Which 2022 Honda HR-V variant should you buy? [Comparison Guide]

Honda Cars Philippines Inc. has officially launched the all-new 2022 HR-V. To this end, many who are currently in that market for, or are thinking of getting a new ride might be eyeing Honda’s next-gen version of its subcompact crossover.

2022 Honda HR-V Finally in the Philippines - Philkotse Quick Look

The all-new Honda HR-V has three variants for the Philippine market. These are the HR-V S CVT, HR-V V Turbo CVT, and the HR-V RS Turbo CVT. So, which one’s the right one for you? Let us help you answer that question.

The HR-V V Turbo (red), and the HR-V S (white)

Honda HR-V Variants: Exterior

Starting with the exterior, the RS, V, and S trim does have some similarities between them. Common among them is a pair of LED headlamps with auto on/off function, LED fog lamps, LED taillights, and an LED high-mount stop lamp. Both also come with a shark fin antenna and a tailgate spoiler. The LED taillights on the RS though, look different as it gets a clear housing. Moreover, the turn signal indicators on the RS are sequential.

The 2022 Honda HR-V V Turbo

For styling though, the V variant gets a black mesh grille and sportier-looking rear and front bumpers. The S trim in turn got a black bar-type grille and a set of more discreet-looking bumpers.

Also, the V trim gets an auto-folding side mirror which the S trim lacks. It also has a fancier dual tailpipe trim. Both, however, do come standard with a set of 17-inch wheels. The one on the V trim uses a gray alloy color, while the S trim gets a black and silver alloy set.

The HR-V RS variant

The HR-V RS Turbo stands out among the three HR-V trims as it gets RS-specific exterior pieces. Added to it is a set of larger 18-inch grey alloy RS wheels, a gloss black bumper, a set of different-looking side garnishes, as well as a chrome front grille. And of course, it also comes with RS badging. The top-spec RS variant, however, still gets black-colored exterior trim pieces and largely the same exterior features as the V, save for the addition of rain-sensing wipers.

The 2022 Honda HR-V S

Lastly, the HR-V V and HR-V RS are longer at 4,385mm, while the HR-V comes with a length of 4,330mm. All three do come with a width of 1,790mm, a height of 1,590mm, and a wheelbase length of 2,610mm. The entry-level S then gets more ground clearance at 196mm, while the V and RS variants get 181mm. The aforementioned figures also indicate that it is slightly larger compared to the old HR-V.

Honda HR-V Variants: Interior

Step inside all three HR-V trims and one will see that the three all come standard with a rear armrest, a 60:40 split folding rear seat, ambient lighting, and plenty of other means of illumination.

The V Turbo variant's cockpit

All three trims also come standard with the ULT seat configuration. These are the same versatile multi-position rear seats that are also found on the City Hatchback. It provides a long mode for lengthy items and a tall mode for tall items. Only the top-spec RS, however, gets an eight-way power adjustable driver's seat. The others meanwhile, get manually adjustable driver's seats.

The top-spec RS and the midspec V do provide a seven-inch digital gauge display, while the HR-V S gets a smaller 4.2-inch display. Moreover, the top-spec RS and V both come with a leather shift knob, leather seats, and a leather steering wheel. It also gets an auto-dimming rearview mirror which is absent on the S trim.

Inside the top-spec HR-V RS Turbo

All are then kitted out with a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, automatic climate control with rear vents, a push-to-start button, an accessory charging socket, front USB ports, as well as a tonneau cover.

The top-spec RS and V trims both improve upon those with additional USB ports in the rear. The V also gets a black interior with silver accents. Compare that to the HR-V S which gets a plain black-themed interior.

A peek inside the HR-V S's front cabin

To make the top-spec RS stand out from the regular variants, Honda gave it's interior red-colored contrast stitching. These can be found on its shift knob, seats, and leather steering wheel.

Honda HR-V Variants: Tech & Safety

For entertainment, all HR-V variants for the Philippines come standard with an eight-inch touchscreen. This is linked to a six-piece speaker system, and it can connect to smartphones via Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and USB.

For driver assist systems, all three trims come with the Honda Sensing suite. This includes adaptive cruise control, a low-speed follow function, collision mitigation braking, lane keep assist, road departure mitigation, automatic high beams, as well as lead car departure notification.

The top-spec RS though gets an additional two airbags bringing its total to six. The rest then come with four airbags. Also, the RS comes with the Honda LaneWatch camera. Of note, this particular feature is not present on the other two trims, though all do come with speed-sensing door locks and a multiview reverse camera.

A closer look at the 2022 HR-V's touchscreen headunit

All three variants of the HR-V also get the usual safety equipment you’d expect from a modern vehicle. They all have anti-lock braking with electronic brake-force distribution, stability control, ISOFIX child seat anchors, a car alarm and engine immobilizer, hill-descent control, and hill-start assist.

Honda HR-V Variants: Engine & Performance

Under the hood, all three HR-V variants come with a gasoline-powered 1.5-liter inline-4 engine. The one on the RS and V trims , however, has a stronger engine output of 174 horsepower and 240 Nm of torque. Meanwhile, the HR-V S trim is good for 119 horsepower and 145 Nm of torque.

The HR-V V's 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 gasoline engine. The RS also uses this engine

This is because the HR-V V and the HR-V RS are both given a single-scroll, 100 kPa turbocharger. The HR-V S meanwhile uses a good ol’ naturally-aspirated engine.

Other than that, the HR-V RS, HR-V V, and HR-V S use the same front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout. Both also use a continuously variable transmission with a paddle shifter for the manual mode.

For suspensions, all three trims are also identical. They all use a MacPherson strut for the front and an axle-type suspension for the rear. All HR-V trims also come with disc brakes for all four wheels and an electronic parking brake with an auto brake hold function.

The HR-V S's 1.5-liter naturally-aspirated inline-4 gasoline engine

Do note though that the top-spec RS and the V both get a Sport mode on top of the Economy mode and Normal Mode. The HR-V S does not get Sport mode based on Honda PH’s spec sheet.

The RS also stands alone in the local HR-V lineup in that it is the only trim that comes with a variable gear ratio steering system. This makes the steering on the RS more responsive and potentially quicker compared to the other two.

Honda HR-V Variants: Price

Honda HR-V Variants: Conclusion

From the specs alone, it's pretty clear that the top-spec Honda HR-V RS Turbo makes for the sportiest among the three HR-V trims. Then again, it does produce the same power as the turbocharged V variant. The S meanwhile sits as the weakest in terms of engine output among the three.

The HR-V V Turbo variant from the rear

Beyond that, Honda also gave the V trim and RS trim plenty of niceties that are not present in the S trim. So on top of sportiness, both may also prove to be more convenient and plusher than the S. Do note though that the RS might be the easiest to use since it gets power-adjustability for its driver's seat. It also has the prettiest interior by far.

Safety-wise, there are no differences between the V and the S. As such, either is a good choice since both variants are closely similar to each other. The RS, in turn, might prove to be the most capable of crash protection among the three due to its additional airbags.

The HR-V RS from the rear

All three variants also get the same rear seats with the same long and tall mode which is pretty practical for a person with an active lifestyle.

To boil it down to the nitty-gritty of things, the final decision will depend on your personal preference. If you want the sportiest-looking, and sportiest-feeling HR-V, go for the RS. If one wants power but not the stand-out appearance of the RS, go for the V. If one wants the best ratio between features and price, then the entry-level S might suit your needs.

The HR-V S variant from the rear

For more variant comparisons like this, keep it here on the Philippines’ largest automotive portal.