It's Shanghai Motor Show time of year, which, for Honda, comes as an opportunity to show-off its already announced all-new HR-V e:HEV once more. And as an excuse for us to grace your eyes with a gallery of images of the new hybrid crossover.

Pitched as the European launch of the vehicle, the HR-V is a total rework of the mid-size crossover, incorporating the e:HEV hybrid system - as first seen in the hybrid-only Honda Jazz (well, it is in the EU anyway).

The e:HEV system is important because it predominantly uses the electric motor on board as a primary driving force, the 1.5-litre engine acting as a generator when needed (and only kicking in for foot-to-the-floor overrides when full power is needed) to deliver as efficient a drive as possible.

The HR-V e:HEV - which will go on sale end of 2021, with deliveries expected in 2022 - has the same footprint as its predecessor, but clever re-engineering has opened up an extra 35mm of rear passenger space for improved legroom. The configurable boot space is still just as massive - big enough to take a couple of mountain bikes if you drop those rear seats.

Up front, meanwhile, the latest HR-V brings an updated infotainment system; the integrated touchscreen on the dash has been "further developed to minimise interference", Honda claims, with additional shortcuts, fewer menu layers, and improved response. There's also Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity - the former wirelessly.

For us, though, it's the exterior that shows most progress: that rear full-width light bar to the rear; the full array of LED lights all around the vehicle; and much more contemporary forward-motion flow of body lines than its predecessor.

There's no word on pricing just yet, but with Honda allowing customers to register their interest using an online form, we're sure that'll be announced imminently.