In Pics | Honda WR-V unveiled in Indonesia; India launch expected in 2023

The new Honda WR-V has an all-new design that takes it away from the conventional crossover look into a more fitting SUV category. There is a new engine, as well as new features to be talked about.

Stanford Masters
November 09, 2022 / 03:57 PM IST
Honda has unveiled the next-gen WR-V in Indonesia, complete with an all-new design, more comfort, and ADAS for added safety. The design for the WR-V is based on the Honda Concept RS SUV, which was first showcased back in 2021. While the outgoing SUV, and what is available in the Indian market, look more like a perked-up Jazz hatchback, Honda has decided to allow the WR-V to garner more attention with a proper SUV crossover design. (Image: Honda Pradana)
Starting at the front, the WR-V gets a new honeycomb mesh grille flanked by a new set of very shiny and sleek LED headlamps. The LED DRLs effectively cut the headlamp units into one-third and two-third segments. The top of the headlamp unit houses sequential turn indicators. (Image: Honda Pradana)
Look lower down and you see a new bumper with a faux skid plate and fog lamps on the flanks. Off to the side, you see a new set of 17-inch alloys. The body panels are smooth, and the wheel arches are flared and highlighted with black cladding to afford a butch stance. (Image: Honda Pradana)
At the rear, one can see more of that aggression with split L-shaped tail lamps and a faux skid plate under the bumper. The length, width, and height of the WR-V stand at 4,060 mm, 1,780 mm, and 1,608 mm, respectively. The wheelbase sits pretty at 2,485 mm, while ground clearance measures 220 mm. (Image: Honda Pradana)
The interiors are almost identical to the Amaze, seeing as the WR-V is based on the sedan. You get a central 7-inch touchscreen display with smartphone connectivity while the sides house rectangular AC vents. The slight difference you will notice is the red contrasting elements on the RS variants compared to the Honda Amaze. The steering wheel is also identical and comes with buttons for audio and other controls. The instrument cluster is semi-analogue, with two dials on either end that show you the revs and speed of the car, while the centre has a 4.2-inch TFT display for other readouts. (Image: Honda Pradana)
Powering the WR-V is a new 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine. This powertrain is capable of producing 121 PS of maximum power at 6,600 rpm and 145 Nm of peak torque at 4,500 rpm. Transmission duties are handled by a CVT gearbox as standard. Moving on to features: we have already mentioned the 7-inch touchscreen display, which is standard across all three variants -- E Type, RS Type, and RS with Sensing. The top-spec variants come loaded with a six-speaker setup for audio, remote key operation for the headlamps as well as the engine, push-button start/stop, climate control, and cruise control. (Image: Honda Pradana)
The 2022 Honda WR-V also comes with Honda’s latest ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) tech, called Honda Sensing and Honda LaneWatch. This features lane keep assist (LKA), road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control, auto high-beam, and auto emergency brakes. This adds to other safety features, which include six airbags (four on the RS Type and E Type), hill-start assist, vehicle-stability assist, and ISOFIX child-seat anchors, among others. (Image: Honda Pradana)
As for the shores, Honda hasn’t confirmed whether the new WR-V will make it to India, but a 2023 launch timeline can be expected. This is supposed to be a compact SUV and some body tweaks will be needed to make it fit inside the sub-4m category. If it does become available, the features could be similar to what is available here, including ADAS. As for competition, it will face the Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, and others. The space is already hotly contested, with the rivals mentioned above ruling the roost even in monthly car sales. (Image: Honda Pradana)
Stanford Masters Journalist who writes on automobiles
Tags: #Auto #automobile #cars #Honda #Honda WR-V #Indonesia #Slideshow #World News
first published: Nov 9, 2022 03:57 pm