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Identifying the First-Gen Ford Mustang2020 Honda HR-V Review
What do our experts think of the 2020 Honda HR-V? We look at powertrain, interior options, trim levels, and more. Find out our thoughts here.
2020 Honda HR-V – hondanews.com | Shop 2020 Honda HRV on Carsforsale.com
What’s New for the 2020 Honda HR-V?
After a few updates for the 2019 model year, the 2020 Honda HR-V is unchanged.
The Breakdown
Highly practical
Great visibility
Fuel efficient
Unrefined drivetrain
Middling technology
We’d love more power
2020 HR-V Specs
- 141 horsepower from base engine
- 127 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 5 available trims
- 23.2 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- 55.9 cu-ft of cargo capacity with seats down
- Android Auto & Apple CarPlay integration
- Five-star NHTSA Crash Testing Rating
- 3-Year Limited Warranty
2020 Honda HR-V Powertrain
The least congenial facet of the HR-Vs design is its powertrain. Instead of the highly precise and refined powertrain behavior that we’re used to with regard to Honda products, the one here misses the mark by a large margin. Under the hood of every 2020 Honda HR-V is a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that makes just 141-hp and 127 lb-ft of torque. While this isn’t a particularly heavy vehicle, that’s still not enough grunt for it to move with modern traffic.
What’s worse is that because it’s so underpowered, drivers will find themselves having to keep the pedal to the metal more often. When that happens, the engine and transmission are buzzy and unrefined. Thankfully, the chassis and suspension do a nice job of holding the road so curves won’t require unnecessary slowdowns. This really does feel like a small car for a big city because once there, the speeds are lower and the HR-V fits in better.
2020 Honda HR-V Fuel Economy & MPG
With just a single powertrain there’s a fairly tight window for fuel economy with regard to the 2020 HR-V. The FWD version gets an EPA-estimated 28 MPG in the city and 34 on the highway while the AWD HR-V scores 26 mpg and 31 mpg respectively. Considering its size and capability, those scores are above average for the class.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
The HR-V provides owners with a do-it-all sort of interior. Those that need to transport passengers regularly have more than enough headroom and legroom to do so without offending anyone. We’ll come back to that though. For times when cargo hauling is called for, the rear seats fold flat to offer more than 55 cubic feet of storage space. Honda even offers something called the “Magic Seat” in the second row. It allows the bottom seat cushion to fold up which allows tall objects, like some house plants, to be transported without having to tip them over.
When it comes to moving people, the HR-V does that with comfortable seating and a nicely-finished interior space. Sure, there’s some engine noise that makes its way into the cabin but that’s true of all the cars in this space. What isn’t normal is just how high quality the switchgear feels, or how tight the panel gaps are. At the low price of entry that the HR-V offers, it’s hard to think of many challengers that can keep up with it in terms of quality. The controls are easy to use and ergonomically laid out. There’s excellent visibility for the driver and a bevy of extra storage spots for passengers on longer trips. This is a complete package with regard to interior design. Those who need even more space might prefer cars like the Subaru Crosstrek or the Hyundai Kona.
2020 Honda HR-V Entertainment & Technology
The base HR-V gets a small radio with Bluetooth connectivity and not much else but above that everything gets much better. Those trims have a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It works great and makes up for some of the off-putting menu layouts found in the native Honda system.
Step up to the EX trim level and you’ll get adaptive cruise, lane-departure mitigation, forward collision mitigation, and more. We’d love to see that package included on every model since it adds an important layer of safety but at least it’s standard on a few trims. That’s not the case with all of the rivals in this space.
Safety Features
The IIHS awarded the HR-V with its Top Safety Pick but they note that the award only applies to HR-Vs with the aforementioned forward collision mitigation option. The NHTSA has also awarded the HR-V five stars in its crash testing.
2020 Honda HR-V Trims & Pricing
LX – $22,095
The base HR-V comes with 17-inch wheels, a 5-inch radio with Bluetooth connectivity, hill start assist, two 12-v power outlets, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, and a 60/40 folding rear seat. Front-wheel drive is standard across most of the lineup but all-wheel-drive is available on every trim.
Sport – $23,795
Step up to the Sport and you’ll get a 7-inch infotainment system, sport pedals, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, fog lights, roof rails, and 18-inch wheels.
EX – $25,245
The EX adds automatic headlights, heated side mirrors, a moonroof, satellite radio, heated front seats, automatic climate control, and keyless entry. It also adds the Honda Sensing safety suite of technology.
EX-L – $26,845
Those wanting a little luxury might enjoy the EX-L with its leather-trimmed seats and door cards. It also gets a leather-wrapped shift knob and an automatic-dimming rearview mirror.
Touring – $30,165
The Touring adds AWD as a standard feature in addition to an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, satellite navigation, and LED headlights.
What we think
2020 Honda HR-V – hondanews.com | Shop 2020 Honda HRV on Carsforsale.com
Among all of the different types of cars on the market, the HR-V sits in a space that can do a lot all by itself. It’s inexpensive to run but can haul gear and people like vehicles that would drink a lot more fuel. In addition, it’s easy to drive in big cities with tight parking and lots of traffic. It’s not the best if you’re planning on long highway trips or want a long-term warranty but beyond that, it’s hard to beat. We recommend testing one out if you’re in the market for this sort of vehicle.
