What is Honda HR-V called in Japan?
In Japan, the Honda HR-V is marketed under the name Vezel.
The Vezel branding reflects Honda's domestic-market naming convention. While the vehicle is known as the HR-V in most regions, Honda uses different names to align with local branding and consumer recognition in Japan, where the Vezel has been the domestic-market designation for the compact SUV since its debut in 2013.
Regional naming at a glance
Here is how Honda labels this compact SUV across major markets, highlighting the Japanese Vezel name alongside the HR-V and XR-V variants in other regions.
- Japan: Vezel — the domestic-market name used for the Honda compact SUV since 2013. The Japan Vezel shares the same platform and most features as the HR-V sold elsewhere, but the badge and marketing are tailored to the local market.
- North America and Europe: HR-V — the global name used by Honda for the same compact SUV sold outside Japan.
- China: XR-V — the local name for the Chinese-market version of the HR-V, produced through a joint-venture and tailored to local preferences.
In short, if you are shopping in Japan, look for Vezel; in other regions you’ll primarily encounter HR-V, with XR-V appearing in China.
Historical context and branding
The Vezel name originated with Honda’s domestic-market rollout in Japan around 2013, while the HR-V badge has been used for the global market outside Japan. This regional branding approach reflects how automakers tailor product naming to local consumer recognition without implying a different vehicle.
- 2013: Honda launches the Vezel in Japan as the domestic-market designation for the compact SUV.
- 2015: The HR-V badge debuts in North America and other regions for the same vehicle family.
- Recent years: Honda maintains the Vezel name in Japan while continuing to use HR-V in most international markets; China uses XR-V for its local variant.
The naming distinction is cultural and marketing-oriented rather than a signal of a different model in most cases.
Summary
For the question at hand, the Honda HR-V is called Vezel in Japan. The vehicle is broadly the same across markets, but branding varies by region: Vezel in Japan, HR-V in many other regions, and XR-V in China.
