What we researched for this specific generation: where an enclosure actually fits, what the factory speakers are, how the factory audio is wired, and which real builds and commercial products exist for it. Confidence badges say how well each figure is sourced — this is research, not manufacturer spec.
Body styles covered: 4-Door Subcompact SUV
These are researched envelopes, not a guarantee. Measure your own vehicle — the numbers here tell you what to expect, not what you have.
| Location | spare tire well under the cargo floor |
|---|---|
| Outer bounding box | not independently measured — confirmed larger/deeper on FWD trims than AWD trims (relative claim, not an absolute dimension) — no forum source gave exact usable dimensions after the foam-caddy modification |
| Known obstructions | Factory foam tool caddy (must be partially cut away), the ANC module wiring routes near the glove box (must be disconnected as part of the install, same requirement as the 2nd Gen). AWD trims: smaller/shallower well than FWD per direct owner comparison — treat AWD as more constrained until independently measured. |
Suggested configurations for this vehicle, not prescriptions. Run the numbers in the Box Builder before you buy anything.
| Subwoofers | 1x powered spare-tire-well unit (real example: JBL Basspro Hub, 200W RMS — same product as the 2nd Gen) |
|---|---|
| Box type | n/a — powered unit, not a custom enclosure |
| Location | spare tire well, requires foam-caddy trim + Dynamat lining + ANC module disconnect; FWD trims reportedly have more usable room than AWD |
| Subwoofers | 1x8" or 1x10" shallow sealed |
|---|---|
| Box type | sealed |
| Location | front driver/passenger under-seat — some owners report success, but front-seat fore/aft travel clearance is a real, unresolved concern; measure on-site before committing |
Sizes and depths below are what research turned up for this generation. Confirm against your own vehicle before cutting or ordering — trim levels vary.
| Factory speaker size | 6.5"/6.75" (sources use both figures; a Kicker DS-series 6.5" upgrade kit is sold specifically for 2016-2022 HR-V, confirming that size fits) with a 1-1/2" corner-dash tweeter on 6-speaker trims. LX trim: 160W, 4-speaker base system. Sport: 180W, 4-speaker. EX and above: 180W with added tweeters (6 speakers total). |
|---|---|
| Known obstructions | None specifically documented |
| Adapter bracket needed | unconfirmed |
| Tweeter | n/a in the doors — real, confirmed 1-1/2" CORNER-DASH tweeter (not A-pillar), EX and above only. Genuinely different mounting location from the 2nd Gen (2023-2025) entry's own confirmed true A-pillar tweeter — a real generation-boundary change, not assumed to carry over. |
| Factory speaker size | single rear speaker per side (non-tweeter), size not independently confirmed beyond the same 6.5"/6.75" family cited for the front |
|---|---|
| Known obstructions | None specifically documented |
| Adapter bracket needed | unconfirmed |
| Tweeter | n/a — tweeter (EX+ only) is dash-corner mounted, front only |
| Factory amp / premium audio | No factory subwoofer/premium-tier system confirmed for this US-market generation — wattage figures found (LX 160W/Sport 180W/EX+ 180W+tweeters) match what's documented for the 2nd Gen entry almost exactly, which may reflect genuinely stable Honda spec language reused across the platform change rather than two independently-confirmed data points; flagged rather than presented as fully independent confirmation. |
|---|---|
| Adding subs without a head-unit swap | Confirmed via a real hrvforum.com thread specifically titled 'Add subwoofer to 2017 HRV without replacing head unit' — this is a live, documented topic for this exact generation, not inferred from the newer generation. Exact tap point/part number not independently confirmed. |
| Head unit | No replacement needed |
Same core install pattern as the 2nd Gen (2023-2025) entry's spare-tire-well approach carries over to this generation too: JBL Basspro Hub (200W RMS powered sub) installed by cutting/lining the foam tool insert with Dynamat, cutting away foam tool-caddy parts so everything installs flat, heat-gun-resealing afterward, and disconnecting the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) module behind the glove box (removable via 4 screws) as a required step — the SAME undocumented ANC-disconnect requirement found on the 2nd Gen, suggesting this is a carried-over platform quirk rather than a coincidence. GENUINE TRIM-LEVEL FINDING specific to this generation: FWD HR-V models have a larger and deeper spare tire well than AWD models — FWD owners report 'a lot of room' near the spare tire for a custom enclosure, implying AWD may be more constrained (not independently confirmed how much smaller). Owners report under-seat mounting is difficult specifically because of the Magic Seat mechanism and because of front-seat fore/aft travel clearance.
Outside links. Some are commercial products, some are owner builds posted on forums — the label says which. We do not endorse any of them.
Each link opens the tool with this vehicle already selected.
Measure your own vehicle. Trim levels, factory subwoofer options, and mid-generation changes all move these numbers, and a box cut to a researched figure that does not match your truck is wasted wood. Where a badge reads Unconfirmed, treat the value as a starting point for your own measurement, not as an answer.