I’ve been enamored with the 2023 Honda HR-V’s new design because it was first teased in January. It appears concurrently sporty and non-threatening, very similar to my canine Bramble. She’ll be serving to us with this overview—the primary in our Will It Canine? sequence evaluating automobiles for his or her canine friendliness. Itemizing at about $30,000, this versatile and sensible car looks as if an amazing place to begin.
[Welcome to Will It Dog, The Drive’s review series where we evaluate cars based on their dog-friendliness. We’ve devised a series of tests that we think will give dog owners the best insight into whether a car is practical enough for them and their four-legged partners. Don’t own a dog? Stay for the cute pictures!]
Meet the Check Canines
Meet the fluffy household that can assist us dog-test automobiles. Andrew P. Collins
Bramble is a solidly medium-sized canine at about 40 kilos. Half Australian Shepard and half Golden Retriever, she’s extremely athletic and loves automobile rides. She’ll be our foremost take a look at canine and can do probably the most mileage for these posts.
Her brothers Indi, Silas, and Mees (pronounced “Mace,” I believe it is Dutch) are all large-medium whereas her mother, Koda, is on the smaller aspect and her dad, Cal, is an sincere massive. We’ll make use of as lots of them as we will that can assist you get a way of what different-sized animals appear like within the automobile whereas we learn the way effectively the car can comfortably carry a pack.
2023 Honda HR-V Overview Specs for Canine House owners
Base worth (EX-L AWD as examined) : $25,045 ($30,590)
: $25,045 ($30,590) Powertrain : 2.0-liter naturally aspirated inline-four | repeatedly variable transmission | all-wheel drive
: 2.0-liter naturally aspirated inline-four | repeatedly variable transmission | all-wheel drive Horsepower : 158 @ 6,500 rpm
: 158 @ 6,500 rpm Torque : 138 lb-ft @ 4,200 rpm
: 138 lb-ft @ 4,200 rpm Curb weight : 3,159 to three,333 kilos
: 3,159 to three,333 kilos Seating capability : 5 people
: 5 people EPA gas financial system : 25 mpg metropolis | 30 freeway | 27 mixed
: 25 mpg metropolis | 30 freeway | 27 mixed Cargo quantity : 24.4 cubic ft with rear seats up, 55.1 cubic ft with seats flat
: 24.4 cubic ft with rear seats up, 55.1 cubic ft with seats flat Dimensions Rear inside to floor top: 18 inches Rear seat to ceiling top: 35 inches Rear hatch to floor top: 27 inches Rear cargo space to ceiling top: 29 inches
Fast take : The HR-V could be tight for a complete household, a pet, and baggage but it surely’s good for 2 individuals and one to a few canines. Comfy, classy-looking, simple to climb into and see out of.
: The HR-V could be tight for a complete household, a pet, and baggage but it surely’s good for 2 individuals and one to a few canines. Comfy, classy-looking, simple to climb into and see out of. Will It Canine Rating: 9/10
Measurements had been collected with a tape measure and on the place I felt most precisely represented usable area (since automobiles should not good cubes). Andrew P. Collins
The HR-V is Honda’s Civic-based smallest sport utility, extra compact than the Pilot, Passport, and even CR-V. You may order it in three trim ranges: LX (base), Sport, and EX-L (totally featured). All of them run the identical 158-horsepower four-cylinder VTEC engine and repeatedly variable transmission with non-compulsory all-wheel drive. Gasoline financial system claims are 25, 30, and 27 mpg for metropolis, freeway, and mixed driving circumstances, respectively, and with all-wheel drive. That ought to provide you with a 300-plus mile vary with the car’s 14-gallon gasoline tank. After 342 miles of testing, totally on meandering nation roads, the loaner HR-V’s journey laptop reported 29.6 mpg.
Siri, play “Run with the Pack” by Unhealthy Firm. Andrew P. Collins
With two seats up entrance and a multi-tier console in between, plus a three-seat bench within the again, and a beneficiant cargo bay behind that, this car is loads able to shuttling a household or buddy group and their baggage round. It is truly comparable in dimension to the primary Honda CR-V from the late ’90s—Honda’s unique compact SUV.
A base front-wheel-drive 2023 HR-V lists for about $25,000. The take a look at car is a 2023 AWD EX-L trim, ringing up at $30,590 together with vacation spot fees and $395 for that Nordic Forest Pearl paint coloration.
Andrew P. Collins
Climbing In and Out
The HR-V’s rear doorways open loads large sufficient to let most canines climb in with ease. Athletic animals can hop up onto the again seat as simply as they’ll hop up on a sofa. And due to a beneficiant rear passenger footwell, even the smallest breeds (as adults, at the very least) ought to be capable to scamper up off the bottom and into the automobile by themselves. Older canines would be capable to make use of that as effectively, getting into the foot space earlier than climbing up on the seat.
