2021 Honda HR-V patent drawings leaked

Patent images of the third-generation Honda HR-V have surfaced online ahead of its debut on February 18.

The pics, posted by Facebook user, appear to correspond with official teasers already released by the Japanese car-maker, with similar rakish rear-end styling and a nose and general proportions that match our spy shots.

The patent images also confirm that the redesigned Honda HR-V will feature slimline LED light clusters that look lifted from the new-generation Honda Civic.

If genuine, the latest version of the small SUV built to rival the Mitsubishi ASX, Kia Seltos, Hyundai Kona, Nissan QASHQAI and others will ramp up the style quotient over the current model, but miss out on the rumoured retro design cues from the electric Honda e.

With a longer wheelbase and more generous proportions all around, passenger and luggage space are both set to improve with the new model.

But the big news is what’s happened under the bonnet.

Instead of carrying over existing engines, in some markets Honda will introduce a full range of electrified powertrains.

The Japanese car-maker hasn’t spilt the beans on what form the new e:HEV will take, but it’s expected to be a downsized version of the Honda CR-V’s hybrid set-up.

So expect a 1.5-litre Atkinson-cycle petrol engine that’s combined with a pair of electric motors and a new fixed-gear transmission.

It’s believed the new Honda HR-V will be offered with the choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive on the more expensive variants.

Whatever you choose, Honda claims its new powertrains will blend “high efficiency with refined, fun-to-drive performance”.

Inside, it looks like the new Honda HR-V will also miss out on the full-width cinematic infotainment experience found in the Honda e, instead using a more modest 9.0-inch touch-screen that matches the interior’s minimalist feel.

After seven years on sale, the Honda HR-V has been a strong showroom performer for Honda in Australia as its second best-selling model behind the larger Honda CR-V.

Expected to arrive later this year, the new-gen Honda HR-V will spearhead a huge retail reorganisation in Honda Australia that will see the Honda Jazz discontinued.

Stay tuned as Honda is expected to tease more of the new HR-V in the coming days in the build-up to its February 18 debut.