[UPDATE, October 2] Live images from the 2018 Paris Motor Show have been added at the beginning of the gallery, below.
Trust Honda when it says we’re looking at the 2019 HR-V for the European market, but truth be told, the styling tweaks the subcompact crossover has gone through are quite subtle. The most obvious change is at the front where there’s now a shiny chrome panel above the grille to replace the glossy black trim of the pre-facelift model. It’s a bit too much for our tastes, but it can easily be fixed by applying a black foil to revert to the HR-V’s original look.
See its American cousin:
The front bumper has also gone through a nip and tuck as the air intake sections are now deeper and host the circular fog lights. Honda modified the headlights a little bit by installing new projector lenses and updating the standard LED daytime running lights. Moving at the back of the revised HR-V, you’ll see a chrome bar above the license plate to mirror the front fascia’s updated appearance.
Go for one of the more expensive versions and Honda will install freshly designed 17-inch alloy wheels and will give the exhaust finisher a chrome trim for added bling. The higher-spec HR-Vs benefit from full-LED headlights and taillights, with the rear clusters featuring a slightly darker tint. Buyers will get to pick from a total of eight colours, including the new Midnight Blue Beam Metallic depicted here.
Stepping inside the cabin, you’ll immediately notice the reshaped front seats offering better support for extra comfort during longer journeys. Honda has also come up with a new upholstery using a material of a higher quality, while the pricier HR-Vs get a fabric + leather combo with fancy double stitching. The good news continue as additional sound-deadening material in the wheel arches, front bulkhead, boot structure, and door panels guarantee a quieter cabin.
To further reduce the noise penetrating the cabin, higher-end trim levels will also feature Active Noise Cancellation. Available for the first time in Honda’s B-segment crossover, ANC uses two microphones mounted in the cabin to monitor low-frequency noises and cancels them through “precisely-timed ‘reverse phase’ audio signals” sent through the audio system’s speakers.
In regards to the oily bits, Europe will be stuck for a while with the naturally aspirated 1.5-litre engine developing 128 bhp and 114 pound-feet of torque. It’s enough for a sprint to 62 mph in 10.7 seconds for the six-speed manual model while with the continuously variable transmission it’s half a second slower. Honda’s skilled engineers have updated the i-VTEC unit by lowering the amount of frictions between the pistons and the cylinder bores to increase efficiency and durability.
If you would rather have a thrifty 1.6-litre diesel, you’ll have to wait until spring 2019 when Honda will also be launching the HR-V with a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol mill. No word about the latter’s output, but in the bigger CR-V it’s good for 170 bhp when fitted with the manual gearbox and 190 bhp for the CVT-equipped models.
Meanwhile, the naturally aspirated HR-V will be in the hands of Euro customers from October 2018.
Gallery: 2019 Honda HR-V at the Paris Motor Show
HONDA REVEALS MOST SOPHISTICATED HR-V EVER WITH REFRESHED STYLING AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES
- Exterior upgrades for Honda’s subcompact SUV deliver an elegant new look
- Higher-grade fabric and reshaped seats provide greater quality and comfort
- Available from launch with powerful and efficient 1.5 i-VTEC petrol engine
- Customer deliveries commence from October 2018
- Sporty 1.5-litre VTEC TURBO and efficient 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel join the range in 2019
Honda has revealed the first details of the 2019 HR-V, its most sophisticated subcompact SUV to date. The new model features enhanced exterior styling, updates to the interior and a range of advanced technologies.
Upgrades to the elegant exterior design include a more substantial interpretation of Honda’s 'Solid Wing Face’ graphic, with a new, high-gloss dark chrome panel that replaces the black-and-chrome combination above the grille. The front bumper features deeper air intake sections that house circular fog lights, and the headlights now have projector lenses with redesigned LED daytime running lights as standard.
At the rear, a dark chrome garnish across the tailgate mirrors the new trim at the front, and the rear lights sit within darker lens casings
Higher-grade models feature a new 17-inch alloy design, and the exhaust tailpipe has a unique chrome finisher. The headlights and rear lights are upgraded to full LED units, and the rear casings are enhanced with dark ‘smoked’ effect.
Honda will offer a choice of eight exterior colours for the 2019 HR-V, including the addition of Midnight Blue Beam Metallic. The other colour choices comprise: Milano Red; Platinum White and Crystal Black in a pearlescent finish; and Lunar Silver, Modern Steel, Brilliant Sporty Blue and Ruse Black metallic hues.
The HR-V remains as versatile as ever, including the carry-over of Honda’s innovative Magic Seat® system. Redesigned seats for the driver and front passenger incorporate changes to the seat cushion and back rest, providing enhanced overall support – especially for the shoulder area. The standard fabric upholstery now uses a higher-quality material, while top grade models feature a combination of fabric and leather with double stitching for a more appealing finish.
From launch, the 2019 Honda HR-V will be available with the highly-efficient 1.5-litre i-VTEC naturally aspirated petrol engine, which offers a high output of 130 PS (96 kW) and maximum torque of 155 Nm at 4,600 rpm. Acceleration from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) takes 10.7 seconds when equipped with the six-speed manual (6MT), and 11.2 seconds with the optional CVT. The petrol engine offers an impressive blend of power and efficiency, with average fuel economy from 5.3l/100km (53.2 mpg)* and official average CO2emissions of 121* g/km for the CVT model.
The i-VTEC engine has been enhanced by ‘advanced plateau honing’, that lowers the friction level between the pistons and the cylinder bores by creating an ultra-smooth surface. Its timing chain guides also feature a new friction-reducing coating, which further helps to reduce long-term wear and boost engine efficiency.
Honda has improved the interior quietness and refinement of the HR-V by adding greater levels of insulating material around the car, including around the front bulkhead and wheel arches, the boot structure, and both front and rear door panels. Depending on model grade, the 2019 HR-V will also be equipped with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) for the first time. ANC is designed to reduce low-frequency noise in the interior by monitoring for such noises using two in-cabin microphones, and then cancelling them out with precisely-timed ‘reverse phase’ audio signals through the speakers.
Production of 2019 HR-V 1.5L i-VTEC variants has started with the deliveries commencing from October. A sportier, 1.5L VTEC TURBO engine will follow with availability from Spring 2019, alongside a 1.6L i-DTEC diesel engine.