The 2017 Honda HR-V marked a significant year for this subcompact SUV, offering a blend of versatility and fuel efficiency to drivers. For those prioritizing safety, understanding the 2017 Honda HR-V’s safety ratings is crucial. This detailed analysis, based on rigorous crash tests, provides a comprehensive overview of how the HR-V performs in various safety evaluations. We delve into the findings of small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side impact, roof strength, head restraints, headlights, and child seat anchor assessments to give you a complete picture of the 2017 Honda HR-V’s safety capabilities.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver-Side
The small overlap front crash test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end on the driver’s side impacts an object. This test is particularly demanding as it concentrates crash forces on a smaller area, bypassing some of the vehicle’s main energy-absorbing structures.
For the 2017 Honda HR-V, the small overlap front test resulted in an Acceptable overall rating. Let’s break down the key evaluation criteria:
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | A |
| Structure and safety cage | A |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | A |
The structural performance and safety cage of the 2017 Honda HR-V were rated as Acceptable, indicating that the structure held up reasonably well during the test. Crucially, driver injury measures for the head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot were all rated Good, the highest possible rating. This suggests a good level of protection for these critical body regions in this type of crash.
However, the rating for driver restraints and dummy kinematics was Acceptable. The test analysis noted that the dummy’s head contacted the frontal airbag but shifted too far to the left, potentially leaving it vulnerable. Furthermore, the seat belt allowed excessive forward movement of the dummy’s head and torso. Despite these issues, the side curtain airbag deployed correctly, offering adequate forward coverage for head protection.
The technical measurements from this test provide further insight into the 2017 Honda HR-V’s performance:
Technical Measurements – Small Overlap Front Test
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 9 |
| Footrest (cm) | 10 |
| Left toepan (cm) | 6 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 4 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 2 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 11 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 10 |
| Lower instrument panel (cm) | 7 |
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 185 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 20 |
| Femur (kN) – Left | 3.7 |
| Femur (kN) – Right | 0.6 |
| Maximum tibia index – Left | 0.56 |
| Maximum tibia index – Right | 0.48 |
These measurements indicate moderate intrusion into the occupant compartment, but generally low risk of injuries to the legs and feet.
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Original Test
The moderate overlap front crash test involves a larger portion of the vehicle’s front end impacting a deformable barrier. This test is more representative of common frontal collisions.
The 2017 Honda HR-V excelled in the moderate overlap front crash test, achieving a Good overall rating, the highest possible.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Leg/foot, left | G |
| Leg/foot, right | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
Every evaluation criterion for the moderate overlap front test was rated Good, including structure and safety cage, driver injury measures for head/neck, chest, and legs/feet, and driver restraints and dummy kinematics. This demonstrates excellent protection for the driver in this type of frontal impact.
Technical measurements highlight the minimal intrusion and low injury measures:
Technical Measurements – Moderate Overlap Front Test
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Footrest intrusion (cm) | 2 |
| Left footwell intrusion (cm) | 7 |
| Center footwell intrusion (cm) | 7 |
| Right footwell intrusion (cm) | 6 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 1 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement – Left (cm) | 0 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement – Right (cm) | -1 |
| Steering column movement – Upward (cm) | -1 |
| Steering column movement – Rearward (cm) | -4 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 0 |
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 397 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 20 |
| Femur force – left (kN) | 0.3 |
| Femur force – right (kN) | 0.3 |
| Maximum tibia index – left | 0.30 |
| Maximum tibia index – right | 0.40 |
These results indicate minimal occupant compartment intrusion and very low risk of injuries.
Side Impact Crash Tests: Original and Updated
Side impact crashes are a significant concern, and the 2017 Honda HR-V underwent both original and updated side impact tests. It’s important to note that Honda reinforced the HR-V’s structure starting with models built after March 2017 to improve side impact protection.
Side Impact: Original Test (Pre-April 2017 Models)
For 2017 Honda HR-V models built before April 2017, the side impact test resulted in an Acceptable overall rating.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | A |
| Structure and safety cage | P |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/leg | M |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/leg | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
While driver and rear passenger head/neck and torso injury measures were rated Good, and head protection was also Good, the structure and safety cage received a Poor rating. Pelvis/leg injury measures for the driver were rated Marginal. This indicates a structural weakness in earlier 2017 models in side impacts.
