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Trademark for the HR-V May Mean America Gets a Honda Vezel Soon

Word on the street is that the Honda Vezel, the automaker’s compact SUV model sold exclusively in Japan, is coming to America. Not unlike Prince Akeem Joffer of Zamunda, the production version of Honda’s Urban SUV Concept will pass itself off under a different identity once it comes stateside. AutoGuide.com is reporting that Honda has acquired a trademark for the HR-V, which will likely be the Vezel’s American moniker.

In fact, a quick spin around the United States Patent and Trademark Office website reveals the following:

The trademark for the HR-V covers “Automobiles and structural parts therefor” and has been live since February 21. The Urban SUV Concept/Vezel/HR-V is shorter than the similarly named CR-V. Given what we know about the CR-V—particularly in that its name denotes “Compact Recreational Vehicle”—one can’t help but wonder what the H in HR-V stands for.

|2014 Honda CR-V Trims and Specs|

It’s entirely possible that the “H” might stand for hybrid, but Edmunds suggests that the redesigned 2015 model will only be offered with the same 1.5-liter four-cylinder that will come with the 2015 Fit in the early going. It is projected that a turbocharged version would follow, and only if those first runs succeeded would American consumers see an all-wheel drive hybrid model.

Now that the trademark for the HR-V has been filed, is it merely a matter of time before we see this sporty little crossover in showrooms around the country? Would you count yourself among the interested?