The Honda HR-V is a nameplate used on two distinct vehicles manufactured and marketed by Honda: a mini SUV which was produced from 1999 until 2006, and a forthcoming subcompact crossover announced in 2014. The forthcoming model has already been released in Japan under the name Honda Vezel.
The abbreviation HR-V, according to Honda's HR-V history website,[1] officially stands for Hi-rider Revolutionary Vehicle. The HR-V was introduced to cater for the demand for vehicles with the benefits of SUVs (in particular its bigger brother the Honda CR-V), such as increased cargo room and higher visibility, along with the maneuverability, performance and fuel economy of a smaller car.