Honda WR-V

Expert Review by Maxabout

Introduction

Launched in March 2017, the Honda WR-V is a subcompact crossover SUV that was specially built for the Indian and South American car markets. This stylish SUV was the first model that was developed by Honda R & D Center, Brazil in collaboration with Honda R & D Centre, Japan to understand and cater for the requirements of the youth of Brazil and India. After being launched, the car received an overwhelming response from Indian customers. Later in 2020, the brand brought the facelift model of the WR-V to the country and offered it in a more feature-rich and elegant version. Let’s discuss in detail all the features and specs of the crossover.

Honda WR-V Design and Style

2023 Honda WR-V gets the brand’s sophisticated design language and looks quite impressive. To begin with, the front fascia boasts a massive grille with the brand’s signature chrome bar, which has the "H" logo in the centre. The grille is surrounded on either side by projector headlights that are merged with the LED DRLs. The LED fog lights are placed in separate housings on either end of the front bumper.

The side profile appearance is enhanced by the 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, silvery roof rails and the black cladding on the wheel arches. The crossover SUV also hosts body-coloured ORVMs that add to its beauty. At the rear end, the car hosts split-designed LED taillamps, a silver-coloured bumper skid plate, and a uniquely designed tailgate. In terms of body dimensions, the WR-V is 3999mm in length, 1734mm in width, and 1601mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2555mm.

Honda WR-V Engine and Gearbox

2023 Honda WR-V comes with two powertrain options. The first one is a 1199cc, 4-cylinder, 16-valve, SOHC i-VTEC, petrol engine that is combined with 5 forward and 1 reverse manual transmission and churns out 90 HP at 6000 rpm and 110 Nm of torque at 4800 rpm. The other one is a 1498cc, 4-cylinder, 16-valve, DOHC i-DTEC, diesel engine that is mated with 6 forward and 1 reverse manual transmission and is capable of generating 100 HP at 3600 rpm and 200 Nm of torque at 1750 rpm.

Honda WR-V Interior, Instrument Cluster & Boot Space

Just like the exterior, the interior of the new WR-V is also quite decent. However, the use of hard plastic deprives it of looking premium. The all-black theme for the cabin is good but doesn’t give it a luxurious feel. The dashboard is nicely designed, and the infotainment system in the centre offers plenty of things to do. The cabin is roomy and airy, and the offer of ample knee room and headroom is also good for comfy journeys.

However, Honda might have incorporated some lovely details like adjustable headrests, a centre armrest, and even rear AC vents. The rear occupants are not provided with charging ports. The instrument cluster is an advanced multi-information combination metre with an LCD display to provide the driver with a plethora of useful data. Honda has offered the WR-V with huge 363-litre boot space to carry enough luggage.

Honda WR-V Brakes, Suspension & Tyres

Braking duties in the new Honda WR-V are handled by ventilated disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. While the front suspension has been done by the McPherson Strut, Coil Spring and at the rear by the Twisted Torsion Beam, Coil Spring. It rides on 4 hole Berlina block design 16-inch alloy wheels for the petrol model and 5 hole Shark Gray design 16-inch alloy wheels for the diesel model. These wheels are shod in 195/60 size tyres.

Honda WR-V Key Features

2023 Honda WR-V comes outfitted with a variety of features including LED front and rear lamps, LED fog lamps, a one-touch electric sunroof, a shark fin antenna, diamond-cut alloy wheels, tilt & telescopic adjustment steering, engine start/stop & Honda smart key system, driver seat height adjuster, glove box, power outlet in the armrest, 17.7cm touchscreen advance display, USB-in ports, four speakers & two tweeters, cruise control, rear wiper & washer and many more. In terms of passenger safety, the car comes loaded with dual SRS airbags, ABS with EBD, a multi-view rear camera with guidelines, an ECU immobiliser system, high-speed alert, impact mitigating headrests, and speed sensing auto door lock, intelligent pedals, rear parking sensors and so on.

Honda WR-V Top Speed, Acceleration & Mileage

2023 Honda WR-V petrol model accelerates from 0-100 kmph within 15.1 seconds while the diesel model takes 13.57 seconds for the same. The top speed it offers is 165 km/h. The car offers a combined mileage of 17-24 km/l, however, the figures might differ depending on the terrain, driving style and maintenance.

Honda WR-V Variants & Colour Options

Honda offers the new WR-V in a total of four variants called SV MT i-VTEC, SV MT i-DTEC, VX MT i-VTEC and VX MT i-DTEC. As for the offered colour scheme, it includes five shades Meteoroid Grey Metallic, Lunar Silver Metallic, Radiant Red Metallic, Golden Brown Metallic and Platinum White Pearl.

Ex-showroom Price & On-Road Price

Currently, the ex-showroom price for the SV MT petrol variant starts at Rs 9.11 lakh and goes all the way up to Rs 12.31 lakh for the VX MT diesel variant. Understanding the distinction between ex-showroom and on-road pricing, the ex-showroom price of an automobile is the sticker price that excludes the costs of road tax, insurance, and registration. The on-road pricing, on the other hand, covers the above-stated charges as well as the prices of Insurance, RC, one-time road tax, extended warranty, and any car accessories. It is worth noting that on-road price varies widely from state to state in our country.

Honda WR-V Competitors

2023 Honda WR-V competes with the Tata Nexon, Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue, Maruti Vitara Brezza, Nissan Magnite and the Mahindra XUV300.

Verdict - Should You Buy Honda WR-V or not?

2023 Honda WR-V is a spacious car with a good number of features and technology. No doubt, this crossover SUV is also imposing in terms of appearance, but there are a few things that should have been added to the facelift model. It would be better to see rear armrests, charging ports at the rear, and more. Also, the brand should consider offering an automatic transmission since all of its competitors are presenting cars with bigger power and torque figures. If you are looking for a powerful and roomy car for your family in this price bracket, you can go for it.