Bramble, Indi, and Silas had no drawback getting on and off the rear seat of the HR-V.
The rear cargo deck is significantly larger. The leap remains to be no drawback for a wholesome medium to massive animal, however Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, and smaller terriers will have to be picked up(or given a ramp) in order for you them to climb into the cargo space behind the second row of seats.
Driving With the Canine
Bramble often likes to take a seat upright within the again seat of no matter I am driving (we often use a canine hammock or seat cowl however haven’t gotten her a seatbelt harness but). On this automobile, I used to be amused to see her curled up within the rear passenger footwell after just some miles. She fell asleep down there briefly order.
Ideally, you’d run some sort of seat cowl or hammock-style canine provider within the again seat. However this is how a 40ish-pound pooch matches at the back of a brand new HR-V. Andrew P. Collins
After a pee break, she obtained just a little extra power and was wanting to get a view of the street by placing her entrance paws on the middle console and her again ones on the again seat. I do not advocate letting a canine do this whilst you’re underway, they’re liable to go flying into the dashboard if you must panic cease, so I shooed her again to the rear passenger space. She was pleased there till we made a cease at McD’s—the odor of McNuggets was simply too thrilling.
The storage tray is not fully pup-proof (what’s?) but it surely wasn’t onerous to maintain Bramble at bay although she actually needed to get her snout in that candy and bitter sauce. Andrew P. Collins
Bramble’s a very spoiled bitch so she did get a number of nugs of her personal, however I used to be in a position to hold her snout away from my dipping sauce by stashing it within the HR-V’s cleverly designed heart console. It is also obtained a totally closing part for sashing treats (or leashes, poop luggage, and different equipment you may not need in your canine’s mouth).
After having three decent-sized canines out and in of the HR-V, I did not see any marks or areas that appear like they’d be notably onerous to wash. And I may see effectively again there as a result of as a substitute of a standard dome mild in the course of the ceiling the 2023 HR-V has a robust LED inside mild over either side of the rear passenger space.
The cab lights are very vivid on this factor. Andrew P. Collins
The rear cargo space, behind the second row of seats, may actually match Bramble and even her dad Cal (the grown Golden Retriever) however then I can not actually see or pet her. You could possibly put a pooch again there in case your seats had been filled with people, I suppose. Or cut up the again seat when you had a mixture of individuals and animals to hold. Backside line: The HR-V has beneficiant usable cargo dimensions for a car with such a small footprint.
Driving in Common
Driving this automobile at roughly the pace restrict is completely nice. The journey’s easy and comfy, even on tough and twisty rural roads, with out feeling delicate or sloppy. I felt as related to the entrance wheels as I needed to be in a 158-hp get-around automobile, and I appreciated the truth that you have got ol’ customary mechanical lever within the heart console for shifting between park, drive, and reverse. It simply feels proper.
You do not do your personal shifting after all as a result of all HR-Vs are automated (with a repeatedly variable transmission, to be particular). You may, nevertheless, drop it to “S” (for “sport”) to make the engine rpm enhance and provide you with just a little energy enhance for passing. If you really want energy at low pace, like when you’re attempting to climb out of a ditch or snow financial institution, pulling the lever all the way down to “L” (“low”) provides you a low-gear ratio. Making an attempt to drive the HR-V with the spirit you would possibly train in a Civic Si, nevertheless, is pointless. Save the gasoline and go simple on the throttle.
Just a little tour of the 2023 HR-V’s inside and interfaces, each of which I discovered fairly good. Andrew P. Collins
On a smaller swap, you may transfer between three drive modes. The financial system mode presumably saves gas, however man does it make the car sleepy. Amongst auto journalists, I am most likely one of many slowest drivers and even I did not have the persistence for it. The Regular mode is ok, and you have got that “S” gear setting for squirting by gradual vehicles the place the double-yellow street line breaks.
As for its luxuries, the HR-V EX-L inside is very nice. Supplies really feel nice, building feels strong, and the design is clear (I’d even name it elegant) with out being annoyingly minimalistic. That honeycomb strip throughout the sprint you would possibly acknowledge from the Civic appears so good, and I really like how tidy and idiot-proof the local weather and stereo controls are.
It is too chilly to check “snoot-out-window” for lengthy whereas driving for now, however Bramble may actually attain the highest of the door with out concern. Andrew P. Collins
The gauge cluster is neat and straightforward to learn, and the automated high-beam headlights work amazingly effectively. That was nice on the nation roads close to my compound—the HR-V noticed oncoming automobiles and dimmed the excessive beams for them as shortly as I might have been in a position to do it manually.
