US-spec vs PH-spec Honda HR-V: What are the differences? 

Honda Philippines has already released the all-new HR-V crossover. We already had the opportunity to give it a spin all the way to Batangas, and we are somewhat familiar with its ins and outs. More recently though, Honda North America released another version of the HR-V for the Yanks. 

So how does the US-spec Honda HR-V compare to the local version? Let’s compare them to find out. 

US-spec vs PH-spec Honda HR-V: Exterior 

First off, the exterior look of the U.S.-spec HR-V looks quite different to the one we have locally. Its LED headlamps, for example, have the integrated LED daytime running lamps positioned on the lower portion, instead of the top portion on the Philippine model. 

The US-spec Honda HR-V

The American HR-V also gets a trapezoidal grille which looks like the inverted version of the one we have on our HR-V. The American model also has a larger, less-refined grille pattern compared to the Philippine crossover, and it gets a less subtle-looking lower bumper as well. 

From the sides though, both HR-Vs pretty much get the same modern crossover shape complete with black plastic trims on the wheel arches. Then again, the Philippine-spec model uses a set of 17-inch wheels that look totally different compared to the 17-inch or 18-inch wheel set on the American HR-V.  

The Honda HR-V V variant for the Philippine market

Moving to the rear, the American HR-V lacks the LED bar that connects both taillights on the Philippine model. The American version also appears to come with silver trim pieces on its rear air dam, a feature which is not present on the PH-spec HR-V V variant. 

In turn, the American HR-V also lacks the twin tailpipes which are present on the HR-V's top-spec V variant available locally. Its rear door handles also assume a more traditional position, in contrast to those on the Philippine HR-V's which are positioned on its C-pillars. 

The US-spec HR-V from the rear

Lastly, the HR-V for the American market is a fair bit larger than the local version. That’s because it comes with a length of 4,568mm, a width of 1,840mm, and a height of 1,621mm. Compare that to the Philippine-spec HR-V V which is 4,385mm long, 1,790mm wide, and 1,590mm in height. The HR-V for the US also has a longer wheelbase spanning 2,655mm, while the local version’s wheelbase is 2,610mm long. 

The Philippine market HR-V's rear end

US-spec vs PH-spec Honda HR-V: Interior 

Just like the Philippine-spec Honda HR-V, the one that’s available in the U.S. can also seat up to five. Its dashboard looks different, appearing to be closer to the dashboard of the current Honda Civic.

The American HR-V's front cabin  

Besides cosmetic differences, the arrangement of the automatic air-conditioning controls, its air vents, the steering wheel, and the head unit appear to be identical. Well, save for the electronic parking brake button and hill-hold control, which on the U.S. model is centered with the gearshift lever. On the Philippine model, these buttons are positioned closer to the driver. 

Inside the Philippine-spec HR-V V

Both versions also have 60:40 split folding rear seats, and both also get a decent amount of premium interior trim pieces.  

US-spec vs PH-spec Honda HR-V: Tech and Safety 

Moving on to tech, the US version of the HR-V gets a physical gauge cluster while the Philippine top-spec V variant gets a fully digital display. 

The U.S. market HR-V's touchscreen

Moreover, the Philippine version gets a smaller eight-inch touchscreen, while the US version (top-spec EX-L) gets a larger nine-inch touchscreen. Both do come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, and USB connectivity.  

When it comes to safety, both the HR-V versions come standard with the Honda Sensing driver-assist safety package. This means both have adaptive cruise control, low-speed follow, collision mitigation braking, lane-keep assist, road departure mitigation, blind-spot detection, etc. The U.S. version, however, comes with the addition of traffic sign recognition and a traffic jam assist feature.  

A closer look at the Philippine-spec HR-V's touchscreen

US-spec vs PH-spec Honda HR-V: Engine and Performance 

For what’s under the hood, the U.S. version of the Honda HR-V uses a 2.0-liter inline-4 gasoline engine that’s capable of making up to 158 horsepower and 187 Nm of torque.  

In comparison, the Philippine-spec HR-V V variant uses a 1.5 turbocharged inline-4 gasoline mill that produces 174 horsepower and 240 Nm of torque.  

The HR-V V's 1.5-liter inline-4 turbocharged gasoline engine

That said, the Philippine-spec model definitely uses a much beefier engine than its Stateside version. However, both use a continuously variable transmission, though the one on the U.S. model comes with the Honda Step-shift programming, which simulates gear changes at full throttle.  

Furthermore, the Philippine-spec HR-V is a front-wheel-drive model, whereas the US-spec HR-V comes with real-time all-wheel-drive.  

As hinted at by their differing interiors, these two models actually use different platforms. For the US model, it is underpinned by the same Honda Architecture that the new Civic uses.  

The American HR-V gets all-wheel-drive

The Philippine model, meanwhile, shares the same platform with the seventh-gen Honda City. That said, it is quite apparent that the US model is far heavier, but also potentially roomier than the Philippine-spec model. 

US-spec vs PH-spec Honda HR-V: Conclusion 

All in all, the main differences between the local HR-V and the U.S.-spec HR-V all have to do with their exterior designs, chassis, and powertrains. So, one can pretty much call them “cousins” as they do not share that much mechanical DNA from each other. 

They do have comparable levels of gadgetry and interior comfort. Well, save for some particular features like the U.S. HR-V's traffic sign recognition system.  

So, which do you think looks better? Do you lean more towards the look of the American HR-V? Or do you prefer what we have locally?  

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