Honda ZR-V Goes Hybrid-Only In Japan With 2.0L e:HEV

Honda has given the ZR-V a small refresh in Japan, but the bigger news is under the hood. The SUV has now gone fully hybrid, dropping the regular 1.5-liter turbo engine. From here on out, every ZR-V uses the same self-charging 2.0-liter e:HEV setup already offered in Europe.

The changes on the outside are modest. There are new paint colors, fresh 18-inch wheel designs, and a few updated interior themes. The lineup includes the X, Z, Black Style, and a new Cross Touring trim. The Z remains the high-spec version, now available in new shades like Twilight Mist Black Pearl, and Seabed Blue Pearl.

The new Honda ZR-V keeps the same front grille design with vertical slats and comes well equipped inside, with a 9-inch infotainment screen with Google built in, a 10.2-inch digital cluster, Bose audio, heated power seats, leather trim, dual-zone climate control, and a multi-view camera.

The Black Style version adds a darker look with a honeycomb grille, black accents, and black-finished wheels. Inside, it continues the all-dark theme. The new Cross Touring takes a slightly tougher approach. It gets a honeycomb grille similar to the US-spec HR-V, extra cladding, aluminum-style skid plates, and matte black wheels. It can also be ordered in Desert Beige Pearl with beige leather and orange stitching, which gives it a more outdoorsy feel.

No matter the trim, power comes from the same 2.0-liter hybrid system producing 181 horsepower. Buyers can choose front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Official prices will be confirmed on March 26, but reports suggest it will start at around ¥3,707,000 ($23,800) for the base hybrid and go up to about ¥4,727,800 ($30,300) for the Cross Touring with AWD.