2027 Honda HR-V EX-L FWD: What the Specs Actually Say

Every 2027 HR-V configuration, from the LX FWD at $26,600 to the EX-L AWD at $31,950, uses the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 158 hp and 138 lb-ft of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission. The EX-L FWD at $30,450 is no different on paper: same engine, same CVT, same 5.44 axle ratio, same 14-gallon tank. What separates it from the cheaper trims is $3,850 over the LX FWD (about 14.5% more) and $2,050 over the Sport FWD (about 7.2% more) — money that buys trim-level content rather than a different drivetrain.

On FWD configurations, the EPA figures run 26 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, 28 mpg combined — identical across LX FWD, Sport FWD, and EX-L FWD. That 28 mpg combined figure is the best rating in the entire six-trim lineup; switching to EX-L AWD drops it to 27 mpg combined, the lowest figure HR-V offers. At the assumed 15,000 annual miles and $3.50/gallon, that works out to roughly $1,875 a year and $9,375 over five years for any FWD trim, versus $1,944 a year and $9,720 over five years for EX-L AWD. The full math is broken out in our separate fuel-cost guide for this model.

Honda's own value index — MPG per $1,000 of MSRP — ranks LX FWD highest at 1.05, with EX-L FWD at 0.92 and EX-L AWD lowest at 0.85. That spread isn't about fuel economy changing much; it's that the EX-L's higher sticker price dilutes the ratio even though its combined rating ties the lineup high. A shopper prioritizing MPG-per-dollar on paper will find LX FWD the stronger number; a shopper prioritizing content at the top of the lineup will look past that ratio toward what EX-L adds for the money.

The 55.1 cu ft of cargo volume and 5-passenger seating capacity apply across all six HR-V configurations, including EX-L FWD. There's no cargo or seating advantage to moving up the trim ladder — those numbers are fixed lineup-wide facts, not EX-L perks. Buyers weighing interior space against trim level should know that choice doesn't move the cargo figure at all; our seating-and-cargo guide covers how that 55.1 cu ft number breaks down in practical terms.

Staying within EX-L trim, moving from FWD to AWD costs $1,500 more (about 4.9%) and trades the 28 mpg combined rating for 27 mpg combined. Horsepower, torque, and the 2.0-liter engine itself don't change between the two; the AWD system is the only mechanical difference the facts show. That $1,500/1 mpg trade mirrors what happens at LX and Sport trims too — AWD consistently costs roughly $1,500 extra and costs 1 mpg combined across this lineup.

EX-L FWD carries the same 158-hp 2.0-liter engine, CVT, 55.1 cu ft cargo hold, and 5-seat capacity as every other 2027 HR-V trim, priced at $30,450 — $3,850 above LX FWD and $1,500 below EX-L AWD. Its 28 mpg combined rating ties the lineup's best figure, but its value index of 0.92 MPG per $1,000 of MSRP trails LX FWD's 1.05, reflecting the higher price rather than any change in output or efficiency.