What Does HR-V Stand For On Hondas?

In the world of automobile manufacturers, it's evident they love to use acronyms when naming their models. However, it's not always clear what these letters stand for. Honda is no stranger to labeling their vehicles with ambiguous acronyms, such as the HR-V. According to Honda, HR-V means "Hi-rider Revolutionary Vehicle," although this terminology may conjure up more questions than answers. Fortunately, it appears Honda chose this name for a practical reason – along with some marketing hype mixed in.

The HR-V launched in the U.S. in 2016, but wasn't a new vehicle to other parts of the world. The very first iteration of this vehicle debuted back in the late '90s in both Japan and Europe. Once it reached America's shores nearly a decade ago, Honda introduced it for a specific reason – its size. The automaker needed something more compact than the CR-V, but larger than the small Honda Fit. Still, that leaves the question — what is the specific meaning behind Hi-rider Revolutionary Vehicle?

The very first HR-V released in Japan in 1998 offered 7.5-inches of ground clearance, which was very close to the larger CR-V model. Likely for this reason, it garnered its "hi-rider" name as it provided drivers enhanced off-road capability along with options for all-wheel drive similar to the CR-V. The Honda HR-V and the CR-V have several differences, but both have been popular SUVs that offer suitable clearance from the road. Extra ground clearance is essential for navigating off-road terrain and provides the driver a higher vantage point with which to judge upcoming obstacles.

The 2016 HR-V features 6.7-inches of ground clearance compared to the Honda Fit at only 5-inches. The larger CR-V offers 6.3-inches of clearance from the road for the two-wheel drive version, and 6.7-inches for the all-wheel drive. Essentially, Honda made a smaller version of the CR-V with the HR-V, but included the valuable rugged terrain capability not present in smaller hatchbacks like the Fit.

While perhaps not as revolutionary as Honda would like you to think, the HR-V offers a nice middle-ground within the compact crossover SUV genre. Back in 2014, Senior VP of Honda's U.S. operations Jeff Conrad referenced the company's upcoming models by saying, "Both Fit and HR-V demonstrate how great things can come in small packages, and no one does this better than Honda." 

Sadly, the Honda Fit was discontinued, perhaps due in part to the HR-Vs continued success in capturing the U.S. market. While it isn't exactly Honda's top selling SUV, the HR-V has put up high sales figures year after year and continues to be popular today.

With a recent redesign, the Honda HR-V continues to offer features worth being excited about and considering its success in the U.S. since launch, keeps the automaker competitive in a crowded SUV market. We had a chance to get behind the wheel for our review of the 2023 Honda HR-V and found it feature-rich and affordable, among other observations.