All new Honda HR-V combines dynamism of a Coupe with the toughness of an SUV

That new theme was to combine the elegance and fluidity of a Coupé with the utility and strength of an SUV. ‘Combining high eye-point and toughness - core values of SUV - with a new level of emotion was the key,’ Kobayashi says. ‘So we came up with an exterior concept encapsulated by “Emotionality and Toughness” and an interior concept called “Personal Cockpit and Expansiveness”. We wanted to fuse apparently conflicting values to create something fresh.’

Kobayashi and his team targeted ‘active people who enjoy both their work and home life. These people have a high sense of the balance between fashion and practicality.’ Achieving that balance in the HR-V was a challenge. ‘It was very difficult to create the desired interior space, ease of use and sheer capaciousness hand-in-hand with dynamic and emotional design,’ Kobayashi begins. ‘However, the process is relatively simple: Package designers take charge of determining the space and layout of the vehicle and set hard points. From there the exterior and interior designers take over to bring the concept to life within those hard points.’

Once this conceptual phase is complete the job of modeling the HR-V begins. ‘We spent the longest time on this process,’ says Kobayashi. ‘Designing, modeling and then repeating the verification using full-scale models to get a real sense of how the HR-V would look out on the road. This is where the design starts to come to life and we can experiment with shapes and forms that still let the interior space breathe but also create a tension and fluidity in the design.’

‘For the exterior we are very pleased with its dynamic shape, the high quality of the surfaces and the intricate but seamless detailing,’ says Kobayashi. ‘I can say that when the whole team first saw the prototype vehicle together, we felt proud and special that we were able to realize our targets with this new car. I believe that the HR-V possesses the elegance to look attractive in any scene and yet a sense of toughness at the same time. And my determination to make it look like a real ‘driver’s car’ was achieved.’

The all-new HR-V is a product borne of the determination to offer something fresh and innovative but with the real lives of real people and families at its core. Honda offers a unique environment in which to create new products. ‘Honda is a place where we use our will to create new values without being bound by the past,’ explains Kobayashi. ‘That is our driving force. From a creator’s perspective it is an interesting and stimulating environment. That sense of moving forward and also listening to the users who live with our products around the world is very exciting.’

Credits: Oneshift News Team