Honda HR-V 2026 News

Honda says it wants to grow its sales by nearly 50 per cent in Australia despite its local boss saying “business as usual” is dead in our market’s extremely competitive environment. The brand’s CEO Jay Joseph told CarsGuide Honda plans to hit 20,000 units a year, declaring that is a “healthier place” for the brand to be in the long run. Honda sold 15,383 units in Australia in 2025. Joseph earmarked an evolved product portfolio as an opportunity to grow sales, as the brand had done with its recently-launched Super One city hatchback, which he added had exceeded expectations. Honda has expanded its line-up recently by re-introducing the Prelude sports car, after spending years with a largely SUV-only line-up of the HR-V, ZR-V and CR-V alongside the expensive Civic hatch and Accord sedan. In the future, this expanding line-up may include next-generation products from America, with Joseph earmarking Honda’s next-generation large vehicle platform which underpins the Ridgeline ute and Pilot SUV as possibly being built in right-hand drive. Ironically given the changing market, this may also mean sourcing cars from Honda’s Chinese joint venture, which the company recently re-committed to at a global level. “When I say ‘scan the globe’ I really mean scan the globe,” he said of sourcing Hondas from China, “the economics of that are of course a little different, because for every car maker, except Tesla, the products which come out of China are developed with a joint-venture partner and the best we could do is reap half the profits of that, so we have to be careful about it.” His comments are in stark contrast to some brands that have been far faster to accept Chinese joint-venture models into their line-ups, such as Mazda (6e, CX-6e), Kia (EV5) and Nissan (Navara Pro PHEV). “They start off with a disadvantage, but I would never say never either,” continued Joseph. “If we have the opportunity to bring the right product, which meets customer’s needs, we’d certainly consider it.” “We’ve already done it in Japan, the new Honda Insight is China-sourced, so we’re not opposed to it as a company.” Other automakers turning to Chinese-built low-emissions vehicles is no accident. In the case of Nissan and Mazda in particular, there is an urgent need to bring down their emissions footprint thanks to Australia’s recently implemented New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). It’s proving prohibitively expensive to solve with models built in Japan or South East Asia where emissions laws are comparatively lax. It also exposes a glaring hole in Honda Australia’s current line-up, a fully electric mid-size SUV, which could only be filled by the Chinese-built Honda P7. The P7, which is built alongside joint-venture partner GAC, has struggled for market share in China, with some speculating the tie-up wouldn’t be renewed past its expiry date. Honda re-committed to the deal earlier this year. It also partners with Dongfeng on the similar S7, as well as the more mainstream and affordable e:NS2 crossover. Honda’s own in-house plans also feature electric vehicles too, despite its widely-reported cancellation of three new models, which were planned for a US market entry. The brand said its Alpha 0 concept, which adopts the company’s “Thin, Light, and Wise” design philosophy would still go to production, with the concept appearing as a small SUV and electric alternative to the current HR-V. Interestingly it will be built in India (a fellow right-hand drive market) and exported for a global audience to keep costs low. The new model is expected to be revealed early next year. Joseph also earmarked the CR-V in particular as a model he thinks should be performing better in the sales charts. “For the life of me I can’t understand how that isn’t a top-10 vehicle in its segment,” he said. “The product is absolutely as good if not better than the competition so there has to be something else. We’ve got to tell more people about it. We’ve got to win that upper funnel of awareness and consideration better than we have been. “Because, we convert really well. Every Honda dealer tells me the same thing: Once we get buyers into a test-drive, we win. Once they drive the Honda, they like it better, but it’s a matter of getting them into that test drive.”

Honda has released details of an updated version of its HR-V for the Japanese domestic market, where the small SUV is badged Vezel. Exterior cosmetic changes as well as new features inside have been added to internal-combustion engine (ICE) and ‘e:HEV’ hybrid models to freshen the car’s looks and enhance practicality. In Australia, the HR-V is offered across four model grades, all front-wheel drive; the entry-level, pure-combustion Vi X, with the e:HEV powertrain available in X, L and flagship RS form. Japanese buyers also have the choice of four models - one combustion (G) and three hybrid (X, Z & Z Play package) - however, all-wheel drive is standard on the base ICE car and an option on the hybrids. The Japanese market facelift sees the wheel arches and front, side, and rear bumper garnishes finished in the same colour as the body on the Z models, with additions to the base G’s spec list including: Rear ventilation Dual rear USB-C ports Black inner headlight lenses On top of that, the e:HEV X has picked up: Heated front seats As well as the exterior trim pieces finished in body colour, the e:HEV Z also gets the black inner headlight lens treatment, with the Z Play package adding 18-inch alloy rims with a dark clear finish. Colours not seen in Australia so far, include Seabed Blue Pearl and Premium Sunlight White Pearl. Already on sale, the updated Japanese HR-V is priced from ¥2.77 million, which, taking import and distribution costs into account translates to a number very close to the local HR-V Vi X’s current $32,900, drive-away price. The Japanese flagship e:HEV Z Play package sits at ¥3.66 million in FWD form, again close to its Australian RS equivalent at $44,400, drive-away on an import-adjusted basis. CarsGuide contacted Honda Australia for comment on the updated HR-V’s potential for local release and a spokesperson said, “We are unable to confirm at this stage whether the updated HR-V currently available in Japan will be introduced to the Australian market.”

