Honda WR-V Long Term Review
With abundance of space, feature-loaded interiors and remarkable fuel-economy numbers, the WR-V is a practical crossover
There are compact SUVs, compact sedans and then there are premium hatchbacks. All of these body styles cater to their respective audience. However, with the WR-V, Honda is targeting a wider set of audience by offering a combination of all those aspects in one package. The Japanese carmaker has seen the results too by selling over 50,000 units of the WR-V within the first year of its launch. The WR-V offers a convenient size of a hatchback, space of a sedan and practicality of a compact SUV.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/47193775492/[/flickr]
The WR-V might be spacious but misses out on some essential features
However, no car is perfect and the WR-V does have its cons. While it comes with some fancy tricks up its sleeves such as a sunroof, cruise control, keyless entry with push-button start/stop and reverse camera, it misses out on some features. There is not automatic transmission on offer, be it petrol or diesel variants. There are no rear AC vents, height adjustable seatbelts, adjustable rear headrests, rear armrest, auto headlamps and Android Auto, Apple CarPlay connectivity.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/46331320025/[/flickr]
Despite being based on the Jazz, the WR-V has a presence of its own
In our long term testing, we realised there is a fair amount of diesel clatter inside the cabin if you are not playing music and the ride can be a bit jittery at the rear on big potholes and bumps. Well, that’s about it, apart from these minor drawbacks, the WR-V is a great blend of form and functionality. Even though it is a Jazz on steroids, it doesn’t look like one. It appears to be a different car altogether thanks to the clever styling which makes it appear as a proper crossover.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/47245873041/[/flickr]
Thanks to the tight dimensions, the WR-V is easy to manage in the city
The LED DRLs up front are super bright, so much so that sometimes in the dark you feel the headlamps are on. The high ground clearance, body cladding and roof rails do give it an upright stance. The dimensions are very convenient for the urban jungle for parking and manoeuvring in congested areas, the rear camera further adds to the convenience. What we really appreciate about the WR-V is the cabin space and boot space. 5 people can sit comfortably along with their luggage or in our case, equipment! Yes, the WR-V has proven to be a great support car for our shoots.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/47245875551/[/flickr]
The WR-V has ample amount of space for both passengers and their luggage
The WR-V has one of the most fuel-efficient diesel engine in its segment
Talking about shoots, the WR-V has been one of the most economical support cars for us. With all that heavy equipment and a full load of overweight crew along with the scorching heat of Mumbai, the car returned us an impressive 16.5 km/l of fuel economy. The best efficiency we managed to get was 21 km/l on the highway. It offers a range of more than 650 km so on long journeys you don’t need to worry about refuelling on the way.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/47245875291/[/flickr]
The responsive diesel engine coupled with the smooth gearbox makes the WR-V easy to drive
The 1.5-litre i-DTEC engine is tuned very well for both city and highway duties. The turbo lag is very negligible, substantially less than our other long termer S-Cross. This makes it easy to drive in city traffic. The oil burner offers a wide band of torque and the acceleration is linear yet strong until the redline. The first gear is a bit notchy to slot but the clutch is light. The sixth gear along with the cruise control makes the WR-V a great mile muncher and boost the efficiency too.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/46331320315/[/flickr]
The Honda WR-V offers generous amount of features & space for its price
Honda has struck the right chord with the WR-V when you compare it with the other pseudo hatchbacks. There are certain things missing in the car but they’re not a deal breaker which we realised after spending a long while with the WR-V. The on-road Mumbai price ranges from Rs. 9.16 lakhs to Rs. 12.28 lakhs and in this price bracket it offers a good value-for-money package to people who are looking for a multifaceted vehicle.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/47245875801/[/flickr]
The WR-V gets a reverse parking camera and a sunroof
What’s Cool
* The crossover-like styling elements gives the car a lot of presence
* Gets cool features such as sunroof, cruise control and keyless entry
* Punchy diesel engine which is also high on efficiency
* Spacious interiors along with good ride quality
What’s Not So Cool
* Quality of materials used could have been better
* No automatic transmission
* Misses out on certain fundamental features
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/46522254784/[/flickr]
The funky styling makes the WR-V stand out
Further Reading –
2017 Honda WR-V Test Drive Review
2017 Honda WR-V Video Review