Honda WR-V is the new compact SUV from the Japanese car maker for the Indian market and it will be launched tomorrow. The WR-V competes in the league of the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and the Ford EcoSport as a sub-four metre crossover SUV and will be the third car in Honda’s SUV portfolio for the subcontinent.
The WR-V is based on the Honda Jazz platform and shares majority of its underpinnings, but, the Honda WR-V looks nothing like the hatchback. The body shape is inspired from the CR-V and the WR-V looks its part as a proper SUV and not a crossover. The front fascia sits tall with a high bonnet and the large chrome slat taking centre-stage on the honeycomb grille. Only when you move to the profile is when the Jazz roots are apparent. The tail again is freshly done. The peripheral cladding and high stance give it the required brawn.
Inside, the WR-V is unmistakably like the Jazz with a very similar layout of the dashboard, dials, centre console and the steering wheel. While the equipment is also the same as the Jazz, the WR-V gets an added electrically operated sunroof in the top-spec car bringing it closer to the Honda City on the features list.
Under the hood, the car will sport a 1.2-litre petrol i-Vtec engine and the 1.5-litre i-Dtec engine powering the WR-V, just like the Jazz. The 90bhp petrol engine comes mated to a five-speed manual while the diesel comes only with a six-speed manual and develops 98bhp of power. It gets dual front airbags with ABS and EBD standard across the range.
The WR-V will be positioned between the Honda Jazz hatchback and the Honda City sedan and we think it will start between Rs 7.2 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh for the base petrol, ex-showroom, Delhi. The top-spec diesel, with all its bells and whistles, might be a bit expensive, to the tune of Rs 12 lakh, ex-showroom.
