A blue 2020 Honda HR-V is parked at a beach.

2020 Honda HR-V: A Potent Crossover SUV

Honda has earned a reputation for reliability with over 70 years of research and development, continuously heeding the beckoning of fans and enthusiasts the world over. In the modern-day, Honda produces over tons of unique lineups, with some being exclusive to the American or international market, respectively. Amongst these lineups, Honda produces a plethora of sedans, minivans, trucks, SUVs, hybrids, and crossovers such as the 2020 Honda HR-V.

The HR-V has had an interesting history with the original run of production for this crossover SUV starting with the 1999 model year and ending in 2006, followed by a few-year hiatus period. The HR-V came back swinging, however, and was revived with the 2015 Honda HR-V, thus sparking the second generation for this beloved lineup. The 2020 HR-V, although not entirely reimagined, is still a dependent and highly efficient crossover SUV that takes many notes from last year’s iteration, which added a vast amount of new features.

The arrangement of trim options for the 2020 Honda HR-V is the same as last year, which for reference was the LX, which serves as the base trim and starts at an MSRP of $20,820, followed by Sport which integrates a host of interior upgrades, and EX with a strong emphasis on safety thanks to the inclusion of the Honda Sensing suite. The second to last trim for the 2020 Honda HR-V is EX-L, which replaces the cloth material of your seats with fashionable leather trim, and the top-of-the-line trim is known as Touring. This trim adds further enhancements such as LED headlights and power-adjustable seats with eight-way controls and a starting price of $28,890, which solidifies its place as a high-quality SUV under $30K. But there is much more to this SUV than the trims and their prices, so let’s take a look now!

Fantastic Performance

The 2020 Honda HR-V keeps it simple and offers one engine across the lineup. The engine in mention is the same 1.8L 4-Cylinder as last year that produces 141 hp and 127 lb-ft of torque paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) plus sport mode. The HR-V can be built with 2WD and AWD, with the latter slightly decreasing fuel efficiency ratings. With 2WD variants, you will get 28 MPG in the city and 34 MPG on the highway, while AWD gets 27 MPG in the city and 31 MPG on the highway.

The difference certainly isn’t too significant to worry about, but it’s worth noting that a 13.2 gal tank capacity comes with every trim. We appreciate the simple setup, and the EPA-estimated ratings are certainly ample, to say the least, and will undoubtedly provide the average city driver with an efficient ride.

A silver 2020 Honda HR-V is driving on a mountain highway.

A Spacious Interior

There’s plenty of cargo space to be found in the Honda HR-V, and with the five-seat maximum seating capacity, everybody in the vehicle will be treated to a spacious interior. The front and rear rows offer 39.5 inches and 38.3 inches of headroom, as well as 41.2 inches and 39.3 inches of legroom for each row. This means that there is enough comfort space for anyone and everyone.

The HR-V additionally provides quite a bit of cargo space, with 24.3 cu.ft. in the trunk. But due to the crossover nature of this vehicle, drivers looking for the utmost cargo space will have to fold the rear-row down to achieve this. With the seats folded, the cargo space expands to a massive 58.8 cu.ft. of space, which is more than most people even may need. In all, the Honda HR-V is a very spacious vehicle.

Many Technology Features

As many drivers are fully aware of by now, the automotive industry is implementing more digital features into vehicles than ever before. It’s these pieces of software that help us all stay more connected. One of the most notable introductions to the market has been infotainment centers as they more or less completely revolutionized the way we access our digital media and navigate directions. The 2020 Honda HR-V does feature an infotainment center, albeit on every trim except the base LX trim.

For the base model, a 5-inch LCD screen is included to display media, but every other trim includes an infotainment center featuring a 7-inch screen with touch controls. Bluetooth does come standard on every trim, so you may connect your smartphone wirelessly to your vehicle for media playback. This infotainment center also includes the likes of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Both of these pieces of software have become commonplace in the industry ever since their introductions over five years ago.

Average users and enthusiasts alike rejoice over the inclusion of CarPlay and Auto as it’s an extra layer of utility that adds new functions and apps to their infotainment center, simply by using a smartphone which they may have such as an iPhone or Android device. Connecting your phone is a simple and seamless process, and once you’re in, you may take advantage of features such as hands-free phone calls and text messages, directional navigation using Apple or Google maps, accessing your music library, and much more. With this technology, you will never miss a call or a beat while driving the HR-V.

The light gray interior is shown inside a 2020 Honda HR-V.

Honda Safety

Honda is a manufacturer that is keen on reliability, and because of this, we often see robust safety features in many of their lineups. The 2020 HR-V is no exception, as it can be upgraded with a large number of additional safety features. At the base level, a rearview camera comes standard, which will display on your 5 or 7-inch screen, but those looking for fitting their HR-V with the most safety features they can are surely in luck.

Among the offerings from Honda, you may integrate safety features into your HR-V, such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with lane-keep assistance, road departure mitigation, and forward-collision warning. Further upgrades include adaptive cruise control, parking sensors fitted on both the front and rear of the HR-V, automatic high-beams that change dynamically depending on overall road visibility and oncoming traffic, and a blind-spot camera for increased spacial awareness. Simply put, there are plenty of ways to ensure your HR-V is a safe and reliable machine.

Shopping With Honda

As one of the most world-renowned automotive manufacturers, Honda has quite the reputation to live up to, and because of this, they always put their best effort into each vehicle. Regardless of the Honda you purchase, you will experience the reliability and efficiency that Honda has become synonymous with. Vehicles such as the 2020 Honda HR-V are perfect for those looking for a durable and fuel-efficient crossover with ample storage space and a hefty layer of upgradability.

Once you’re ready to learn more about the Honda HR-V and perhaps take one for a test drive, then visiting your local Honda dealership is the best way to get started; you’ll have no shortage of answers as to why Honda is the perfect choice for you. With the help of a professional sales staff with all the knowledge, there’s never been a better time to see what Honda is all about. Honda dealerships make the process as simple as possible, and before you know it, you’ll be behind the wheel of your new 2020 Honda HR-V.