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Here it is, everyone – the new Honda HR-V has finally been revealed! Replacing its highly successful predecessor, the third-gen model has a lot on its shoulders, but that hasn’t stopped Honda from throwing the whole kitchen sink into the redesign.
In particular, the exterior styling is very different from the outgoing model’s plummeting organic look. The new car is cleaner and more angular, with the current car’s signature upturned sidebar replaced by a straight line connecting the headlights and taillights. The front end also loses the “Solid Wing Face” grille bar.
Despite this, the basic front graphic has been retained, with upward-sloping LED headlamps (incorporating eyebrow-shaped daytime running lights, linked by a thin chrome strip) attached to a large six-point grille, now with a finished in body color to “enhance the sense of unity with the body.” The rear features modern full-width taillights, with the license plate gap positioned lower.
Honda has also made the roofline more coupe-like by increasing the camber of the rear windshield. Even so, the company claims to have retained the spaciousness of the rear seat, despite the unchanged dimensions. The hidden rear door handles have been retained, while in Japan (where the car is sold as Vezel), a Play variant is available that adds blue, red and white accents and a contrasting silver or black roof.
Inside, the horizontal theme continues with a slim, minimal dash and a full-width vent design. The corner vents can be configured to diffuse airflow and come with unusually thick control knobs. The tall, bridge-shaped center console of the outgoing model has also been abandoned in favor of a more conventional transmission tunnel, with a unique chrome strip wrapping around the driver’s knee area.
Details are mostly under wraps, but we can see that the HR-V will get the latest Honda Connect infotainment system found on the new Jazz and City, which come with nine- and eight-inch touchscreens respectively. However, unlike the Jazz, the car will continue to feature analog instruments.
Several new connectivity features have also been introduced as part of the Honda Total Care Premium package in Japan, such as an in-car WiFi hotspot, the first Honda, an application center, automatic map updates, and a digital key function for smart phones. Other new features include a larger (won’t open) panoramic roof with sunlight-attenuating glass, a nine-speaker sound system, and rear air vents.
In Japan, at least, the HR-V will continue to be offered with the Honda Sensing suite of safety features. These include autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and traffic sign recognition, all of which have been improved in terms of performance; adaptive cruise control now also features a stop / start function. A multi-view camera system and blind spot monitoring is offered for the first time, the latter appears to augment rather than replace the LaneWatch camera.
Japanese market models will be available with the same 1.5-liter DOHC i-VTEC gasoline engine and CVT as before, although production figures have yet to be released. Currently, the mill produces 129 PS at 6,600 rpm and 153 Nm at 4,600 rpm in the form of direct injection; wait for those numbers to carry over.
As previously reported, the HR-V will also get the e: HEV hybrid powertrain found on the Jazz and City, which uses an electric motor to do most of the driving and a gasoline engine to charge the battery. ; the latter also provides motive power at higher speeds.
Once again Honda has refused to provide statistics, but the Jazz and City version uses a 109 PS / 253 Nm electric motor and a 98 PS / 127 Nm 1.5 liter Atkinson cycle engine to deliver power. total of 126 PS. Since the HR-V is expected to be a bit heavier, it could derive its configuration from the larger Insight, which has a 131 PS / 267 Nm motor and a 108 PS / 134 Nm motor to make a combined 151 PS. Real-time all-wheel drive will be available as an option in Japan, including on the e: HEV model.
More information on the new Honda HR-V will be revealed when the car goes on sale in Japan in April. For now, what do you guys think? Do you like what you see here or would you rather see what the Americans will get (who will get a different version)? Speak in the comments after the jump.
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