#NOSTALGIA ULTRA CAR LICENSE#

ThereвЂ™s actually some neat stuff going on inside the new HR-V. Mind you, lower trims donвЂ™t get massive slabs of plastic down their flanks, so good on Honda for trying to be somewhat restrained with the trim. Sure, itвЂ™ll scratch like DJ Lethal, but it should age so much better than simple textured plastic. Photo credit: HondaДЄlso, letвЂ™s talk about the use of glossy black plastic cladding on the EX-L trim instead of unpainted tupperware. IвЂ™m crossing my fingers for amber blinkers. The little LED strip beneath the red swoosh looks to be either for reverse lights or indicators. Altezza-style tail lights that are actually pleasant instead of heinous, with lots of neat detailing. The HR-VвЂ™s tail lights themselves are also quite good, a fun bit of nostalgia for the aughts. Clean and minimalist, a breath of actual air in todayвЂ™s sea of overstyled cars. See that unadorned panel between the tail lights? ThatвЂ™s quite neat. Thankfully, things tidy up nicely out back. IвЂ™m not saying that better wheels would transform this into a fabulously sharp vehicle, but come on. Those EX-L wheels just make the HR-V look like a water buffalo on roller skates. Is it just me, or are the wheel designs on this thing quite dreadful? The Sport trim drowns its wheel design in a bath of black paint, while the EX-LвЂ™s convex five-spoke design with five thin machined strips look downright sad. While the HR-VвЂ™s profile styling is quite agreeable, things get worse as your eyes wander toward the ground.

Things get a bit better around the side вЂ“ think five-eighths-scale Acura MDX if someone didnвЂ™t quite nail the scaling on the vertical axis.

#NOSTALGIA ULTRA CAR LICENSE#

It know the chances of receiving an ugly state-mandated front license plate and approaches such a possible fate with a cynicism usually reserved for deeply disappointed optimists. ItвЂ™s seething with contempt for its purpose вЂ“ schlepping Lack coffee tables home from IKEA after its ownerвЂ™s housemate had a Marinara disaster. Photo credit: HondaДЇrom the front, the new HR-V looks decidedly unimpressed, like it loathes the concept of being a vehicle. Mark my words, youвЂ™re gonna see these things absolutely everywhere no matter your demographic. Greetings fellow youths, how do you do? Would you like an angry-looking subcompact crossover good for carrying things and going places? Sure you do! Say hello to the new 2023 Honda HR-V, itвЂ™s a lot like a Civic but bigger.

Nostalgia ultra car