2024 Honda HR-V facelift revealed – adaptive high beam, new taillights, more responsive e:HEV hybrid

Honda has pulled the covers off the facelifted second-generation Vezel in Japan (known to you and me as the HR-V), which brings some (very) minor changes to the B-segment crossover’s design, interior and powertrain.

On the outside, the blink-and-you’ll-miss-them updates include a mildly reprofiled front end, which appears slightly more streamlined and features a wider grille vaguely similar to the smaller Elevate (called the WR-V in Japan), replete with a silver bar that joins the headlights. There are also new taillights which feature a slim red bar, giving the car a sleeker look.

It wasn’t mentioned in the press release, but the new Vezel is offered with optional projector headlights. These feature the Adaptive Driving Beam (ADB) function offered on the Civic in other markets (not here, unfortunately), which can block off certain parts of the high beam to avoid dazzling other road users.

New for 2024 is a HuNT variant that gives the Vezel a more rugged aesthetic, adding roof rails, silver door mirrors and orange highlights around the front fog lights and skid plate. You also get revised upholstery options on the inside, while the “wraparound” centre console of old has been replaced by a more conventional unit with an additional storage compartment beneath the air-con controls.

In terms of safety, the Honda Sensing suite of safety assists has been enhanced with the addition of Traffic Jam Assist (TJA), providing steering assistance at lower speeds. There’s also Collision Mitigation Throttle Control that protects against sudden acceleration as a result of pedal misapplication.

Honda has also tweaked the operation of the e:HEV dual-motor hybrid powertrain to “further enhance the engine sound while driving in the city” and make it more responsive. No details as to what has changed, but we can assume that it will continue to be powered by a 131 PS/253 Nm electric motor, plus a 105 PS/127 Nm 1.5 litre DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine as a generator.

The updated Vezel will go on sale in Japan in the spring of this year. Keep in mind that our HR-V looks quite different on higher-end trims (bodykit, visible exhausts, “chequered flag” grille), so this won’t necessarily be representative of the facelifted model Malaysians will eventually get.

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