If this latest rumor is right, the 2020 Honda HR-V gets more power, some hybrid tech, and a better platform.
Honda HR-V’s aren’t selling so hot right now and Honda aims to change that with a better HR-V, from soup to nuts. According to this latest rumor that’s cropped up on VTEC.net from a member with insider information in Honda (Aug 5, 2018) Honda will unveil a second gen HR-V with more power, an optional hybrid assist, and a far better platform than it already has.
Currently, the Honda HR-V puts out a paltry 140 HP and 128 lb-ft from an engine that cut its teeth on the eighth-gen Honda Civic. With rumors that the next-gen Honda Fit is getting turbo power and backed up by this latest bit of information, the HR-V could aim to benefit from a bit of boost.
My guess is Honda will slap in their 1.0T three-cylinder turbo from its European market Honda Civic. That engineering powerhouse puts out 127 HP and 148 lb-ft. Perhaps Honda will tweak that current turbo for more power thanks to a bit more boost pressure at the cost of MPG. Of course, the selling point will be on the generous torque curve.
A big selling point with a smaller and more efficient engine will be MPG. If you stay out of the power curve, this new HR-V should return close to 40 MPG combined. The 1.0T Civic in Europe gets 46 MPG on their test cycle.
Further increasing those MPGs will be an optional hybrid assist HR-V. Thanks to a small battery pack stuffed somewhere, this Hybrid model will get an extra bit of help off the line, aiding the turbo in the rev range where it hasn’t spooled up yet.
More importantly but not obvious to the buyer will be a new platform. With a fourth-gen Honda Fit on the way, we’ll first see this platform stuffed under the HR-V. I expect this HR-V to be slightly bigger in every way thanks to this solid foundation. Handling, a hallmark of Honda cars, should also be a strong selling point to further differentiate the HR-V from its competitors.
No conjectures on its looks but expect to see Honda’s HR-V up its game to look slightly edgier without going off the deep end like Toyota is at the moment.
As per this latest rumor, it seems Honda is feeling the heat from its main competitor at Toyota, the CH-R. This is a little confusing seeing that the HR-V outsells the CH-R 3:1 but his word’s, not mine.
According to Honda’s latest sales report HR-V sales dropped by 7.1 percent month over month and are slightly behind compared to last year’s sales by 3.1 percent. With the market flooded with so many choices, many of them thousands cheaper, it’s easy to see why sales might slump a bit for Honda.
I reported earlier last week that car sales took a major hit, including the Civic. As this trend continues, small crossovers like the new 2020 HR-V are essential for Honda’s survival and growth strategy.
While CR-V might be the new Civic, expect this all-new HR-V to bring up the rear with some serious sales.
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