Review of the Honda WR-V for sale in South Africa in 2021

Honda recently brought the WR-V, a new compact crossover, to South Africa’s shores. Read more to discover what this car can achieve.1

Which cars are in competition with the Honda WR-V?1

The Honda WR-V competes with the Hyundai Venue, Renault Captur, and Ford EcoSport.

What about the Honda WR-V’s looks?1

The crossover shows all Honda’s design characteristics, such as the C-shaped taillights, the LED daytime running lights, and the chrome-wing grille with LED headlights (Elegance trim) on either side. It has a ground clearance of 177 mm and is equipped with 16-inch alloy wheels as standard. Besides the roof rails, one can choose from 4 exterior body colours.

What’s it like to drive the WR-V?1

The WR-V is available as two options, namely, the 1.2 Comfort or the 1.3 Elegance guise. Both have a naturally aspirated, 1.2-litre petrol engine with a power output of 66 kW and 110 Nm of torque that is transferred via a 5-speed manual gearbox. The claimed fuel consumption is 6.4 L/100 km.

Is the WR-V’s torque enough?1

With the engine only generating 110 Nm of torque, the car soon begins to struggle on long inclines but can maintain a good speed on the highway. One needs to gear down often to maintain power, particularly when going uphill. Gauteng’s high altitude does render the WR-V slower compared to when driving along the coast.

How does the WR-V handle?1

The crossover feels stable on the road at speed, while its steering does show some feedback via the wheel.

The WR-V’s interior looks fantastic1

Hard plastics are everywhere, but then they last longer. The top-of-the-range 1.2 Elegance has a 7-inch touchscreen information system compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Bluetooth telephony is included. The Comfort option has a more inferior 5-inch touchscreen system with only Bluetooth being available. Other features comprise rear parking sensors, a multifunctional steering wheel, auto air conditioning, electric windows, and fabric upholstery.

The WR-V is most practical1

The crossover has a huge boot, boasting 363 litres of storage space, while rear seats can be changed in many ways to enable you to fit the load well into an extended boot area. This increases the space to 881 litres. The best feature is that there is ample rear legroom.

Is the WR-V safe?1

This SUV has many safety features. Both options come with 6 airbags, ABS, EBD, and brake assist.

Disclaimer

This article can only provide information because car insurance is not straightforward. For this reason, it is best to first obtain professional advice from a certified financial adviser before attempting to buy any car insurance product.

Sources:

1. Honda WR-V (2020) Launch Review
2. Disclaimer