Technical measurements revealed significant B-pillar intrusion:
Technical Measurements – Original Side Impact Test (Pre-April 2017 Models)
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CES1505 |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver’s seat (cm) | 2.5 |
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 217 |
| Torso – Maximum deflection (mm) | 30 |
| Pelvis – Combined force (kN) | 6.3 |
Side Impact: Updated Test (Post-March 2017 Models)
For 2017 Honda HR-V models built after March 2017, which incorporated structural reinforcements, the updated side impact test resulted in a Poor overall rating.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | P |
| Structure and safety cage | P |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | A |
| Pelvis | M |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | A |
| Pelvis | M |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
Despite structural improvements, the overall rating remained Poor, with structure and safety cage still rated Poor. While head/neck and head protection remained Good, torso injury measures for both driver and rear passenger were rated Acceptable, and pelvis injury measures were Marginal. This suggests that while the structural reinforcement provided some improvement, side impact protection remained a weakness.
Technical measurements for the updated side impact test:
Technical Measurements – Updated Side Impact Test (Post-March 2017 Models)
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CES2009 |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver’s seat (cm) | -2.5 |
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 325 |
| Torso – Maximum deflection (mm) | 36 |
| Pelvis – Combined force (kN) | 5.3 |
Passenger injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 359 |
| Torso – Maximum deflection (mm) | 40 |
| Pelvis – Combined force (kN) | 5.9 |
The negative B-pillar intrusion measurement in the updated test indicates that the crush stopped short of the driver’s seat centerline, which is an improvement compared to the original test. However, the overall structural rating remained poor, and injury measures were not improved significantly enough to raise the overall rating.
Roof Strength Test
The roof strength test assesses the roof’s ability to withstand forces in a rollover crash. The 2017 Honda HR-V achieved a Good rating in this evaluation.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,035 lbs |
| Peak force | 15,604 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 5.14 |
A strength-to-weight ratio of 5.14 signifies that the roof can withstand over five times the vehicle’s weight before significant deformation, indicating robust roof strength.
Head Restraints & Seats
Evaluations of head restraints and seats are crucial for preventing whiplash injuries in rear-end collisions. The 2017 Honda HR-V’s head restraints and seats received a Good overall rating.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | G |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | G |
Both dynamic rating (performance in simulated rear-end collision) and seat/head restraint geometry (physical measurements) were rated Good, suggesting effective whiplash protection.
Headlights
Headlight performance is a critical safety feature, particularly for nighttime driving. However, the 2017 Honda HR-V’s headlights received a Poor overall rating across all trim levels.
| Overall rating | P |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
Both low beams and high beams were deemed inadequate in providing visibility on straightaways and curves. Glare was not an issue, but the fundamental issue was insufficient illumination distance.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
Child seat anchors (LATCH) ease the secure installation of child safety seats. The 2017 Honda HR-V received a Marginal rating for its LATCH system.
| Overall evaluation | M |
|---|
The LATCH system was found to be marginal due to issues with lower anchor accessibility. In certain seating positions, the lower anchors were positioned too deep within the seat, requiring excessive force to attach child seat connectors. Additionally, some hardware could be confused for anchors.
Details by Seating Position
| Position | Rating |
|---|---|
| 1 | Marginal |
| 2 | Not Rated (Tether anchor only) |
| 3 | Marginal |
Conclusion
The 2017 Honda HR-V presents a mixed bag in terms of safety performance. It excels in moderate overlap frontal and roof strength tests, achieving “Good” ratings. Head restraints and seats also provide good whiplash protection. However, the small overlap frontal test resulted in an “Acceptable” rating, and side impact protection, even with structural updates in later 2017 models, remained “Poor”. Headlight performance is also a significant weak point, rated “Poor”. The child seat anchors are “Marginal” due to accessibility issues.
For prospective buyers of a 2017 Honda HR-V, particularly families with children or those prioritizing side impact safety, it’s crucial to be aware of these safety ratings and consider them in their vehicle selection process. While the HR-V offers good protection in some crash scenarios, its weaknesses in small overlap front and side impacts, along with poor headlight performance, should be carefully considered. It’s also important to check the manufacturing date of 2017 models to understand which side impact test rating applies.
