The moment has finally arrived for this long-awaited small SUV. Honda Malaysia has officially launched the WR-V, which made its global debut in Indonesia in November 2022.
The WR-V marks Honda’s first foray into the small SUV segment in the Malaysian market, making it the first non-national car maker to do so.
There will be four variants available: sitting on top is the RS variant, followed by the V, then the E and finally the S spec.
Exterior
The WR-V has a unique design language but shares a few similarities with the HR-V. For example, the placement of the rear door handle at the side of the door panel rather than on the door panel as with conventional handles.
The WR-V has total dimensions of 4,060mm long, 1,780mm wide, and 1,608mm in height, which makes it slightly smaller albeit wider than the Perodua Ativa.
The RS features the same exterior kit as the one introduced to the Thai market including the chrome chequered grille and 17-inch two-tone alloy wheels. Additional features include automatic LED headlights with sequential turn signals, power-adjustable door mirrors, LED daytime running lights, and LED front fog lights.
The addition of a headlight adjustment switch, which is mandated by Malaysian laws, is the only feature that distinguishes the variant built to Malaysian specifications.
The Thai RS Variant that we test-drove features a dual-tone paint job and roof rails that add a touch of aggression to the WRV, and we were hoping that we would get the same, but sadly, we won’t be getting it. Besides that, there are no differences in specifications between the Indonesian, Thai and Malaysian WR-V’s.
Interior
The interior of the RS comes with red interior stitching, red panels together with leather and fabric while the other variants have silver panels with blue stitching on the upholstery.
There is a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wired support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The rear passengers will have to make do with a regular 12-volt auxiliary power source while the front passengers get two Type A USB connectors. Auxiliary power is also available up front, where it can be used to run dash cameras and other devices.
An analogue metre panel with a 4.2-inch TFT screen is available for the driver and features all the usual data, such as the trip computer, fuel gauge and consumption statistics.
The RS variant comes with an RS-specific welcome graphic animation and red speedometer needles while the other variants feature a WR-V welcome graphic animation and white speedometer needles.
The entertainment system consists of six speakers that are placed around the cabin. That only applies to RS variants, as there are only four speakers for the non-RS models.
The Malaysian WR-V will also have storage flaps on the back of both front seats, unlike the Thai version, which only had one (on the passenger seat).
The booth has a 380-litre capacity, and the seats can be split 60:40 for more comfort and space.
Powertrain
A 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated engine with 121PS and 145Nm of torque powers the WR-V. This is the same engine that also powers the Honda City. Despite sounding underpowered, the WR-V accomplishes its intended functions of comfort and efficiency rather well as we found out during a recent drive in Thailand.
The estimated fuel efficiency is 17km per litre. That’s quite good for a petrol tank that holds 35 litres with a range of about the 510km mark.
Safety Features
The WR-V comes with the Honda Sensing safety suite that offers eight safety features, including:
- Lead Car Departure Notification
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Collision Mitigation Braking System
- Forward Collision Warning
- Lane Keep Assist System
- Road Departure Mitigation
- Lane Departure Warning
- Auto High Beam
- LaneWatch Camera (left side for blind spot assist)
The WR-V’s passive safety features include six airbags, ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Vehicle Stability Assist, an auto door lock, and ISOFIX anchors.
Price
The Honda WR-V pricing is as follows:
- RS – RM107,900.00
- V – RM99,900.00
- E – RM95,900.00
- S – RM89,900.00
All prices are on the road without insurance. The All-New WR-V is available in five colour options, including a brand-new colour, Stellar Diamond Pearl, which marks a first for a Honda model. The other colours for the model are Platinum White Pearl, Ignite Red Metallic, Meteoroid Gray Metallic and Crystal Black Pearl.
