2017 Honda WR-V Review
Car Tested: 2017 Honda WR-V; Road Test No. 801; Test Location: Goa
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 9.23 – 12.29 lakhs
The Jazz based compact crossover gets a lot of changes underneath
Honda has had products in almost every segment in India right from compact hatchback to premium SUV and luxury sedan. However, there was a void to fill in the sub 4-metre crossover segment. The Japanese automaker has derived the WR-V from the Jazz and it gets quite a lot of changes over the premium hatchback. Is the WR-V a good contender in the crossover segment? We drive it in beautiful Goa to have a look.
Motor Quest: The WR-V shares its underpinnings and many components with the Jazz but Honda has been clever enough to make some other changes too, that differentiate the crossover from the hatchback.
The bold styling elements make the car look striking
Exteriors – The WR-V gets quite a lot of changes over the Jazz. It comes with all new front and rear bumpers and a nice imposing grille with the Honda logo. The headlamps and tail lights also get a new design and there are quite a lot of styling elements that give the crossover a funky appeal. The headlamps also get LED DRLs. The WR-V also comes with body cladding, skid plates on the bumpers and striking alloy wheels. The ground clearance has been increased too and so has the wheelbase. The wheelbase now stands at 2555 mm compared to the Jazz’ 2350 mm. The WR-V is available in colours like Orange, Grey, Maroon, Silver and White and it definitely is a looker.
The dashboard is similar to the Jazz with few changes
Interiors – Open the doors and a familiar interior awaits you. The dashboard is shared with the Jazz save for a few changes. The instrument cluster remains the same and so does the steering wheel. The centre console now gets an all-new 7-inch touchscreen that is shared with the City. It is an Android-based unit and supports WiFi, Bluetooth, USB and Aux-IN. It also gets GPS and a reverse camera. Sound quality from the new audio system is excellent and way better than the Jazz. Some other features include electric ORVMs, keyless entry, sunroof and automatic climate control. Cruise control and push button start are limited to the diesel trim only, surprisingly. The AC is a chiller and cools the cabin in a jiffy. Just like other Honda cars, the WR-V too misses out on rear parking sensors.
Space in the WR-V is splendid and the seats are awesome
The WR-V excels in areas like space, comfort, practicality, equipment
The seats are shared with the Jazz and they are very comfortable. The cushioning is soft and the seats feel nicely supportive even for well-built people. You also get a centre armrest at the front which is a useful addition. At the rear, you get abundant head room, knee room and shoulder space. What is disappointing is the fact that the WR-V neither gets Magic Seats nor does it get 60:40 split rear seats. The boot is decently sized at 363-litres. Another negative point about the interiors is the build quality on certain panels which feels very plasticky. Even the door pads have a slightly flimsy feel to them. Talking about the upholstery, Honda is offering two colour options – Black and Grey or Black and Blue.
The engine line-up is shared with the Jazz too
Performance – The Honda WR-V is offered with a choice of two engines – 1.2-litre i-VTEC and 1.5-litre i-DTEC. The petrol engine churns out 90 PS at 6000 RPM along with 110 Nm at 4800 RPM. The engine is offered with a 5-speed manual transmission but this is a new gearbox and not the one on the Jazz and other Honda cars. Honda isn’t providing the CVT gearbox with the WR-V. The petrol engine is very refined and feels eager to rev. The low end is underpowered and feels disappointing but the mid range feels strong and there is a lot of action near the redline. The new gearbox has smooth shifts and the clutch is light too. Expect the petrol engine to give out 12-14 km/l in real life conditions while the ARAI-claimed figure is 17.5 km/l.
Both the engines offer good efficiency
Out of both the engines, the diesel unit would be our pick on the WR-V
The diesel engine is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. It produces 100 PS at 3600 RPM and 200 Nm at 1750 RPM. The oil-burner is really noisy across the rev band. There is some turbo lag but once you cross it, power delivery is linear right up to 4000 RPM. The engine feels very responsive in the mid range and it actually makes the car fun to drive. Gear shifts are smooth on this one as well and a real life fuel efficiency of 17-20 km/l can be expected, with the ARAI-claimed figure being 25.5 km/l.
The suspension has been tweaked over the Jazz
Driving Dynamics – Honda has upgraded the suspension compared to the Jazz and yes it definitely feels much more pliant and capable. Ride quality is very supple and the car remains composed over bad roads too. The suspension does a very good job of filtering undulations. The steering has a lot of feel and feedback and weighs up at high speeds, making the WR-V a fun to drive car. While the Jazz is undertyred with 175 section tyres, the WR-V gets 195/60/16 Michelin tyres which have terrific levels of grip. The brakes are same as the Jazz and performance is above average, but it could have been more confidence inspiring.
Standard safety features include dual front airbags and ABS with EBD
Safety and After Sales Service – The Honda WR-V comes loaded with the usual safety features like dual front airbags and ABS with EBD. Honda has a good after-sales network in India and they are panned out across the country even in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Another positive point is that Honda cars have good resale value in the market.
The WR-V feels more crossover-ish than some of its rivals
Verdict – The Honda WR-V sits perfectly between the Jazz and City. It comes with good bells and whistles and is a practical car. It is also fun to drive and offers good fuel efficiency. The WR-V makes good sense for someone who wants a funky looking car that offers a lot.
The petrol trim misses out on cruise control and push button start
What’s Cool
* Styling changes over the Jazz are extensive
* Seats are large and comfortable, lots of space
* The equipment list is good
* Fun to drive nature of the car
What’s Not So Cool
* Misses out on an automatic gearbox
* No Magic Seats or split rear seats
Alternatives: Fiat Avventura, Hyundai i20 Active, Maruti Vitara Brezza, Ford EcoSport
Honda has finally entered the pseudo crossover segment
2017 Honda WR-V Specifications
* Engine: 1199cc, SOHC, 4-cylinder, i-VTEC | 1498cc, DOHC, 4-cylinder, i-DTEC
* Power: 90 PS @ 6000 RPM | 100 PS @ 3600 RPM
* Torque: 110 Nm @ 4800 RPM | 200 Nm @ 1750 RPM
* Transmission: 5-Speed Manual | 6-Speed Manual
* 0-100 km/hr: 13.8 Seconds (Est.) | 12 Seconds (Est.)
* Fuel Consumption: 17.5 km/l | 25.5 km/l
* Fuel Type: Petrol | Diesel
* Suspension: McPherson Strut (Front), Twisted Torsion Beam (Rear)
* Tyres: 195/60/16
* Brakes: Ventilated Discs (Front), Drums (Rear), ABS
* Safety: Dual Front Airbags, ABS with EBD
2017 Honda WR-V Dimensions
* Overall length x width x height: 3999 mm X 1734 mm X 1601 mm
* Wheelbase: 2555 mm
* Turning Radius: 5.3 metres
* Boot Capacity: 363-litres
* Ground clearance: 188 mm
* Kerb Weight: 1087 – 1104 kgs (Petrol), 1178 – 1204 kgs (Diesel)
Do you like the WR-V over its rivals?
Further Reading –