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The all-new 2023 Honda HR-V.

Courtesy photo

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The all-new 2023 Honda HR-V.

Courtesy photo

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The all-new 2023 Honda HR-V.

Courtesy photo

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Inside the all-new 2023 Honda HR-V.

Courtesy photo

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Inside the all-new 2023 Honda HR-V.

Courtesy photo

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Inside the all-new 2023 Honda HR-V.

Courtesy photo

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Last year brought changes to the Honda lineup, with the all-new HR-V being one of them — along with a new Civic and their best-selling SUV, the CR-V. It has been a strange phenomenon during the past decade as we’ve seen so many folks migrating to driving an SUV instead of a sedan.

Back in the good old days when we were young, one only had a truck for working on the farm, and SUVs were something no one had really heard of. There were Broncos, Blazers and Jeeps, but they were just a form of a truck that would work well off-road.

Today, however, SUVs come in all sizes and shapes and are the leading sellers for all manufacturers. Some are getting out of the sedan business altogether. We applaud Honda for keeping sedans in its line, and some very fine ones at that.

However, the new HR-V is set to possibly become the car maker’s best-selling vehicle as it overtook the Pilot last year and is inching very close to surpassing the Accord and Civic, which would put it right behind the ever-popular CR-V.

We were excited to get into an all-new version of the HR-V as it would actually be our very first time getting a week in the small “ute.” (We did get to drive it for a few minutes back in September during our annual ride-and-drive event out in Golden, Colorado.)

The new design is targeted right at what Honda is calling GenZennials, or the younger generation that is looking for a smaller, affordable SUV-type vehicle with an option for all-wheel drive and space in the back for transporting stuff. The new Honda definitely checks those boxes. We found it very roomy inside, it handled well and it is affordable, with the lowest trim level (LX) starting at just $23,650. All trims are targeted to get right in the 27 to 28 mpg range.

Of course, having the HR-V in the dead of winter did give us a chance to really check out the all-wheel drive. With snow starting on Sunday evening and continuing through the next morning, there was a good 4 inches in the driveway and on the roads when Craig headed out to work.

This winter has been anything but boring; it has brought the Wasatch Front more snow than we have had since way back in 1996. The Honda had no problems getting out and getting very dirty in the early morning, taking on the snow as if it were just another day of driving.

Craig felt at ease behind the wheel as the SUV did all the heavy lifting. It moved power to different wheels and engaged the anti-lock brakes when needed, all due to the Real Time AWD with Intelligent Control. It proved to be a great vehicle in the real-world snowy conditions that we all face here in the Intermountain West.

Under the hood, the new HR-V has been upgraded with a more responsive 2.0-liter engine that makes 158 horsepower, compared to the outgoing 1.8-liter power plant that was only 141 ponies strong. Couple that with a greatly reengineered and improved CVT transmission and we found the power to be more than enough for most situations. It did struggle a little in higher highway speed situations. We managed a nice 26.8 mpg for the week.

It proved to be fun to drive, easy to get in and out of traffic and very easy to maneuver in tight parking situations. Even when we had to parallel park, the sensors that come with the Honda safety features made it easy to accomplish.

On the safety side, the HR-V we had for a week came loaded with all the great Honda sensing equipment, including the new system featuring a 100-degree field of view out the front of the SUV. This is twice as wide for the camera and radar systems as in previous versions, and it allows the HR-V to detect certain feature points of targets and recognize their attributes. For example, it differentiates between vehicles and pedestrians as well as white lines, road boundaries, road signs and bicyclists along the way.

We have always loved the Honda system as it was one of the first to introduce technology into vehicles that would keep the car centered in the lane when driving. It just keeps getting better and better, and to get it at this price point makes it an even better deal!

Inside, the new HR-V gets upgraded at the EX-L trim level to include an all-digital driving display that can be changed to show different information in the center of the speedometer such as phone info, radio station and fuel usage.

Along with that came an upgraded 9-inch touchscreen infotainment center that is also equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. With the included wireless phone charger, no wires were needed within the interior of the Honda.

Walk-away automatic door locks are also something we would not have expected at the price point of HR-V but are an awesome addition. You never have to think about locking the SUV again; just walk away with the key in tow and the Honda takes care of it for you.

With the back seats stowed flat, there is a huge 55.1 cubic feet of space to haul stuff. We were even able to easily fit a 50-inch electric fireplace in the rear for the trip home from the store.

The HR-V proved to us how great a small SUV can be, especially when done by an automaker like Honda. Check them out today at your local Honda dealer.

Base price: $28,950

Destination charge: $1,245

Price as driven: $30,590

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