Honda HR-V Ground Clearance: What to Know
2015 Honda HR-V by EurovisionNim — CC BY-SA 4.0
Technically, the Honda HR-V was introduced in 1998. But if you saw a picture of that boxy old thing, you would quickly see why it was discontinued in 2006 and not brought to America until it underwent a massive redesign in 2013.
Now, it is a funky fresh subcompact SUV, taking on the role of Honda’s smallest crossover style vehicle since the Fit was discontinued in the states after the 2020 model year.
But one place where the HR-V distinguishes itself from the Fit is how high it sits off the ground. The Honda HR-V’s ground clearance is 6.2 inches. We’ll go over what that means for you as a driver and how it compares to the competition.
What Can You Do with a Honda HR-V?
As a modern replacement for the Honda Element and eventual successor to the Fit, the Honda HR-V ground clearance is nothing to write home about. It was designed primarily to be used on the roads of cities and suburbs. But having a little bit of ground clearance doesn’t hurt there.
I’m sure we’ve all driven down some bumpy, poorly maintained roads where we worried the next pothole would wreck our suspensions or the next divot would scrape your car’s delicate underbelly. With 6.3 inches between the lowest point of the vehicle and the ground below it, your HR-V should be able to handle most of the roads you can drive on.
Another issue you might encounter in the city is steep ramps going up into parking garages or lots higher than the road. With some vehicles (primarily sportscars and longer sedans), a sharp ramp can leave the front wheels significantly higher than the back wheels. If the top of the ramp isn’t smoothed out properly, this can leave the middle of your car exposed and could lead to some damage to the underbelly of your vehicle.
The same thing can even happen while coming off of a steep curb. Luckily, The HR-V’s 6.2 inches of ground clearance give it enough room off the ground that your car won’t likely encounter this problem. The shorter wheelbase of the HR-V also helps avoid this problem, allowing for a steeper angle of ascent on ramps or curbs. Longer cars, such as limousines (even presidential ones), have to be more careful than you do in your subcompact SUV.
And while it wasn’t explicitly designed to go off-road, the HR-V should be able to handle some unpaved dirt roads without too much issue. You have to make sure your tires have enough tread to handle the rough terrain, and you don’t want to get onto any roads that are too steep, but country roads in gently rolling hills shouldn’t pose a problem for your Honda HR-V.
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What Can’t You Do with a Honda HR-V?
While the HR-V isn’t allergic to dirt roads, it wasn’t made for them. Any time you are off-road, you have to be on the lookout for any large rocks or overgrown vegetation on the path you’re following. You don’t want to do any damage to your transmission, exhaust system, or gas tank, especially if you’re roughing it out in the country where there might not be a mechanic nearby, and a tow truck might be harder to get and more expensive.
You also don’t want to take on any rough roads that are too steep. Even if you spring for the all-wheel-drive option, the HR-V values fuel efficiency overpower, and the 141 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque might not be enough to push you over that hill that looks doable.
It should also go without saying that the HR-V should not be used for rock climbing, mudding, or fording rivers. If that’s what you want, go for a Jeep or Bronco, don’t push your luck in an HR-V. On top of the genuine risk of rolling over on boulders, the luckiest you can hope to get is only to cause minor damage to your car’s undercarriage.
And as an on-road subcompact, it doesn’t have heavy-duty skid plates; mud will cake up in your car’s components which could cause significant problems both short and long term. Then if you try to cross a river, water can flood your engine and stall it, making it even easier for a current to push it down the creek with you inside and not necessarily on its wheels anymore.
If you’ve ever lived in an area that faces flooding, you know that you should never even drive through puddles if you don’t see the road clearly under them, let alone moving bodies of water. If you want to get into off-roading as a hobby, the Honda HR-V’s ground clearance will not let you do that.
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How Does the Honda HR-V’s Ground Clearance Compare to its Competition?
The HR-V’s ground clearance is around the middle of the pack for subcompact SUVs. Its closest competitors are the Hyundai Kona and Venue, Kia Soul, Chevy Trailblazer, MINI Countryman, and Mazda CX-30, which have ground clearances from 6.5 inches to 6.9 inches. This isn’t a ton of room off the road, but it compares favorably to other models such as the Buick Encore and Chevy Trax (6.2 inches), Toyota CHR (5.9 inches), and Mazda CX-3(6.2 inches). It also has significantly more clearance than its former fellow Honda, with the latest generation of Honda Fit only sitting 4.4 inches off the ground.
Several cars in the same class have much higher ground clearance. For the highest subcompacts off the ground, look to the Jeep Renegade and Subaru Crosstrek (8.7 inches), Mitsubishi Outlander Sport (8.5 inches), Nissan Kicks (8 inches), Fiat 500X (7.9 inches), and Ford EcoSport (7.8 inches).
If ground clearance is vital for your lifestyle and driving style, these options might suit your needs better. But otherwise, the Honda HR-V is a great car, with a high enough ride to avoid problems but not so high as to hurt the handling.
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Honda HR-V Ground Clearance: Is It Good Enough?
As we’ve elaborated in this post, the ground clearance of the Honda HR-V isn’t going to top any best-of list. For many HR-V buyers, they’ll likely use this SUV as a family wagon. The HR-V shines as a daily commuter and family hauler with its excellent fuel economy. When it comes to off-roading, this SUV is just not up to the task – and the ride height reflects that.
While the HR-V’s ride height won’t cut it for off-roading adventures, it’s more than good enough for daily commutes. If you want to get a trim with the highest ground clearance, the clear choice is the HR-V Sport 2WD model, which boasts 7.4 inches of ground clearance – a ride height that’s actually higher than that of the Pilot.
On the other hand, if you prefer a Honda with the highest ground clearance, the Passport with the TrailSport trim stands proud with 8.1 inches of ground clearance.
Overall, the HR-V may not have a monster truck ground clearance, but it’s more than serviceable for its intended purpose.
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