Meet the 2023 Honda WR-V, another pint-sized city SUV that should be cheap to buy and run.

The new Honda WR-V will be positioned against other pocket-friendly baby SUVs like the Nissan Magnite, Kia Sonet, Renault Kiger and Toyota/Suzuki Urban Cruiser/Vitara Brezza. It’s got a fresh and modern look, with wraparound headlamps at the front and a coupe SUV shape with a typical tapered roofline.

First launched in SA back in November 2020, the Honda WR-V offered a Jazz-based platform and good value. Now, there’s a new model.

Physically, the new 2023 Honda WR-V is 4 060 mm long, has a wheelbase of 2 485 mm, a width of 1 780 mm and a ground clearance of 220 mm. A boot capacity of 380 litres is claimed. There is also a 60:40 splitting rear folding seat for additional practicality.

Under the bonnet is a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine, developing 89 kW and 145 Nm. This engine is paired to a new CVT that’s claimed to offer enhanced acceleration and improved economy. This powertrain is identical to the one found in the new Honda BR-V.

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There’s a comprehensive safety suite too falling under the Honda Sensing technology,with collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, auto high beam and road departure mitigation system. There are 6 airbags, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution.

During the presentation, two derivatives were presented. The Honda WR-V E and the WR-V RS, with their own identities. The E is more mainstream with its 16-inch alloys, while the RS features a bolder grille, a specific red hue and 17-inch alloys. Inside, the RS gets leather seats with red stitching, while the E makes do with a fabric trim.

At this stage, we have no confirmation that the new Honda WR-V will be coming to South Africa. But, given how many products are sourced from Honda Indonesia and how popular this segment of the market is, we reckon we’ll see the WR-V on SA roads in 2023.

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