The 2020 Honda HRV stands out in the compact SUV market, not just for its versatility and fuel efficiency, but also for its commitment to safety. For prospective buyers and current owners alike, understanding the safety performance of the Hrv 2020 is crucial. This comprehensive guide delves into the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) ratings and crash test results for the Honda HRV 2020 model, providing a detailed analysis of its safety strengths and areas for awareness.
Decoding the IIHS Safety Ratings for the 2020 HRV
The IIHS, a leading authority in vehicle safety, conducts rigorous crash tests to evaluate vehicle safety performance. The Honda HRV 2020 underwent several of these tests, and the results provide valuable insights into its occupant protection capabilities. We’ll break down the performance of the HRV 2020 in each critical area.
Small Overlap Frontal Crash Test: Driver-Side
The small overlap frontal test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end (driver’s side in this case) impacts a barrier. This is a particularly challenging test as it bypasses the main energy-absorbing structures of the car.
Key Findings:
The 2019-22 Honda HRV models, including the 2020 HRV, received a “Good” rating in the driver-side small overlap front test. This is the highest rating possible and indicates excellent protection in this type of severe frontal crash.
- Structure and Safety Cage: Rated “Good”, signifying that the structural integrity of the HRV 2020 is well-maintained during a small overlap crash, preserving the occupant survival space.
- Driver Injury Measures: All injury measures for the driver – head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot – were rated “Good”. This demonstrates a low risk of significant injuries to the driver in a similar real-world crash scenario.
- Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: Also rated “Good”, indicating that the seatbelts and airbags effectively controlled the dummy’s movement during the crash, contributing to the excellent injury protection.
Action shot during the driver-side small overlap frontal crash test of the Honda HRV 2020, highlighting the vehicle’s structural response.
Post-crash dummy position in the HRV 2020 driver-side small overlap test, illustrating the well-maintained driver survival space and effective restraint system.
Frontal and side curtain airbag deployment in the HRV 2020 small overlap test, demonstrating comprehensive head protection for the driver.
Driver’s side footwell and lower leg space retention in the HRV 2020 small overlap test, indicating a low risk of lower extremity injuries.
Technical Measurements (Driver-Side Small Overlap):
| Measurement | Value (cm) |
|---|---|
| Lower hinge pillar max | 6 |
| Footrest | 6 |
| Left toepan | 5 |
| Brake pedal | 6 |
| Rocker panel lateral average | 3 |
| Upper hinge pillar max | 5 |
| Upper dash | 5 |
| Lower instrument panel | 4 |
| Injury Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 179 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.2 |
| Neck Extension Moment (Nm) | 4 |
| Chest Compression (mm) | 23 |
| Left Femur Force (kN) | 1.0 |
| Right Femur Force (kN) | 0.1 |
| Left Tibia Index | 0.38 |
| Right Tibia Index | 0.34 |
These measurements confirm the “Good” ratings, showing minimal intrusion into the occupant compartment and low injury readings on the crash test dummy.
Small Overlap Frontal Crash Test: Passenger-Side
The passenger-side small overlap test mirrors the driver-side test, but evaluates the protection offered to the front passenger.
Key Findings:
The 2019-22 Honda HRV models also achieved an “Acceptable” rating for structure and safety cage and an “Good” overall rating in the passenger-side small overlap test. While not as high as “Good” for structure, the overall “Good” rating still indicates good passenger protection.
- Structure and Safety Cage: Rated “Acceptable”, suggesting slightly more structural deformation on the passenger side compared to the driver side, but still providing adequate survival space.
- Passenger Injury Measures: Similar to the driver-side, all passenger injury measures (head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot) were rated “Good”. This demonstrates a low risk of significant injuries for the front passenger as well.
- Passenger Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: Rated “Good”, indicating effective restraint system performance for the passenger.
