Honda launched the WR-V in India on 16 March 2017. The WR-V is a crossover based on Honda Jazz, the only hatchback offered by Honda in India. The WR-V got a mid-life facelift in July 2020 coming with some cosmetic updates and BSVI compliant petrol and diesel engines.
Pros – Features, Design, Boot Space, Rear Seat Space
Cons – No Rear AC Vents, Center Armrest, Adjustable Headrests And Charging Ports, No Automatic Gearbox, No Turbocharged Engine
Honda WR-V Exteriors
The Honda WR-V is 3999 mm in length, 1734 mm in width and 1601 mm in height. The front of the Honda WR-V gets a massive grille with a chrome bar above the grille. It acquires LED DRLs, merging into the chrome grille. It also acquires LED fog lamps, however, the indicators are not LED’s, not a deal-breaker off-course. The wheelbase of the Honda WR-V is 2555 mm. It gets dual-tone R-16 multi-spoke alloy wheels. At the rear, the car gets L-shaped taillights. From the side, you would find cuts and creases running over the doors with the black body cladding giving it the feel of an SUV. The door handles of the Honda WR-V gets chrome finishing. The Honda WR-V also gets a shark fin antenna.
Honda WR-V Interiors
The WR-V gets an all-black interior. It gets a sunroof with the windows decently sized, giving the passengers an airy feeling inside the cabin.
Coming to the driver’s seat, the car gets the option of a tilt and telescopic steering wheel. The 7-inch infotainment system of the WR-V feels outdated and smaller compared to the rivals. The daytime visibility of the infotainment system is not that good, however, it won’t be a problem at night.
Talking about some of the features, the infotainment system gets Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Navigation but nothing to brag about. It also gets cruise control, automatic headlamps, electrically adjustable and auto foldable OVRMs to name a few. The engine start/stop button gets a red treatment which would surely catch the attention of the passengers on the front.
Honda WR-V Space
The unique selling point of the Honda WR-V is the cabin space it offers compared to its competitors. The WR-V offers a lot of practicality with ample space inside the cabin. It gets 1L bottle holders across all the doors. It also gets a decent amount of storage space inside the glove box. The front centre armrest has a charging socket, however, the armrest is not slidable. The front seats are large and comfortable with soft cushioning. The rear seat is good enough to carry three passengers courtesy of the flat floor. However, the 60:40 split is not available in the Honda WR-V. The boot space of the car is 363 L which is pretty decent compared to the rivals.
Honda WR-V Engine Performance
The petrol version of the Honda WR-V is offered with a 1.2-litre 4 cylinder i-VTEC motor producing 90ps of power at 6000 RPM and 810 NM of torque at 4800 RPM. This engine comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The engine has a pretty good low-end punch, however, the mid-range falls flat and doesn’t give a kick in the pants feel. The VTEC motor usually kicks in after 5000 RPM and the top end is reasonably good.
The diesel engine gets a 1.5-litre 4 cylinder i-DTEC motor producing 100 PS of power at 3600 RPM with 200NM of torque at 1750 RPM mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. The BSVI compliant motor has been improved and is more refined with fewer vibrations. The power delivery is also linear which means it can be a good pick for city driving.
Honda WR-V Mileage
The ARAI fuel efficiency of the BSVI compliant petrol engine is 16.5 km/l which is on par with its competitors. In real-world conditions, you can expect around 12-13 km/l in the city and 14-15 km/l out on the highway for the WR-V. The ARAI fuel efficiency of the BSVI compliant diesel engine is 23.7 km/l. Out in the real-world conditions, you can expect around 15-16 km/l of fuel efficiency for the diesel trim in the city. This would increase out on the highway.
Honda WR-V Handling
The ride quality is good and the suspension works nicely on bad roads. The steering of the Honda WR-V is nicely calibrated and the feel and feedback offered by the car at high speeds is noteworthy. The braking performance of the WR-V is also satisfying. The WR-V feels safe at the corners without much body roll.
Honda WR-V Comfort
The BSVI compliant engine is more refined and has less vibrations compared to the older versions and the car feels less noisy especially in the diesel trim. Though it’s true that the 1.2-litre i-VTEC motor offered in the WR-V doesn’t feel as punchy as Honda’s 1.5-litre i-VTEC motor, the WR-V’s petrol engine is fairly decent in terms of power delivery and refinement.
