New hybrid hero! 2023 Honda ZR-V mid-size SUV locked in for Australian arrival with hybrid from launch - is it a new Toyota RAV4 rival?

If you miss sedans but still need the practicality of an SUV, Honda hopes its first new member of the segment launched this century will be on your shopping list.

The 2023 Honda ZR-V has been confirmed for an Australian launch in the middle of this year, making it the first new Honda SUV introduced since the HR-V was launched at the end of the 1990s.

Slotting into the brand’s range between the HR-V and CR-V - the new generation of the latter is due to launch later this year too - the ZR-V will be available with a hybrid variant from launch and Honda hopes to entice customers with a point of difference over other SUVs.

Honda Australia director Carolyn McMahon said the new member of the brand’s SUV family comes at the right time as it “continues to see a shift in the SUV market in Australia and an opportunity for growth in the medium-SUV segment”.

Part of the ZR-V’s point of difference from its stablemates, aside from its sizing, is a lower stance that the brand says evokes a ‘sedan-like’ driving position, which McMahon hopes means the ZR-V “will redefine how SUVs are seen”.

Pricing for the ZR-V line-up, as well as more detailed specifications based on variants, isn’t yet announced and won’t be until closer to mid-year.

But Honda Australia says it’ll be available with either Honda's 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which makes 131kW/240Nm in the ZR-V in Japan, or a non-turbocharged but hybrid-assisted 2.0-litre Atkinson-cycle petrol engine making 135kW/315Nm.

The latter of the two drivetrains was most recently introduced on Australian roads under the bonnet of the new Civic e:HEV hybrid, where it allows for a fuel economy of 4.2 litres per 100 kilometres.

In line with Honda’s move to a fixed-price retail dealer model, with a focus on high-specification cars with a premium angle, the variant range will consist of a VTi X, VTi L, VTi LX and e:HEV LX - no ‘base model’ VTi in sight.

The entry VTi X will come with 17-inch wheels, while others will get 18-inch sets, plus each grade will have features like LED headlights, a 9.0-inch multimedia display with Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay functionality, front and rear parking sensors, and Honda’s safety tech like 'Collision Mitigation Braking System', 'Adaptive Cruise Control', and 'Traffic Sign Recognition'.

Expect to see the Honda ZR-V land around May to June this year, and stay tuned for pricing and more information.