Every car maker knows that to be a global player it needs to make a space for itself in the US and European market. But our planet is vast, and there is more room for playing around. Just take a look at the Suzuki which took tenth place between makers based on sales volume, and left pretty bigger names behind it. This wasn’t achieved thanks to Europe and US. Honda knows that from before and it never hesitated to create specially tailored models for appreciated markets.
UPDATE 02/24/2017
The exterior of the car will feature a BR-V inspired grille and front bumper along with a remodeled hood. A honeycomb grille with a wide, single slat chrome bar stretching across it will separate the headlamps that should have LED DRLs. Circular fog lamps and faux skid plate with dull silver finish will also be available.
The new member of the Honda family will feature ORVMs with integrated turn indicators, diamond cut alloy wheels, chrome door handles and roof rails. A wide body cladding stretching throughout the length of the WR-V will also be on the sides of the vehicle. The rear end will have faux skid plate with the dull silver finish, redesigned tail lamps and chrome details placed near the number plate.
Inside the cabin, this model is equipped with a black dashboard, a huge touchscreen infotainment system and touch HVAC controls which resemble the ones we saw on the 2017 City. The start-stop button is not included.
When it comes to what’s under the hood, the WR-V has Honda Fit’s 1.5-litre flex fuel i-VTEC four cylinder engine. You can have it with either a five-speed manual gearbox or a CVT unit that sends the power to the front wheels. However, the India-spec Honda WR-V will use a 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-liter turbodiesel units borrowed from the Jazz.
The exterior of the car will feature a BR-V inspired grille and front bumper along with a remodeled hood. A honeycomb grille with a wide, single slat chrome bar stretching across it will separate the headlamps that should have LED DRLs. Circular fog lamps and faux skid plate with dull silver finish will also be available.
The new member of the Honda family will feature ORVMs with integrated turn indicators, diamond cut alloy wheels, chrome door handles and roof rails. A wide body cladding stretching throughout the length of the WR-V will also be on the sides of the vehicle. The rear end will have faux skid plate with the dull silver finish, redesigned tail lamps and chrome details placed near the number plate.
Inside the cabin, this model is equipped with a black dashboard, a huge touchscreen infotainment system and touch HVAC controls which resemble the ones we saw on the 2017 City. The start-stop button is not included.
When it comes to what’s under the hood, the WR-V has Honda Fit’s 1.5-litre flex fuel i-VTEC four cylinder engine. You can have it with either a five-speed manual gearbox or a CVT unit that sends the power to the front wheels. However, the India-spec Honda WR-V will use a 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-liter turbodiesel units borrowed from the Jazz.
2017 Honda WR-V Video
When we think of Brasil, it always received special treatment from Fiat, VW and lately Nissan. As Honda’s HRV denting the charts with first place in the segment in the land of carnivals, it is predictable that we are offered with this 2017 Honda WR-V now.
Honda WR-V 2017 DESIGN
It should be easier to design a car, especially for one market, as there are not so many different tastes to suit. Basically, it is based on Honda Fit and it looks as pumped up version of it, although to such a degree that it is not so easily linked to it. The Fit platform is undeniably good as it serves, besides mentioned host, City model, and HRV, just so there is no confusion about it.
Car looks serious with lots of razor sharp lines, mean little eyes, and lots of SUV traits, like skid plates and lots of protecting plastic at the bottom. It appears as robust and capable as much a mini SUV can, but it won’t be supported with abilities, as it is not expected.
CABIN
Unknown at this moment as official pictures have not been revealed. But we can predict that it’s not going to stray far from the Fit interior, so expect angular lines, lots of space and not so much of quality plastic.
ENGINE
It is going to be borrowed from Fit among else, so 1.5-liters flex block with 116 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and peak torque at 4,800 rpm with alcohol in the tank, as ethanol is extremely popular in the targeted market. That means, as with all Honda’s naturally aspirated engines, you’ll have to be a more hardworking driver, but sensing the pleasure of storming through the high revs, just annulate and surpass invested effort.
This unit is going to be paired with two options, the five-speed manual or CVT. No 4×4 is expected as SUV of this size don’t actually need it.
2017 Honda WR-V PRICE
It will be priced between Fit and HRV, but also in line with competition as Ford EcoSport and Nissan Kicks. We will have to wait a little bit longer to see official prices.
CONCLUSION
It is pretty early to conclude anything, as we haven’t seen the interior and nobody had a chance to drive it so far. When compared to rivals, in our opinion it looks better than EcoSport, but Kicks seems as most mature in this trio.
But one thing is certain with this specially tailored cars, they always try to offer more than usual, and invested effort is easily noticeable, while the price stays as most special part of everything. We will just have to be patient and wait for January to get our hands on 2017 Honda WR-V.