- Driver Injury Measures: Interestingly, driver-side injury measures are also reported in this test and are all rated “Good”. This likely refers to the driver dummy in the driver’s seat during the passenger-side test, and these good ratings reinforce the overall robustness of the HRV’s safety design.
Technical Measurements (Passenger-Side Small Overlap):
| Measurement | Value (cm) |
|---|---|
| Lower hinge pillar max | 11 |
| Footrest | 9 |
| Right toepan | 10 |
| Center toepan | 6 |
| Rocker panel lateral average | 4 |
| Upper hinge pillar max | 11 |
| Upper dash | 11 |
| Right lower dash | 10 |
| Passenger Injury Measure | Value | Driver Injury Measure | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 295 | Head HIC-15 | 118 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.1 | Neck Tension (kN) | 1.0 |
| Neck Extension Moment (Nm) | 18 | Neck Extension Moment (Nm) | 10 |
| Chest Compression (mm) | 21 | Chest Compression (mm) | 25 |
| Left Femur Force (kN) | 2.0 | Left Femur Force (kN) | 0.1 |
| Right Femur Force (kN) | 3.4 | Right Femur Force (kN) | 0.5 |
| Left Tibia Index | 0.52 | Left Tibia Index | 0.25 |
| Right Tibia Index | 0.24 | Right Tibia Index | 0.21 |
The passenger-side test measurements show slightly higher intrusion values compared to the driver-side, which aligns with the “Acceptable” structure rating. However, the injury measures remain low, ensuring good protection for occupants.
Moderate Overlap Frontal Crash Test: Original Test
In the moderate overlap frontal test, a larger portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts a deformable barrier at 40 mph. This test is designed to evaluate how well the vehicle protects occupants in a more common type of frontal collision.
Key Findings:
The Honda HRV 2020 achieved a “Good” rating in the moderate overlap frontal test, the highest possible.
- Overall Evaluation: “Good” across the board.
- Structure and Safety Cage: Rated “Good”, indicating robust structural performance in this type of frontal crash.
- Driver Injury Measures: All driver injury measures (head/neck, chest, leg/foot) were rated “Good”.
- Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: Rated “Good”, confirming the effectiveness of the restraint systems.
Technical Measurements (Moderate Overlap Frontal):
| Measurement | Value (cm) |
|---|---|
| Footrest Intrusion | 4 |
| Left Footwell Intrusion | 10 |
| Center Footwell Intrusion | 10 |
| Right Footwell Intrusion | 9 |
| Brake Pedal Intrusion | 2 |
| Left Instrument Panel Movement | 0 |
| Right Instrument Panel Movement | 0 |
| Steering Column Upward Movement | 2 |
| Steering Column Rearward Movement | -6 |
| A-Pillar Rearward Movement | 0 |
| Injury Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 323 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.5 |
| Neck Extension Moment (Nm) | 9 |
| Chest Compression (mm) | 23 |
| Left Femur Force (kN) | 0.5 |
| Right Femur Force (kN) | 0.2 |
| Left Tibia Index | 0.31 |
| Right Tibia Index | 0.29 |
These measurements show controlled deformation and low intrusion into the driver’s space, correlating with the “Good” safety ratings.
Side Impact Tests: Original and Updated
Side impact crashes are particularly dangerous due to the limited crush zone on the side of vehicles. The IIHS conducts two types of side impact tests: the original side test and an updated, more severe side test introduced in recent years.
Original Side Test (2017-2022 Models Built After March 2017):
Key Findings:
The 2020 Honda HRV, built after March 2017, earned a “Good” rating in the original side impact test.
- Overall Evaluation: “Good”.
- Structure and Safety Cage: Rated “Good”, indicating strong side structure.
- Driver Injury Measures: All driver injury measures (head/neck, torso, pelvis/leg) were rated “Good”.
- Driver Head Protection: Rated “Good”, reflecting effective head protection from side airbags.
- Rear Passenger Injury Measures: All rear passenger injury measures (head/neck, torso, pelvis/leg) were also rated “Good”.
