A question of Elegance
The sub compact crossover market is practically bursting at the seams, with almost all the locally represented car-makers having an entrant into this segment, or planning to launch one soon. Honda entered the fray late last year with the WR-V, a stylish crossover based off of the Jazz.
Related: First drive review: The 2021 Honda WR-V crossover
We spent a few days with WR-V to see if it is a worthy contender for top spot in this super competitive market segment. This would not be an easy task as other vehicles such as the EcoSport, Vitara Brezza and Hyundai Venue have already scored very highly on test. Can the WR-V run with the pack?
Styling
The WR-V takes the very stylish Jazz to the next level with a raised ride height, black cladding around the wheel arches, skid plates front and rear and bigger 16" wheels and tyres. This gives the WR-V a very aggressive and chunky stance that is accentuated by the angular lighting signature, overall it is a very attractive looking vehicle.
The WR-V is solidly built but on closer inspection you begin to see a few fit and finish problems such as the weather stripping that had shifted around windows and no longer lined up.
The Drive
The WR-V has a very comfortable ride with a pliant suspension. The vehicle is easy to maneuver and visibility is good through the large windows. Unfortunately this is all for naught as the engine in the WR-V is the fly in the ointment.
Its small size and low output makes it very difficult to keep the mass of the vehicle moving easily in and around town, and you will find yourself swapping cogs on the manual gearbox often just to keep up with traffic. Once it gets up to highway speed though it is a lot easier to drive and sits very comfortably at the national limit, just don't ask it to overtake a truck on a hill.
Performance
Power comes from a 1.2l 4 cylinder petrol engine, that pushes out 66 kW and 110 Nm. Power is sent to the front wheels via a 5 speed manual gearbox. The power all seems to be at the top end, meaning that down low in the shorter gears the vehicle runs out of puff rather quickly, necessitating a lot of gear changes to keep up to speed. This makes city driving a chore and rush hour traffic a nightmare. However, once out of town and up to highway cruising speed the WR-V hits its stride and becomes a rather enjoyable drive.
Space and Comfort
The Honda's party piece that sets it apart from its competitors, is the Magic Seat system that allows for the transportation of oddly-shaped and sized objects while still allowing a rear passenger or two to ride along. The rear seats can be folded forward or the seat-bottoms tumbled backwards, and it's all done with the minimum amount of fuss. There is a surprisingly large amount of space for arms and legs in the interior as well as an array of storage space for water bottles and the likes.
The interior is dominated by hard wearing plastics that are neither good not bad, its just that there is a lot of it. You get a multifunction steering wheel, that is nice to the touch, that controls the 7" infotainment system which is Apple Car Play and Android Auto ready as well as auto aircon, electric windows and a hard wearing cloth upholstery.
Safety
Although there is no Euro NCAP rating as yet, the WR-V has scored a 4-star rating in EMEA testing. The WR-V offers ABS, EBD, 6 airbags, ISOFIX anchorage points, rear camera, PDC at the rear and LED lighting (DRL's) up front, making it a very safe option for families.
Fuel Consumption
Honda claims consumption figures of 6.4l/ 100km. Due to our cog swapping activity, we returned 8.6l/100km on the combined cycle.
Price
Honda WR-V 1.2 Elegance - R327 300
All models are sold with a 5-year / 200 000 km warranty and 4-year / 60 000 km service plan.
Verdict
The WR-V looks good and has a lot to offer, but I do think it is going to struggle against its segment competitors. The few minor fit and finish issues and the lack of drive means that it comes up short against class leaders like the Brezza and Venue. There are still a number of entrants to the segment waiting in the wings, and they may just push the WR-V further down the rankings. Our advice here is if you are indeed looking to buy into this segment (as many South Africans are!) test drive as many of the models as you can before making your decision.
