2027 Honda HR-V: Small Outside, Properly Grown Up Inside
Compact SUVs tend to live or die by packaging, and the 2027 Honda HR-V makes rather good use of its 179.8-inch length. There is seating for 5, 37.7 inches of second-row legroom, and as much as 55.1 cubic feet of cargo space, figures that give this small Honda more room to work with than its footprint suggests. For Germantown, MD, drivers, that combination should prove handy in crowded parking lots without asking rear passengers to fold themselves into the seats.
Three Trims, Without Making Things Complicated
Honda has kept the range commendably straightforward: LX, Sport, and EX-L. The LX already brings 17-inch Pewter Gray alloy wheels, LED headlights, a 9-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ compatibility, wireless phone charging, and a 4-speaker 180-watt audio system. Sport earns its name mainly through appearance and equipment, adding 18-inch Gloss Black alloys, a Sport grille, gloss-black exterior trim, and a chrome exhaust finisher, while heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, Smart Entry with Walk Away Auto Lock®, remote engine start, and a 6-speaker 180-watt audio system improve the cabin. EX-L takes the comfort route with leather-trimmed seats, an 8-way power driver's seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, an 8-speaker 180-watt audio system, front and rear parking sensors, and a one-touch power moonroof.
The Tape Measure Tells the Better Story
The HR-V's dimensions are more interesting inside than outside. All 3 trims provide 24.4 cubic feet behind the second row, expanding to 55.1 cubic feet once the 60/40-split rear seat is folded. There is 41.9 inches of front legroom and 37.7 inches in the rear, so the second row has been treated as passenger space rather than somewhere adults merely tolerate. LX and Sport provide 98.7 cubic feet of passenger volume. The moonroof-equipped EX-L sacrifices a little of that, dropping to 97.3 cubic feet, but remains close enough that the difference is unlikely to transform how the cabin is used.
One Engine, Two Driven-Wheel Choices
There are no escalating engine outputs to decipher here. Every HR-V gets the same 158-hp 2.0L 4-cylinder and CVT, leaving drivetrain choice as the significant mechanical decision. Front-wheel drive is standard, while available Real Time AWDâ„¢ can distribute power where traction is needed. Econ, Normal, and Snow drive modes are standard, as is Hill Descent Control. Fuel economy changes modestly with AWD: FWD versions are EPA-rated at 26 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 28 mpg combined, compared with 25 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and 27 mpg combined for AWD models. For Germantown winters, that 1-mpg combined difference may be an acceptable exchange for drivers who want all 4 wheels involved.
Honda Sensing® Starts at the LX
Honda has not reserved its main driver-assistance suite for the expensive end of the range. Honda Sensing® is standard throughout, bringing the Collision Mitigation Braking System™, Road Departure Mitigation System, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, Lane Keeping Assist System, Traffic Sign Recognition, Traffic Jam Assist, and Driver Attention Monitor. Sport and EX-L add the Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Monitor. EX-L goes further with Low-Speed Braking Control and front and rear parking sensors, giving the top trim additional assistance precisely where a compact SUV spends plenty of its time: maneuvering at low speeds.
Choosing Your HR-V in Germantown
The appeal of the 2027 HR-V lies less in spectacle than in getting the fundamentals into a compact body. LX covers an unexpectedly strong technology baseline, Sport adds comfort and a sharper visual treatment, and EX-L concentrates on cabin equipment and additional driver assistance. Drivers around Germantown, MD, can explore the new Honda inventory at Criswell Honda, compare all 3 HR-V trims, or schedule a test drive online now to see which version makes the strongest case.