I've been eyeing the leather steering wheel with sport grips from the new Honda Vezel RS for awhile. I have an EX, with the urethane steering wheel, and had gotten by with a pretty good leather steering wheel wrap I purchased off eBay, but it was always my intention to swap it out. My original plan was to swap to the leather wheel from the EX-L, but after seeing it in person, I wasn't too thrilled.
The Vezel RS wheel is finished with a smooth higher quality leather wrap similar to what is found in modern Acuras. The sport thumb grips also add a bit of welcome thickness in this strategic area.
As people who have read my previous posts know, I've been getting most of my parts from JDM Yamato, and contacted them again to see if they could get me this steering wheel. I also decided to ask about the blue LED center console illumination kit, since I've been eyeing that for a long time. The guys at JDM Yamato weren't sure if it would work with the USDM HR-V, but I figured I'd make it work if anything. They uploaded the Japanese installation instructions for me to look over, and it looked easy enough to do, so I jumped on it.
2 days later they had the parts shipped out to me in time for a 4th of July weekend install.
As usual, excellent packing by JDM Yamato:
![Image]()
Vezel RS leather steering wheel:
![Image]()
![Image]()
Center console LED (blue) illumination kit:
![Image]()
This won't be one of my more detailed installation reviews, as there really isn't anything too complicated about the steering wheel swap... I had it done in less than an hour. There's a ton of information on youtube to give you a basic idea how to do this... personally I've done quite a few and the HRV was one of the easier ones I've done. Just a few tips:
1) There are two T30 Torx bolts that secure the airbag to the steering wheel. Buy new replacements from Honda, don't reuse them.
2) This steering wheel uses a 10mm hex bolt, not the typical 19mm nut I'm used to seeing. Make sure you have a 10mm hex socket and a good breaker bar. In hindsight, I would also recommend replacing this bolt with a new one from Honda.
3) To remove the airbag (remember to disconnect the negative battery terminal for 15-20 minutes just to err on the side of safety first), all you need to do is remove the two Torx bolts on either side of the wheel and the airbag lifts away from the center. Disconnect the horn connector from the airbag, and the green and grey connectors are removed by pinching on the white tabs and pulling the socket out and away from the airbag. It's a little different from other Hondas I've worked on.
4) The steering wheel trim is a bitch to remove but it does come off with some effort. Remove the trim over the phone controls first and disconnect the connector. Work on prying the bottom spoke free, and then the left and right control covers. Disconnect the connectors once you have them a bit free of the wheel. The rear cover took a bit of juice to get off. Good luck.
Airbag removed from stock wheel:
![Image]()
Vezel RS wheel installed:
![Image]()
The center console LED kit was not very difficult to install... it took me just over an hour. It does require taking apart the whole center console, to which you can only access by removing the climate control console... which requires removal of the undertray on both driver and passenger side. Most trim pieces on the center console are just clipped on, and those that aren't have bolts in obvious locations. This is only time consuming, but not hard to do.
The problem I ran into is that it's apparent that the JDM Vezel has template markings on the inside of the center console for drill holes to mount this accessory (as I saw on the instructions), and since it's not an official NA Honda Accessory for the HR-V, these markings were not present on the panels for my car. I had to MacGuyver a solution to line up the LED bars and the console panel and drill accurately.
Like other official interior lighting accessories from Honda, these come with a harness that taps into an existing power source. In this case it taps into the small LED that lights up the area by the HDMI/USB ports. Thus, they dim and brighten with your other console lighting.
LED center console driver's side:
![Image]()
LED center console passenger's side:
![Image]()
Vezel RS steering wheel and LED center console illumination installed:
![Image]()
I test drove the car after the install and am very happy with the additions. The center console lights are fairly bright and add a nice touch... altho they were pretty expensive for what they are. The steering wheel, on the other hand, really improves the driving experience.
For those people trying to source the Vezel RS wheel on their own, the part # is 78501-T7A-N00ZA.
The Vezel RS wheel is finished with a smooth higher quality leather wrap similar to what is found in modern Acuras. The sport thumb grips also add a bit of welcome thickness in this strategic area.
As people who have read my previous posts know, I've been getting most of my parts from JDM Yamato, and contacted them again to see if they could get me this steering wheel. I also decided to ask about the blue LED center console illumination kit, since I've been eyeing that for a long time. The guys at JDM Yamato weren't sure if it would work with the USDM HR-V, but I figured I'd make it work if anything. They uploaded the Japanese installation instructions for me to look over, and it looked easy enough to do, so I jumped on it.
2 days later they had the parts shipped out to me in time for a 4th of July weekend install.
As usual, excellent packing by JDM Yamato:
Vezel RS leather steering wheel:
Center console LED (blue) illumination kit:
This won't be one of my more detailed installation reviews, as there really isn't anything too complicated about the steering wheel swap... I had it done in less than an hour. There's a ton of information on youtube to give you a basic idea how to do this... personally I've done quite a few and the HRV was one of the easier ones I've done. Just a few tips:
1) There are two T30 Torx bolts that secure the airbag to the steering wheel. Buy new replacements from Honda, don't reuse them.
2) This steering wheel uses a 10mm hex bolt, not the typical 19mm nut I'm used to seeing. Make sure you have a 10mm hex socket and a good breaker bar. In hindsight, I would also recommend replacing this bolt with a new one from Honda.
3) To remove the airbag (remember to disconnect the negative battery terminal for 15-20 minutes just to err on the side of safety first), all you need to do is remove the two Torx bolts on either side of the wheel and the airbag lifts away from the center. Disconnect the horn connector from the airbag, and the green and grey connectors are removed by pinching on the white tabs and pulling the socket out and away from the airbag. It's a little different from other Hondas I've worked on.
4) The steering wheel trim is a bitch to remove but it does come off with some effort. Remove the trim over the phone controls first and disconnect the connector. Work on prying the bottom spoke free, and then the left and right control covers. Disconnect the connectors once you have them a bit free of the wheel. The rear cover took a bit of juice to get off. Good luck.
Airbag removed from stock wheel:
Vezel RS wheel installed:
The center console LED kit was not very difficult to install... it took me just over an hour. It does require taking apart the whole center console, to which you can only access by removing the climate control console... which requires removal of the undertray on both driver and passenger side. Most trim pieces on the center console are just clipped on, and those that aren't have bolts in obvious locations. This is only time consuming, but not hard to do.
The problem I ran into is that it's apparent that the JDM Vezel has template markings on the inside of the center console for drill holes to mount this accessory (as I saw on the instructions), and since it's not an official NA Honda Accessory for the HR-V, these markings were not present on the panels for my car. I had to MacGuyver a solution to line up the LED bars and the console panel and drill accurately.
Like other official interior lighting accessories from Honda, these come with a harness that taps into an existing power source. In this case it taps into the small LED that lights up the area by the HDMI/USB ports. Thus, they dim and brighten with your other console lighting.
LED center console driver's side:
LED center console passenger's side:
Vezel RS steering wheel and LED center console illumination installed:
I test drove the car after the install and am very happy with the additions. The center console lights are fairly bright and add a nice touch... altho they were pretty expensive for what they are. The steering wheel, on the other hand, really improves the driving experience.
For those people trying to source the Vezel RS wheel on their own, the part # is 78501-T7A-N00ZA.