Extra inside views to present you a way of the dimensions. Andrew P. Collins
Only some issues aggravated me: The shifter knob appeared just a bit too excessive, the stereo sound high quality is fairly meh, and the way in which the infotainment display is oriented appeared suboptimal to me. I can inform Honda set it flat so it may very well be accessed by the motive force or passenger, which is smart, but it surely’s not an amazing viewing angle from both seat.
Becoming Kennels
We take a look at each automobile with the identical two kennels—one onerous crate (massive sufficient for a grown feminine Golden Retriever), and one collapsed folding kennel (which folds out to about the identical dimension). A tough kennel is a protected technique to transport a canine as a result of they’re maximally contained, and it’s your decision one at your vacation spot (many lodges require a kennel when you’ve got a canine companion). Nevertheless, it’s usually not sensible to drive with one on account of how cumbersome they’re. However when you nonetheless want one the place you’re going, a collapsable tent-kennel is nice—it’s far simpler to slot in a car. Should you don’t assume tent partitions will likely be sufficient to comprise your animal, hard-walled kennels that collapse flat or in half exist as effectively.
The tent kennel pops as much as be about the identical dimension because the onerous one, however after all, it offers a a lot weaker barrier. You may must crate-train your canine earlier than relying on them to remain put in a type of. Andrew P. Collins
The foldable canine tent is named The Journey Crate; it is a Backcountry x Petco model collab and you should buy it right here. The Drive and its companions might earn a fee if you are going to buy a product by means of one among our hyperlinks—learn extra about that right here. In the meantime, listed below are the size of each crates:
Exhausting kennel (1) size, (2) width, (3) top: 36 inches, 24 inches, 26 inches
Collapsed tent kennel (4) size, (5) width, (6) top: 36 inches, 25 inches, 5 inches
Andrew P. Collins
The onerous kennel match completely with two of the three again seats folded down, however would not work when you wanted the entire rear bench for individuals. The folded kennel slot in a number of other ways. I believe you would be fairly full of a tough kennel and two peoples’ stuff for even a brief tenting journey. Add a child into the combo and the onerous kennel’s by no means going to work—you may have to take a look at a collapsable one and possibly a roof-mounted cargo field.
Pack Hauling
Trying just like the cutest depiction of Cerberus you’ve got ever seen. Andrew P. Collins
I used to be truly shocked at how simply Bramble, Indi, and Silas match sitting abreast within the again seat of this automobile however that is concerning the max quantity of canines you might drive comfortably in right here when you had anything to hold together with them. Two extra this dimension may go within the cargo bay behind the seats, and I assume when you’re actually formidable and positively under no circumstances allergic to canine dander, two extra may match within the footwells.
On this lighting, you may actually see how a lot brown Indi and Bramble have along with black and white. This coloration makes them ” Blue Merle Tri Coloration ” Aussies, usually simply referred to as “tri merle.” Silas within the center is black with white accents; goes to point out how totally different three canines from the identical litter can look. Andrew P. Collins
Primarily based on my impressions with a number of totally different mixtures of Bramble’s fluffy household on this HR-V, I believe you might match as much as two canines of any dimension with the bench seat folded down. With the seats up, one Nice Dane-sized animal would devour the entire space. Becoming three Golden Retrievers must be potential within the again seat, but when they are not well-behaved it may be a reasonably chaotic journey. 4 would possibly be capable to cram over a brief distance, however one should sit in the way in which again and you’ll anticipate a whole lot of claws on the highest of the rear seats because the animals nip and harass one another.
2023 Honda HR-V Canine-Friendliness Verdict
Andrew P. Collins
I really like the way in which this automobile appears and I loved using in it. Bramble did, too—I might name this an amazing automobile for small to medium-large canines. Animals a lot greater than a feminine Golden Retriever are going to have any annoyingly massive pawprint on the automobile’s cubic inches of passenger area. You probably have one or two child seat-aged youngsters, a 40-odd pound canine may match however even that will likely be tight and just about require a roof field for multi-day journeys involving baggage. Older youngsters offers you much more flexibility, however realistically 4 individuals and any pooch could be rather a lot in right here.
My spouse and canine and I match completely, although. For my fellow households with out youngsters, the HR-V is a superb dimension for a canine or two and sufficient baggage for nearly any journey. Heck, I am fairly tempted by the Milano Crimson one I’ve made on Honda’s configurator. You may construct and worth your personal on Honda’s website right here.
Andrew P. Collins
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