- Rear Passenger Head Protection: Rated “Good”.
Post-crash view of the Honda HR-V 2020 in the original side impact test, showing structural integrity.
Side airbag deployment and occupant compartment integrity in the HRV 2020 original side impact test, with doors removed for visualization.
Greasepaint on the driver dummy’s head in the HRV 2020 side impact test, indicating effective protection by the side curtain airbag.
Greasepaint on the rear passenger dummy’s head in the HRV 2020 side impact test, demonstrating head protection by the side airbag.
Technical Measurements (Original Side Impact):
| Measurement | Value (cm) |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to driver’s seat centerline intrusion | -18.5 |
| Driver Injury Measure | Value | Passenger Injury Measure | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 149 | Head HIC-15 | 177 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.7 | Neck Tension (kN) | 0.3 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.2 | Neck Compression (kN) | 1.3 |
| Torso Max Deflection (mm) | 31 | Torso Max Deflection (mm) | 23 |
| Pelvis Combined Force (kN) | 1.8 | Pelvis Combined Force (kN) | 1.5 |
Updated Side Test (2017-2022 Models Built After March 2017):
Key Findings:
In the more stringent updated side impact test, the Honda HRV 2020 received a “Poor” overall rating. This downgrade is primarily due to structural issues and higher pelvis injury measures.
- Overall Evaluation: “Poor”.
- Structure and Safety Cage: Rated “Poor”, indicating significant structural deficiencies in this more demanding side impact scenario.
- Driver Injury Measures: Head/neck and driver head protection remained “Good”, but torso was rated “Acceptable” and pelvis was “Marginal”.
- Rear Passenger Injury Measures: Head/neck and rear passenger head protection remained “Good”, but torso was “Acceptable” and pelvis was “Marginal”.
Post-crash view of the Honda HRV 2020 in the updated side impact test, showing increased vehicle deformation compared to the original test.
Side airbag deployment and occupant compartment damage in the HRV 2020 updated side impact test, doors removed.
Greasepaint on the driver dummy’s head in the HRV 2020 updated side impact test, indicating head protection is maintained despite the “Poor” overall rating.
Greasepaint on the rear passenger dummy’s head in the HRV 2020 updated side impact test, showing continued head protection for rear occupants.
Technical Measurements (Updated Side Impact):
| Measurement | Value (cm) |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to driver’s seat centerline intrusion | -2.5 |
| Driver Injury Measure | Value | Passenger Injury Measure | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 325 | Head HIC-15 | 359 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.5 | Neck Tension (kN) | 0.5 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.2 | Neck Compression (kN) | 0.4 |
| Torso Max Deflection (mm) | 36 | Torso Max Deflection (mm) | 40 |
| Pelvis Combined Force (kN) | 5.3 | Pelvis Combined Force (kN) | 5.9 |
The updated side test reveals a significant weakness in side impact protection for the 2020 HRV, particularly concerning structural integrity and pelvis injury risk. This is a crucial point for potential buyers to consider.
Roof Strength Test
The roof strength test measures how well the roof can withstand forces in a rollover crash, an important factor in preventing occupant ejection and roof crush injuries.
Key Findings:
The 2020 Honda HRV achieved a “Good” rating in roof strength.
- Overall Evaluation: “Good”.
- Strength-to-weight ratio: 5.14. This ratio indicates that the HRV’s roof can withstand over 5 times the vehicle’s weight, demonstrating excellent roof strength.
Technical Measurements (Roof Strength):
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,035 lbs |
| Peak force | 15,604 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 5.14 |
Head Restraints & Seats
Head restraints and seats play a critical role in preventing whiplash injuries in rear-end collisions.
Key Findings:
The 2020 Honda HRV received a “Good” rating for head restraints and seats.
- Overall Evaluation: “Good”.
- Dynamic Rating: “Good”, based on simulated rear-impact testing.
- Seat/Head Restraint Geometry: “Good”, indicating proper head restraint positioning.
