2015 Honda HR-V, the compact SUV

It's starting to feel a little crowded in the compact SUV field. Almost every car manufacturer is arriving in late 2014 with a 2015 "urban" crossover vehicle. As much as I believe that these compact SUVs will be huge hits in Canada, Europe and Asia they may be too small for US consumer preferences.

Low and behold the Honda offering ...........



In Japan it is currently sold as the Honda Vezel and is powered by the same 1.5 Liter four cylinder engine that powers the Honda Fit / Jazz. There is also a 1.5 Liter hybrid engine incorporating a high output electric motor. Available trunk space is 453 Liters for the gas FWD version and 404 Liters for the hybrid FWD version.

There is no definite word on what will power the North American version of the 2015 Honda HR-V. It may be using the new 2015 Honda Fit's 1.5 Liter four cylinder engine that develops 130 hp (97 kW) and 114 lb-ft (154 Nm) of torque. Also rumored for the North American market is the 1.8L Civic engine and the CR-V's 2.4 Liter engine (2.4L engine I find highly unlikely). The HR-V will be equipped with the Honda exclusive "Magic Seat" which allows for multiple seating configurations, including folding the second row seats completely flat into the floor. Owners can actually lift the back seat bottom to "fit" (pun intended) a bike standing up. Measuring 4295mm the HR-V will be 235mm shorter than the CR-V model.
Prices should be starting somewhere at just under $24,000 US for the FWD model. Launch date is expected to be fall of 2014 and it will be built in the Celaya Mexico plant alongside the 2015 Honda Fit.



Photos provided by worldcarfans.com
Full articles and links -- http://www.carscoops.com/2013/12/honda-vezel-crossover-on-sale-in-japan.html

http://www.carscoops.com/2014/04/honda-announces-new-2015-hr-v-small-suv.html

http://www.worldcarfans.com/114041773569/2015-honda-hr-v-announced-goes-on-sale-later-this-year

http://www.worldcarfans.com/114041773569/2015-honda-hr-v-announced-goes-on-sale-later-this-year

http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/new_york/2014/1404-2015-honda-hr-v-announced-in-new-york/

http://www.honda.ca/future-vehicles