Honda WR-V: Is it priced right?

The Honda WR-V has finally been introduced in India. The crossover takes on the likes of the Ford EcoSport and Maruti Vitara Brezza and, while it is based on the Jazz, it does have some unique features too, as we discovered in our first drive review. Before we dive into the price analysis, here’s a look at the ex-showroom, Delhi, launch prices:

Petrol

S – Rs 7.75 lakh
VX – Rs 8.99 lakh

Diesel

S – Rs 8.79 lakh
VX – Rs 9.99 lakh

The price difference vs the Jazz comes as no surprise. As expected, the WRV costs around Rs 70,000-1 lakh more. As it turns out, the petrol versions cost a fair bit more than the Jazz. The entry level S petrol variant commands a premium of Rs 1.23 lakh, while the VX costs around Rs 1.18 lakh more.

For the premium, you get features like ABS with EBD, bigger wheels, a more butch design, a rake/reach-adjustable steering and a sunroof. The top-end VX grade, while still expensive, does offer some good features for the added cost and is worth considering. However, you can get a fully-loaded Jazz VX for just Rs 6,000 more than the WRV’s S variant; so in this case, the Jazz is the better value proposition.

The diesels, on the other hand, cost Rs 81,000-90,000 more for the VX and S, respectively. Features like cruise control, a push button starter and the smart-key are exclusive to the WR-V diesel. Here too, it’s the VX grade that offers the most value, while the S diesel can be considered if you really want the SUV look.

How about its rivals?

Maruti Vitara Brezza

While the WRV does have a lot going for it, its price compared to the Vitara Brezza has damaged its chance of denting the Maruti’s sales. The petrol WR-V’s prices overlap with the VDI and ZDI variants of the Vitara Brezza, which is only available with a diesel engine. In fact, the fully-loaded Vitara Brezza ZDI+ costs less than the WR-V VX diesel. While the WRV has a lot going for it, the Vitara Brezza is a more convincing crossover and, at these prices, competing with the Maruti is no small task.

Ford EcoSport

In favour of the WR-V, it is the more spacious car when compared to the EcoSport. However, the EcoSport has a better interior, is a better handling car to drive, and gets the superior powertrains too. For roughly the same price as the top-end petrol WR-V, you can get the EcoSport’s 1.5-litre petrol Titanium variant.

In fact, you can get the petrol EcoSport with an automatic transmission for Rs 7,000 less than the top-end WR-V diesel. Additionally, for Rs 20,000 more than the top-end WR-V diesel, you can have the fully-loaded EcoSport diesel Titanium+, which also gets six airbags. Stay tuned while we bring you a detailed variant-wise feature comparison.

Hyundai i20 Active

The i20 Active follows a similar design ethos as the WR-V – take a premium hatchback and give it some butch styling. Arguably, the WR-V does pull off the cross-hatch look better. Compare the equivalent S and SX variants of the i20 Active, and you find that the petrol grades are Rs 26,000-60,000 cheaper than the WR-V.

The WR-V diesel’s S grade is cheaper than the equivalent i20 Active by Rs 6,000, but the added cost gets you features like rear parking sensors, rear AC vents, an auto-dimming interior rear-view mirror, projector headlights and alloy wheels. On the top-spec diesel, the i20 Active offers more features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity in addition to MirrorLink, a 60:40 split folding rear seat, height-adjustable seatbelts and auto headlamps and, not to mention, six airbags!

The advantages of the WR-V include better cabin space, a sunroof and a bigger boot. The Honda is better in terms of practicality, but the i20 Active isn’t lacklustre in this aspect either.

Conclusion

Overall, the WR-V has been well priced as an alternative to the Honda Jazz, with the base petrol being the only exception. However, the car has been priced at a premium and its chief rivals have been competitively priced for the kind of equipment they offer. Apart from the sunroof, the biggest selling point for the WR-V remains the cabin space and practicality; but since the competition isn’t far behind, the Winsome Runabout Vehicle will not have it easy.

Source: CarDekho.com