Technical Measurements (Head Restraints & Seats):
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Backset (mm) | 36 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 16 |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 13.8 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 56 |
| Max Neck Tension (N) | 228 |
Headlights
Headlight performance is crucial for nighttime visibility and accident prevention. IIHS evaluates headlights based on visibility and glare in various driving scenarios. The 2020 HRV has three different headlight variations depending on the trim level.
Headlight Ratings by Trim Level:
- Touring Trim (LED Reflector): “Acceptable” rating. These headlights offer “Fair” to “Good” visibility on straightaways and curves and include high-beam assist.
- EX and EX-L Trims (Halogen Projector): “Marginal” rating. These headlights provide “Fair” visibility on straightaways but are “Inadequate” on curves. They include high-beam assist.
- LX and Sport Trims (Halogen Projector): “Poor” rating. Similar to EX/EX-L trims, these headlights have “Fair” straightaway visibility but are “Inadequate” on curves and lack high-beam assist.
It’s important for 2020 HRV buyers to be aware of the headlight ratings and consider the Touring trim for the best headlight performance.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Front crash prevention systems, also known as automatic emergency braking systems, can significantly reduce or prevent front-end collisions.
Key Findings:
The 2020 Honda HRV with the optional “Honda Sensing” package (Collision Mitigation Brake System) received a “Superior” rating for front crash prevention.
- System Details: Optional Collision Mitigation Brake System.
- Forward Collision Warning: Meets requirements.
- 12 mph Test: Collision avoided.
- 25 mph Test: Collision avoided.
This “Superior” rating highlights the effectiveness of the optional front crash prevention system in the 2020 HRV.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
Child seat anchors (LATCH – Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) make it easier to install child safety seats correctly.
Key Findings:
The 2020 Honda HRV received an “Acceptable” rating for child seat anchors.
- Overall Evaluation: “Acceptable”.
- Number of LATCH positions: 2 complete sets, 1 additional tether anchor with borrowing capability.
- Ease of Use: Lower anchors are noted as being “too deep in seat” in some positions, and tether anchor locations can be hard to find in position 2.
While rated “Acceptable,” the HRV 2020 provides sufficient LATCH hardware for families with young children, but users should be aware of potential challenges with anchor accessibility.
Conclusion: HRV 2020 Safety Performance – Strengths and Weaknesses
The 2020 Honda HRV demonstrates a strong performance in many IIHS crash tests, particularly in frontal crash scenarios and roof strength. It earns “Good” ratings in driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, roof strength, and head restraints & seats. The front crash prevention system is also rated “Superior” when equipped.
However, the “Poor” rating in the updated side impact test is a significant area of concern. While the original side test rating is “Good,” the updated test reflects a more demanding real-world scenario, and the HRV 2020’s performance here is below par. Headlight ratings also vary significantly by trim level, with only the Touring trim achieving an “Acceptable” rating.
HRV 2020 Safety Strengths:
- Excellent driver-side small overlap frontal protection.
- Good moderate overlap frontal protection.
- Strong roof strength.
- Effective front crash prevention system (optional).
- Good head restraints and seats.
HRV 2020 Safety Weaknesses:
- “Poor” rating in the updated side impact test, particularly concerning structural integrity and pelvis injury.
- Headlight performance ranges from “Marginal” to “Poor” on lower trims.
- “Acceptable” rating for passenger-side small overlap frontal crash test, lower than driver-side.
- “Acceptable” rating for LATCH ease of use.
For potential buyers of a 2020 Honda HRV, it’s essential to weigh these safety ratings carefully. While the HRV 2020 performs well in many critical areas, the “Poor” updated side impact rating is a serious consideration, especially for families prioritizing side impact safety. Choosing the Touring trim can improve headlight performance. Overall, the HRV 2020 offers a mixed bag of safety performance, with notable strengths and a significant weakness that should be factored into purchase decisions.