Honda has added a sporty flagship RS grade to its local HR-V line-up, the e:HEV hybrid variant bringing a unique exterior cosmetic package, big rims and an interior makeover to the top of the compact SUV range. Priced at $44,400, drive-away, the newcomer adds a relatively modest $1500 premium on top of the previous top-spec HR-V e:HEV L. Carspotters should look for a ‘Bernina Black’ finish on the RS grille and exterior door mirrors, garnishes on the lower section of the doors and bumpers, 18-inch alloy rims filling the wheel arches and RS badgework. Powertrain outputs are unchanged at 96kW and 253Nm from the naturally aspirated 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and ‘2-Motor i-MMD’ hybrid system sending drive to the front wheels via a continuously variable auto transmission. The e:HEV RS is offered in the five main HR-V colours - ‘Platinum White’, ‘Premium White Silver’, ‘Slate Grey’, ‘Premium Crystal Red’ and ‘Botanical Green’ as well as the RS-exclusive ‘Crystal Black’. Introducing the new model Honda Australia Director of Automotive Robert Thorp said, “The introduction of the RS is another example of Honda’s focus on hybrid following the expansion of CR-V and Honda ZR-V hybrid ranges.  “We anticipate by the end of this year, more than 80 per cent of Honda sales will be hybrid,“ he said.  2027 Honda HR-V pricing  

Honda rejects claims that it has abandoned the affordable end of the new-car market, suggesting that its smallest SUV now stands as the de-facto replacement for the Jazz light car discontinued in Australia back in 2021. Right now, the HR-V in base Vi X automatic petrol-powered grade is cheaper than the current-generation has ever been, dropping to $32,900 (all prices are drive-away). That’s $2000 below what it was when launched in Series II guise in September, 2024, which in turn was $1800 less than the pre-facelift version when that debuted as the all-new third-gen HR-V in early 2022 at a stiff $36,700. The Vi X is actually about $500 less expensive than what the Jazz equivalent was in its late-2000s heyday, when sales nudged 10,000 units annually. Back then, it started from around $21,000 ($33,400 adjusted for inflation in 2026) for the base GLi 1.3-litre auto, while the $23,555 Jazz VTi 1.5L auto cost about $37,500 in today’s money. According to Honda Australia Director Rob Thorp Australian consumers are now responding to the HR-V as a result of the lower pricing over the past 18 months. “The HR-V in particular plays an important role for us as an entry point into the brand,” he told CarsGuide. “And that in itself, for the last year or two, has been a hugely successful model for us, actually. And continues to sell well.” While steady this year, HR-V sales jumped 44 per cent in 2025 to (a still modest) 4817 units, running ahead of the small SUV segment’s 16 per cent growth year-on-year. In contrast, with the light-car class that the Jazz belonged to down by nearly 28 per cent last year, Thorp revealed that the numbers required to sustain the light hatchback would not add up, vindicating his company’s decision to drop it. “At times you have to make really hard business decisions,” he admitted. “Whilst the Jazz was a beloved brand name and was a volume vehicle for us, the reality was, economically, it was really hard. And we had to make a tough yet courageous decision to not continue with it “If you took the economics out of it, I agree. We would have loved to have kept it, but just unfortunately, it didn't work.” Making this worse, the current GR/GS-series Jazz that Australia misses out on would have switched to costlier Japanese-sourcing, since Thai production ceased with the discontinuation of the previous GK version at the beginning of this decade. That Honda has managed to cut the price of the HR-V Vi X by nearly $4000 since 2022 is all the more remarkable considering that it is also imported from Japan, rather than Thailand like its successful predecessor was from 2015. Plus, post-2024 facelift, the small SUV received more safety technology and improvements to the steering, suspension and refinement, making it a better and sharper proposition than before.

Honda could add a cheaper, smaller model to sit under the HR-V as part of its plans for growth in Australia.