One of my friends is trying to decide between buying an HR-V or a Civic with a 2.0 engine.
Is the 2.0 engine too weak for the HR-V? Is it worth paying more for the HR-V? I’d like to hear your opinion on which car is better.
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The HRV is really slow. Honda says it takes 9.4 seconds to reach 60 mph, but Motortrend says it takes 11 seconds. You’d have to look back to the 80s to find another Honda this slow.
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That’s what worries me too. I wish it had a turbo engine option.
The Civic hatchback has more cargo space and more room for your hips, shoulders, and legs compared to the HR-V. Unless you really need more headroom, higher ground clearance, or all-wheel drive, there’s no strong reason to choose the HR-V over the Civic hatchback.
I have a 2023 HR-V EX-L that I’ve had since July 2022.
The acceleration is good enough for a reliable daily driver with plenty of storage and passenger space. It’s not fast, but that’s not a big deal since most driving involves sitting in traffic or behind someone else. I often drive at 85 mph on the interstate, and I find that about 60% throttle gives the best acceleration. At full throttle, the engine revs loudly but doesn’t seem to give much more performance. The 2.0 engine should last longer than the 1.5 turbo since it doesn’t have turbochargers or direct injection—just a dependable Honda engine.
For an entry-level crossover, it performs better than expected. The handling and ride quality are very good. I test drove the Civic but preferred the HR-V because I don’t like sitting low in highway traffic and have a bad back, so the HR-V’s ergonomics are easier on me.
I get around 29 mpg with my front-wheel-drive HR-V, which is less than the Civic could achieve.
Is the HR-V underpowered? It has the same engine and transmission as the Civic but is heavier. So, it’s a bit less powerful than the Civic. I think the Civic’s power would be fine if it had a regular automatic transmission instead of the CVT, especially for things like passing other cars.
If I could trade in my car, I’d choose the HR-V for its all-wheel drive. But since I live in Washington State, where there’s often snow and ice and lots of mountain driving, I’d probably go for a Crosstrek instead.
Unless you want or need AWD, civic is a better option because cars have higher safety standards than SUVs and crossovers, which legally classify as light duty trucks
I’ve got a 2.0 Civic (2019) and it’s got more than enough power, it’s excellent on the highway. I would lean that direction unless the extra space of the HR-V is a major consideration.
My fiancé has a 2023 HR-V base model that I drive often. Could it be quicker? Sure. But I don’t have any trouble getting up to speed. It’s tuned well for city driving.
Here are a few things I think could be better: The rear camera gets water on it during rain and makes it hard to see. The seats are a bit firm. The mileage could be better (26.4 mpg with mostly city driving). The speakers aren’t great. And the power outlet is in the trunk, which makes it hard to use my portable tire pump.
I have a 2019 HR-V. It’s a bit slow, but it gets the job done. It’s really practical and has all-wheel drive, so it’s basically an all-wheel-drive Civic.