HONDA WRV VX 1.5 DTEC Review

If you are a family guy looking for a family car then this article can help you!

WRV’s History:

Honda’s WRV was launched in India on 16th March 2017. It was the cross-over version of its predecessor the Jazz. The world started taking a shift where people started liking subcompact cross-overs more than expensive hatch backs. At that time not much manufacturers had a vehicle in this category. Maruti Suzuki had S-Cross, Hyundai had i20 Active and Fiat had Punto Avventura. Honda grabbed the opportunity and launched WRV in the market. Then Ford launched the cross-over version of figo as Freestyle in 2018. WRV and Jazz share the same platform upon which it is built with notable exterior and interior changes, however the mechanicals remained same as the Jazz.

Since it shares the same engines with Jazz, WRV is available in both diesel and gasoline engine options. It comes with a 1.2 liter i-VTEC gasoline engine and a 1.5 liter i-DTEC diesel engine. The Gasoline engine is mated to a 5-speed manual transaxle, but the diesel engine is mated with a 6-speed manual transaxle.

Lets now dive in and see if this Cross-over is worth buying for its price or whether you can try other options in the market.

What is a Cross-Over?

Crossovers are often based on a platform shared with a passenger car. They typically have better interior comfort, a more comfortable ride, superior fuel economy, and less off-road capability. Many crossovers lack all-wheel drive, which, in combination with their lesser off-road capability, challenges their definition as “sports utility vehicles”. Furthermore, there are inconsistencies about whether some vehicles are considered crossovers or SUVs; therefore, the term “SUV” is often used as a catch-all for both crossovers and compact SUVs. However WRV is not an SUV it falls between the hatchback and sub-compact SUV categories.

Variants & Pricing:

Prices are with respect to BS VI models sold in Tamilnadu. Checkout latest prices and variant wise comparison at https://www.hondacarindia.com/cars-price-list/new-wr-v-price-chennai .

HONDA WRV 1.5 DTEC Review

The car that we are about to review is HONDA WRV 1.5 DTEC VX MT variant which is the topend diesel model.

Exteriors:

• The side profile has a rugged design with clean cuts and lines running along the sides of the body. The rugged look is enhanced by the claddings that run all over the body.
• The front end design is over done by too many sharp lines on the bumper, bulges on the bonnet etc.
• There is a huge chrome grill which connects both the headlamps which gives the car a robust look.
• There are fashion rails at the top which look premium but are not functional and cannot withstand any load.
• The rear portion looks good with ‘J’ shaped tail lights and a high mounted rear stop lamp.
• The car comes with LED DRL’s and halogen head lamps and fog lamps at the front.(Projector headlamps & LED Fog lamp in BSVI variants)
• The outer rear view mirrors are placed on the body to provide a better rear viewing mirror angle and reduce blindspots while changing lanes or while turning.
• Chrome handles give the car a premium feel however it varies between people who hate the same.
• Overall the car looks decent from the outside, some might like the front design and some might not.

Interiors:

• The cabin in well lit with grey roof lining and pillar trims, however the instrument panel is all black. To bring in more light there is an electrically operated sunroof.
• The doors feel very strong and heavy. The heaviness is also a downside where old people and children will find it heavy to close or open even when the car is on an even floor.
• The instrument panel is well laid and driver focused which is a good thing.
• Steering wheel houses the audio controls on the left and cruise control buttons on the right. The driver can adjust the steering wheel for both reach and rake.
• The plastics used on the upper side of the instrument panel are of good quality. The same quality continues on the bottom also. But, the center console where the gear shifter is placed shakes when it is pushed from one side.
• Front bucket seats offer good bolstering and comfort for long drives.
• Rear seats offer plenty of legroom and knee room. The ingress and egress are very easy as the car has a high ground clearance.
• Rear seats are bench type and the back rest is placed at a comfortable angle. However Honda should have given adjustable headrests and split seats if not a center rear arm rest for the least.
• The instrument cluster looks attractive with a blue theme. The readings are crisp and legible.
• The AC controls are mounted on the instrument panel and it works on touch input. It is a little irritating during accidental touches the AC settings get changed; Especially when kids are at the front.
• AC throws are good as it cools the cabin quickly, but for this price point rear AC vents would have been well appreciated.
• The sunroof controls are mounted on the roof lining. There are two reading lights for the driver and co-driver and one central light for the rear passengers.
• It has a decent boot capacity of 363 liters. The luggage loading area is wide and the loading lip isn’t very high either.
• Overall the interior is a nice place to be as it has plenty of bottle, cup holders and all the necessary bits to keep the passengers comfortable.

Features & Equipment:

• Push button start
• Passive entry for front doors (Keyless lock and unlock of vehicle)
• 17.7 cm Advanced Infotainment with Capacitive Touchscreen
• Cruise Control
• 12V Charging socket, HDMI socket, USB Ports
• Power adjustable and folding ORVMs
• Tilt and Telescopic adjustable steering wheel
• Multi view Rear view camera
• Driver and Co-Driver Airbags
• Electrically operated sunroof
• ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) and EBD (Electronic Brake force Distribution)

Engine:

WRV is equipped with a 1.5 liter DTEC engine which produces a peak 100 PS of power @3600 rpm and 200 Nm of torque @ 1750 rpm. Though it is a turbo charged engine there isn’t a sudden boost of power, but the power is delivered in a linear manner. There is turbo lag lower down the rpm but the engine picks up once it reaches the midrange. You will have to down shift to make urgent overtakes since there is not much power in the lower rpms. This can be felt while driving in the city. Engine does not feel refined and calm at high rpms and even when it is idle. Engine noise is well felt inside the cabin, Honda should have added more thick insulation on the firewall.

