Less than a week after the US-market Honda HR-V was revealed in China as the ZR-V, the company’s European division announced that the ZR-V name will also be used for the continent. This effectively confirms the global name for the Toyota Corolla Cross-rivalling C-segment SUV.
Unlike in the Middle Kingdom, where the car is expected to be offered with a 1.5 litre VTEC Turbo engine, the European-market ZR-V will be offered solely as a hybrid when it goes on sale there in 2023. This will likely be powered by the Civic e:HEV‘s more powerful 184 PS/315 Nm electric motor, juiced by a new 2.0 litre direct-injected Atkinson-cycle mill.
The rest of the car is as per the HR-V for the United States, with a very un-Honda front end getting a large octagonal grille, slim LED headlights and black plastic C-shaped bumper mouldings. Along the side, there’s a long bonnet, blistered rear fenders and rear quarter light windows that emphasise the car’s extra length over the global B-segment HR-V. Inverted L-shaped taillights can be found at the rear.
No interior photos have been shown just yet, but you can expect the ZR-V to feature a variation of the Civic’s classy dashboard, replete with a freestanding infotainment touchscreen and mesh-covered air vents. A version of this has already cropped up in the also Civic-based Acura Integra.
Yes, this SUV is built on the bones of the latest 11th-generation Civic, and unlike the Toyota, the ZR-V will be offered with independent rear suspension instead of a torsion beam. With the car also tipped to be introduced in Japan, could it make its way to Southeast Asia too? It would make sense, given that the Corolla Cross was developed with ASEAN in mind and is racking up sales both in Malaysia and around the region.
The use of the ZR-V name for this car does complicate matters for the smaller sub-HR-V SUV also in the works, which was previously reported to be getting the moniker. That model could go back to using the WR-V name, which first appeared on a crossover-styled variant of the previous-generation Jazz.
GALLERY: 2023 Honda ZR-V for China
GALLERY: 2023 Honda HR-V for United States
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GALLERY: 2023 Honda HR-V for Europe
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This is why the soon will be launched HR-V need to be priced way cheaper than the Corolla Cross. This is to make room for the ZR-V when it is launched here in Malaysia.
Malaysian are not fools, pricing a B-segment SUV (HR-V) close to a C-segment SUV (Corolla Cross) pricing will be the wrong approach especially when we all know the direct competitor for the Corolla Cross is this ZR-V.
The front grille is just So Not Honda. BMW has to go with kidney eventually..but honda, this grille was never in your DNA. what a letdown.
I thought it’s Ford Focus Cross
If US HRV goes global then what does that make of the global HRV?
I think it will be offered but below the ZR-V (US HR-V). Not everyone will take ZR-V though, so to be safe they will offered but with different market segment. HR-V will enter the B Segment Crossover while ZR-V will enter C segment crossover.
Reminds of ford puma.
Wow. Looks way better than the new HRV. Also no more torsion beams on the rear. Should be better absorbing road bumps.