Honda confirms third SUV model for 2023, with hybrid option

Honda Australia confirmed that they are planning to introduce third SUV model line in the next 12-18 months, bridge the gap between HR VUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU and CR-VAT.

Talk to CarExpert During an executive roundtable, Honda Australia director Stephen Collins said the new SUV – which has not yet been named – will offer five seats and more practicality than the new generation HR-V.

We also understand that it will be below the CR-V, which will soon launch a new generation, as previewed with leaked patent image this early year.

“For customers who want five seats and/or more practicality, we are confident we will be able to accommodate those needs.” [with the new SUV model]Mr. Collins said.

“What we’re going to see over the next 12 to 18 months, is a lineup of three distinct SUVs.”

Mr. Collins reiterated Honda Australia’s commitment to offering a hybrid option with each new model launch, indicating that the new SUV will offer petrol-electric power when it hits the market.

Exactly what this new crossover will be called or will look like remains unclear, as the Japanese lineup doesn’t include a crossover sized between the Vezel (HR-V) and the CR-V for for the domestic market.

However, a very strong possibility is Civic-based HR-V for the North American marketThe larger HR-V is sold here and in markets such as Japan, Europe and Australia.

When the crossover was revealed, the company confirmed that it would be introduced to the European market in 2023 with a different nameplate and offering a hybrid powertrain.

With close relationship with Civic 11th generationIt is likely that the global version of the US-spec HR-V will be equipped with the same 1.5 liter turbo engine 134kW / 240Nm and 135kW / 315Nm 2.0 liter e:HEV as its passenger car brother.

The New generation Honda HR-V 2022meanwhile, began arriving in Australian showrooms last month, and offers a backup lineup that includes a base petrol Vi X and a flagship e:HEV L hybrid.

With Honda Australia’s new centralized ‘dealer’ retail strategy, the new HR-V has fixed driveway prices nationwide starting at $36,700 driving for the Vi X and rising to $45,000 for the e:HEV L.

Another caveat aside from the higher pricing compared to the previous model is a four-seater interior, the result of strict ADR guidelines that require any rear seat with a seatbelt to have a top tether point for the child seat. The HR-V has them in the outer seats, but the fifth seats in foreign models (e.g. Japanese and British) do not.

As a result, buyers who want a compact Honda SUV with a three-seat rear bench will be offered with the new model launching next year or so.

Honda’s US branch is keeping the HR-V details private ahead of its launch there in the Northern Hemisphere summer, but from the exterior images that have been released so far, it looks like the new crossovers will be larger than the size of the small or even mid-sized class.

Given its ties to the new Civic are quite extensive, expect the new model to compete with everything from the upcoming Kia Seltos and Toyota Corolla Cross to the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4.

The hybrid powertrain option will give it a differentiator from current rivals, with only a handful of players in the compact SUV and midsize SUV segments offering a hybrid or plug-in hybrid option. .

Stay tuned CarExpert for all the latest information and let us know what you think in the comments section below.

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THAN: Everything Honda HR-DRAW