Honda WR-V Safety
Honda WR-V has received a 5-star rating in the global NCAP test. In terms of safety, the WR-V gets dual front SRS airbags, standard ABS with EBD, ECU immobilizer system, driver side window one-touch up/down and much more.
Honda WR-V Service
With an excellent network of over 25 years in India and a satisfying customer experience, Honda can be relied on for its services.
Honda WR-V Price
Following are the prices (on-road Mumbai) of the Honda WR-V Petrol :
- SV MT : Rs. 10.32 lakhs
- VX MT : Rs. 11.54 lakhs
Following are the prices (on-road Mumbai) of the Honda WR-V Diesel :
- SV MT : Rs. 13.05 lakhs
- VX MT : Rs. 14.20 lakhs
Honda WR-V Resale Value
With a lot of competition in the subcompact crossover SUV segment in India, the WR-V will only appeal to people who are genuinely looking to buy a Honda. With a punchy diesel engine and a renowned petrol engine, one can expect a good resale value for the WR-V. The resale value also depends on the number of kilometres driven along with the condition in which the vehicle is in.
Honda WR-V Colours
- Premium Amber Metallic
- Lunar Silver Metallic
- Modern Steel Metallic
- Golden Brown Metallic
- Platinum White Pearl
- Radiant Red Metallic
Honda WR-V Specs
The following are the specs of the Honda WR-V :
- Engine: 1199cc, 4-Cyl, Petrol | 1498cc, 4-Cyl, Diesel
- Power: 90 PS @ 6000 RPM | 100 PS @ 3600 RPM
- Torque: 110Nm @ 4800 RPM | 200 Nm @ 1750 RPM
- Transmission: 5-Speed MT | 6-Speed MT
- Fuel Type: Petrol | Diesel
- Tyre Size: 195/60/16 (Front & Rear)
- Suspension: MacPherson Strut (Front), Torsion Beam (Rear)
- Brakes: Disc (Front), Drum (Rear)
- Safety: 2 Airbags, ABS with EBD, ECU Immobilizer System
- Dimensions (L X W X H) : 3999 mm x 1734 mm x 1601 mm
- Wheelbase : 2555 mm
- Ground Clearance : 188 mm
- Kerb Weight : 1087-1234 kgs
- Fuel Tank Capacity : 40 litres
- Boot Capacity : 363 litres
- Turning Radius : 5.3 metres
Honda WR-V Variants
The Honda WR-V is offered in the following variants in the Petrol trim (5-Speed Manual) :
- SV
- VX
The Honda WR-V is offered in the following variants in the Diesel trim (6-Speed Manual) :
- SV
- VX
Honda WR-V Rating
We give the Honda WR-V a rating of 3.5/5.
Honda WR-V Upcoming Models
With a facelift recently in July 2020, Honda’s is nowhere near to launch an upgraded model of the WR-V in the near future.
Honda WR-V vs Hyundai Venue
Hyundai Venue is the king in this segment. With a turbo engine option available in the Hyundai Venue, the Venue certainly has an edge over the WR-V. The Honda WR-V is 4 mm longer, 36 mm slimmer and 4 mm shorter than the Hyundai Venue.
Honda WR-V vs Vitara Brezza
Maruti Vitara Breeza is not offered in a diesel trim which might be a deal-breaker for the ones who are looking for an oil burner. Comparing the WR-V with the Vitara Brezza, the WR-V is 4 mm longer, 56 mm slimmer and 39 mm shorter than the Vitara Brezza.
Honda WR-V vs Mahindra XUV 300
The biggest USP of the Mahindra XUV 300 is the built quality it offers. Just like the WR-V, the XUV 300 has ample space inside the cabin, making it a family car. The XUV 300 has an advantage over the Honda WR-V in terms of safety as it has an option of 7 airbags compared to the dual airbags offered in the WR-V. The WR-V is 4 mm longer, 87 mm slimmer and 17 mm shorter than the XUV 300.
Honda WR-V vs Ford Ecosport
The Ecosport is certainly class leading with its robust design. The high seating position and the built quality of the Ecosport is unmatched in this segment. The Honda WR-V is 1 mm longer, 31mm slimmer and 46 shorter than the Ford EcoSport.
Honda WR-V vs Tata Nexon
Another car known for its build quality is the Tata Nexon. Having scored a 5-star rating in the global NCAP test, it also has an option of a turbocharged engine. For someone looking for punchy design and low maintenance might opt for the Tata Nexon. The WR-V is 8mm longer, 16mm slimmer and 1 mm taller than the Tata Nexon.
