cars usually do well in critics’ ratings and end up at the top of lists. For example, eight recent Car and Driver “2023 Editors’ Choice” awards. They include Civic, CR-V, Pilot and Passport. However, the 2023 Honda HR-V subcompact SUV is left in the dust.
How do vehicles earn a spot on Car and Driver’s annual “Editors’ Choice” list?
Each year, auto experts and drivers examine and test hundreds of vehicles and narrow down their top picks in the “10Best Cars” and “10Best Trucks and SUVs” lists. However, several capable vehicles miss the “Top 10” by a fraction of a point. So it’s an honor roll for cars that don’t make the “Top 10” but performed well enough that reviewers still recommend them to family, friends, and readers.
made C/D’s “2023 10Best” lists, including the Accord, Civic, and CR-V. Civic Si, Odyssey, Ridgeline, Pilot and Passport joined them in the 2023 Editors’ Choice collection. The “2023 Editors’ Choice” class of compact SUVs includes such standouts as the Hyundai Kona, Kia Niro, Kia Soul, Mazda CX-30, and Volkswagen Taos. But Honda is noticeably absent. Why?
A look at the 2023 Honda HR-V
Compared to compact SUVs on C/D’s “Editors’ Choice” list, the 2023 Honda HR-V scored lower in tests. For example, the highest score, with 9.5 out of 10, the Hyundai Kona scored a 9.0 and the other three models received an 8.5. That left the HR-V off the list with an 8.0 rating.
The from model year 2022. It now shares the same platform and engine as the Civic. However, while the longer and wider Civic platform imparts favorable driving characteristics thanks to its multi-link independent rear suspension, the 2023 HR-V loses the fold-down second-row seat that made the previous model “one of the most flexible small SUVs for the cargo,” says C/D.
The 2023 Honda HR-V is available in three trim levels: LX, Sport and EX-L, with starting prices ranging from $25,095 to $29,195. chose the $27,195 Sport trim as the “one to buy” for its “slightly more aggressive exterior styling” and unique 18-inch wheels. However, each trim has a rousing 158hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable transmission and a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
Is the 2023 Honda HR-V worth buying?
Other compact SUVs present better options. Still, the possibility of seeing Honda’s 180bhp 1.5-litre turbo or even a hybrid drivetrain makes this little crossover worth the wait if that’s possible.
While Honda hasn’t officially announced those options, it already offers the turbo powerplant, and European models do provide a hybrid version. Is it too much to hope for a 315hp AWD Honda HR-V Type R?
