The facelifted HR-V is officially set to arrive on Malaysian shores sometime in the third quarter of 2025.
Just mere hours after Proton previewed its newly updated X50, Honda has swiftly responded with confirmation that its refreshed HR-V will be landing soon too. Bookings for this lightly updated (but still immensely popular) SUV are already open at time of writing, ahead of its scheduled arrival by Q3 2025.
This facelifted HR-V will mark Honda Malaysia’s third new model launch for the year, following the introductions of the similarly refreshed Civic and the fully electric e:N1. It also incidentally represents the first major update to the compact SUV since its debut in 2022, though the Japanese automaker has pretty much chosen not to tamper too much with the successful formula that made it the brand’s best-selling model in the first five months of 2025.
Exterior changes for this update coincidentally mirror those seen on the new Proton X50 facelift, with the facelifted HR-V gaining a wider front grille and a reprofiled bumper up front. A full-width LED tail light strip meanwhile appears round its rump, while the RS variant swaps its previous all-grey 18-inch wheels for a fresh machined two-tone finish.
Inside, the HR-V’s centre console has been reworked into a more conventional and symmetrical layout, which now incorporates an additional storage compartment beneath the air-conditioning controls. The 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system in turn has also been upgraded, and now comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.
Continuing on the tech front, the Honda SENSING active safety suite has been enhanced with the inclusion of Adaptive Driving Beam and Active Cornering Light functions. The facelift further introduces two new exterior colours to the lineup: Phoenix Orange Pearl and Crystal Black Pearl.
Like before, the updated HR-V will be available in Malaysia with three familiar powertrain options: naturally aspirated (NA), turbocharged, and hybrid. Performance figures remain unchanged across the board. The base 1.5-litre NA four-cylinder (shared with the City) still produces 121 PS and 145 Nm of torque, while the 1.5-litre turbocharged mill delivers 181 PS and 240 Nm. Both petrol-only engines continue to be paired with a CVT.
The e:HEV hybrid variant also retains its previous output, but has reportedly been tweaked for improved throttle response and a more pronounced engine note. It features a 131 PS / 253 Nm electric motor paired with a 1.5-litre Atkinson-cycle DOHC i-VTEC engine producing 105 PS and 127 Nm.
As of May 2025, over 169,000 units of the HR-V have been sold locally across two generations. And while this facelift may not be especially groundbreaking, there’s frankly little doubt that this tally will continue to grow at an impressive pace for some time to come.
