The Honda HR-V multipurpose vehicle was perhaps the first crossover sport utility vehicle that combined passenger car comfort with the looks of a rugged four-wheel drive off-road wagon. Honda produced the HR-V from 1999 to 2006 and took some of its mechanical and design components from its larger sibling, the CR-V. While it wasn't that versatile off-roading, it was a fuel-efficient, lightweight vehicle marketed to younger drivers.
Background
Honda presented a front-wheel HR-V prototype at the 1997 Tokyo Auto Show as a "joy" car because it behaved both as a respectable commuter vehicle and as a fun competitor against the brawnier and more off-road oriented Toyota RAV4. The HR-V came in two- and four-wheel configurations. Honda launched the HR-V in September 1998 with the four-wheel drive version arriving in February 1999. The five-door model appeared in July 1999. While the four-wheel drive model provided better traction on the paved roads, it wasn't the kind of vehicle to go off-roading in the mud or snow.
VTEC and Dual Pump
The HR-V sported a 105-horsepower 1.6-liter in-line four-cylinder engine in its four-wheel drive three-door estate models. A beefier 123-horsepower VTEC was an option for the three- and five-door models on the four-wheel drives, but not the two-wheel versions. A continuously variable transmission matched the standard 1.6-liter engines and a five-speed manual matched the 6-liter VTEC. A key feature was Honda's "Dual Pump" four-wheel drive system lifted for the HR-V from the CR-V. The Dual Pump's computerized sensor automatically engaged the rear wheels when the system sensed the front wheels were slipping. Honda gave the HR-V a modest body upgrade in 2001 by beefing up the front to give it a more masculine appearance. The automaker also restyled the rear. The interior received silver accents.
Specs
The HR-V's 1.6-liter four-cylinder generated 105 horsepower and 100 foot-pounds of torque. The engine had a 2.95-inch bore and 3.54-inch stroke with four valves per cylinder. Its compression ratio was 9.6-to-1. The three-door versions sat on a 92.5-inch wheelbase and the body measured 157.9 inches long, 65.7 inches tall and 66.7 inches wide. Its curbside weight was 2,601 lbs. and the fuel tank held 14.5 gallons. The five-door model had a 96.5-inch wheelbase and the body was 161.8 inches long. Its width and height were the same as the three-door model. The five-door model's curbside weight rating was 2,771 lbs.
Performance
The HR-V's strength was its gas mileage. It earned 27 mpg in the city and 37 mpg in highway driving for a combined 32.8 mpg. It could reach 0 to 62 mph in 11.2 seconds with a top speed of 103 mph. Equipped with the standard 1.6-liter engine, the four-wheel drive HR-V competed more closely with the Volvo V70 or Audi Allroad Quattro wagons than the Toyota RAV4, which had better off-road performance. While Honda marketed the HR-V as a four-wheel drive, it's more of a forerunner to the all-wheel drive models that provided better traction on slippery roads instead of playing in the mud
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