model on the off-road trail as a part of the 2022 Texas Auto Writers Association’s Texas Truck Rodeo, which meant we had permission to get it dirty and see just what this cute-ute was capable of. Essentially a bigger Civic hatch, this is about what you would expect from a small crossover and should fit the bill for most urbanites looking to get out into nature a bit.
2023 Honda HR-V AWD EX-L Specs:
All images courtesy of Capturing the Machine .
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2023 Honda HR-V AWD EX-L
PROS
- AWD delivers enough traction for a remote campsite or dirt road in rain or snow
- Civic-based platform brings a mature, grown-up character versus the previous generation
- 9-inch infotainment with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is well-executed
CONS
- Essentially a bigger Civic hatchback — off-road limits are exactly what you'd expect
- 158hp and 127 lb-ft of torque is modest even for the subcompact crossover class