The engine is mated to a 6-speed Manual Transmission which provides smooth gear shifts. The gear shifting action is little weird as it slots in hard with a thudding sound. Highway cruising is the best for this engine where the engine feels relaxed with the advantage of a 6th gear. Gear ratios are well designed and selected for all 6 gears as you never feel insufficiency of speed in any gear.

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Summary on Engine and Transaxle:

• Acceleration is linear and good for highway driving, however city drive-ability is decent apart from the low end turbo lag.
• 0 to 100 takes 12.6 seconds under good driving conditions
• It can reach upto a topspeed of 170–175 kmph
• Engine refinement is not upto premium standards as more decibels creep inside the cabin.
• Clutch pedal is light to operate
• Engine feels relaxed at high speeds with the advantage of a 6th gear which also helps in improving the mileage of the car.

Ride & Handling:

• The front gets a Mac Pherson Strut with Coil spring suspension whereas the rear gets a Twisted Torsion Beam and Coil springs.
• Honda has wisely tuned the suspension. It is neither very stiff nor very soft, thus giving it a balance between handling and comfort.
• Minor pot holes and bumps won’t be felt inside the cabin.
• Tyres are sized at 195/60 R16, tyre noise is very well felt inside the cabin like other Honda cars. The reviewed car has Michellin rubber on its wheels. Again this is where Honda should have resolved this issue given their history with their old cars.
• Steering provides accurate feedback from the tyres to the steering wheel and it is direct. It feels light at low speeds and weighs in as the speed increases. This is helped by the electronically assisted hydraulic steering.
• The car can take speed into the corners but since its has a tall stance, body roll can be felt.
• The brakes offer a decent bite however it is not grabby. There is inconsistency in the play of the brake pedal. All 4 wheel disc brakes would have been welcomed unlike the front discs and rear drums here.
• ABS is well calibrated and kicks in only at the right time and it is not intervening.

PROS:

• Decent Engine performance and good drive-ability
• Sharp and direct steering
• Premium build quality on the exteriors and interiors
• Well balanced suspension for good ride and handling
• Comfortable front and rear seats and a spacious cabin
• Good driving visibility and ground clearance
• Sun roof (For VX top end model)
• Instrument cluster is informative and looks attractive with blue rings
• 17.7 cm touch screen which provides mirror link and bluetooth connectivities.
• Speakers provide supreme sound quality and surround effect
• ARAI rated fuel efficiency of 23.7 km/l

CONS:

• Engine noise and tyre noise is felt inside the cabin
• Infotainment doesn’t get apple car play or android auto connectivities (But the BS6 variant gets it)
• Rear seats dont have adjustable head rests and arm rests
• Gear knob feels small to hold
• The infotainment feels after market and the screen isnt bright either.
• No RPAS (Reverse Parking Assistance System) however gets RVC (Rear View Camera)
• No Iso-Fix child seat mounts
• No auto dimming IRVM, auto wipers, auto headlamps
• No projector head lamps / DRL and also the intensity of halogens are not very bright

New Features Added To BSVI Models:

1. Projector Headlamps / Updated Rear Combination Lamps
2. New LED Fog Lamps
3. New front Grille
4. New Updated Dual Tone Alloy Wheels
5. Apple Car Play & Android Auto
6. Inbuilt Satellite navigation
7. Reverse Parking Sensors (RPAS)
8. DPF indicator (Diesel Particulate Filter) that will indicate when DPF in exhaust after treatment system gets choked (only for BSVI models) after which regeneration is done to burn the deposited particulate matter.
9. High Speed Alert and Passenger Seat Belt Reminder (Available in last set of BSIV models) according to SAE’s AS-145 regulations
10. Updated Seat Upholstery with embossed design
11. Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel as standard on Topend models (It was available as an accessory earlier)

Maintenance:

• Honda cars are very reliable and don’t break down at most times. However if you end up denting or scratching the body then you will have to spend a lot on repairing them.
• The regular services should cost around 2500 to 7500 rupees (Approx.) for the 2 to 6 paid services excluding any additional repairs.

VERDICT:

This cross over does fulfill what its meant to do; like being spacious and comfortable with decent driving fun. However for the price of nearly 12 Lakh rupees it could have had more features like…

• Side and Curtain Airbags
• Rear AC Vents
• Iso-Fix Child Seat Mounts
• Adjustable Rear Head Rests
• Auto dimming IRVM, Automatic Headlamps, Automatic Wipers
• Automatic Transmission

If you are looking for a good family cross over for highway drives with premium build quality and can afford it, then you should definitely buy it.

WRV Rivals in India:

Hyundai Venue, Mahindra XUV300, Ford freestyle and Ecosport are its current competitors in this price segment.

However Maruti Suzuki Brezza and S-Cross can be compared to WRV’s Petrol variant, since Maruti Suzuki has shifted its range of engines to petrol, Petrol Hybrid and CNG and will not manufacture any diesel cars.

There aren’t many cars competing WRV at present where most of the cross-overs like i20 Active, Fiat Avventura, Maruti Suzuki S-Cross (Diesel), Polo Cross, Toyota Etios Cross have been discontinued due to falling sales.