Honda ZR-V previewed in Japan ahead of 2023 launch

Honda has unveiled its new ZR-V – a hybrid SUV that expands the brand’s growing electrified line-up.

Revealed in Japan, where the ZR-V will go on sale first, the new model will sit between the HR-V and CR-V in Honda’s SUV line-up.

Showcasing a smart and elegant design, the ZR-V aims to be the sportiest model in the firm’s SUV range, with a large grille and imposing horizontal bars helping it to stand out from the crowd.

Wide LED headlights also feature, while the body-coloured wheel arches and lower areas (rather than black plastic cladding) help to give it a sportier design than other models in its segment.

Moving inside, the ZR-V gets a design not too dissimilar from that of the latest Civic, with the brand’s familiar touchscreen present and correct, along with full-width air vents and a digital instrument cluster.

There are gear selector buttons for ‘drive’ and ‘reverse’, for example, which replace a conventional gear shift. The images appear to show a storage area underneath the centre console, too.

Honda has confirmed the ZR-V will be fitted with the same 181bhp 2.0-litre petrol-electric hybrid setup as the latest Civic, with the firm saying it’ll offer a ‘high-quality, exhilarating and one-class-above driving experience in various driving situations’. All-wheel drive will also be offered – a feature not available on the more compact HR-V.

Although a regular 1.5-litre petrol engine is also being offered, it’s unlikely that it’ll be sold in Europe.

Honda in Japan will begin taking orders for the ZR-V in September, but the UK probably won’t see deliveries before the start of 2023, with further details to follow.