We’ve been writing for a while about the new model that Honda is bringing to America, the HR-V.
The smallish, crossover SUV will arrive here in just a few months. By smallish we mean that it’s smaller than the CR-V, and by a few months we mean the spring.
To help you get to know this new vehicle, Honda has put together a really nice microsite. It’s a fluid site that you can interact with. Young people casually stroll across the screen by an HR-V in Deep Ocean Pearl blue.
A man stands a four-foot tall plant in the middle compartment. We bet there are bugs on it. A woman puts in a kayak, lengthwise, then closes the rear door. Healthy people, right? The couple sits comfortably inside, even though he is about six feet tall.
It’s definitely a site that values showing over telling. The benefits of a crossover SUV like the HR-V are clear: smaller footprint, versatility, cargo hauling, people hauling, fuel economy, modern technology. In short, all the things Honda exemplifies but in a new package.
A man pulls out a full wooden deck chair with ease and studies the can of paint thinner. How does that work again? A hand reaches out to turn up the heater. It’s a touchscreen because it reduces clutter.
The HR-V is all about simplicity. Honda’s engineers are taking their cues from our smartphone-dominated culture. Instead of many buttons, there are few. Instead of wide panels, there are sleek lines.
After all, with one hand on the wheel and the other for controls, wouldn’t fewer buttons be better? The hand only has five fingers, after all. Honda is going for a one-touch approach to its interior.
It’s a pretty cool site. Take a look and think about an HR-V in your life.