New Honda SUV Spotted In India! » MotorOctane

Currently, Honda only has one SUV in its lineup of mere 3 cars, the Elevate. However, the Japanese brand recently revealed its plans to bring in 10 new cars to India, which include 7 new SUVs. Following this announcement, a new Honda SUV has been spotted in India. So, which is this Honda SUV?
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New Honda SUV Spotted!

That’s right! Honda may have decided to bring back its compact SUV, the WR-V, which was discontinued in April 2023. Recently, we came across a few spy shots of an undisguised WR-V RS, being tested in Pune. The car did not have a TC number plate or any kind of camouflage. One key highlight was that the number plate bracket had a “Honda Jakarta Centre”. This is relevant because the WR-V we see in the spy shots is an Indonesia-spec model. The Japan-spec WR-V is nothing but a rebadged Honda Elevate.

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We expect Honda to bring the WR-V RS into its lineup, under the sub-4m SUV category. However, the WR-V measures up to 4066mm in length. So, Honda will have to reduce the length by a few mm to fit the SUV into the sub-4-metre category. Apart from the dimensions, the design of the WR-V RS looks fresh. Design elements include 17-inch alloy wheels, RS badging, skid plates, RS-specific aero elements, sharp LED headlights, and much more. But what will the SUV have to offer in terms of features and performance?

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Honda WR-V RS – Expected Features

Well, the Indonesia-spec WR-V RS borrows the interior design and layout of the 2nd-gen Honda Amaze. However, if it comes to India, Honda will likely offer the interior of the 3rd-gen Amaze. So, the WR-V RS may get features like a wireless charging pad, a 6-speaker sound system, an 8-inch touchscreen, fully automatic climate control and much more. In the images, we can also see that the WR-V gets an ADAS camera module. So, like all the Honda cars in India, the upcoming WR-V RS will likely get ADAS too. Features aside, let’s take a look at what’s under the hood. 

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Powertrain

Well, the existing WR-V RS gets the popular 1.5-litre NA petrol engine, which is offered in the Honda City and Elevate. However, will it make sense to offer that engine in the WR-V RS in India? If Honda decides to fit the WR-V RS into the sub-4-meter category, then the 1.5-litre petrol engine may not make much sense. After the GST 2.0 reforms, sub-4-meter cars with petrol engines over 1.2-litre have received a tax hike of around 12%, from 28% to 40%. So, if Honda retains the 1.5-litre petrol engine in the WR-V RS, the SUV will become an expensive product even in the sub-4-meter category.

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We believe that if Honda is able to offer a 1.2-litre engine in the WR-V from the Amaze, the SUV will benefit from GST 2.0 reforms. This will allow Honda to price the SUV aggressively. That said, it is currently unclear whether Honda will actually launch this SUV in India. However, if the Japanese brand does launch the SUV, it will compete with the likes of the Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet and a few others. We could expect Honda to launch the WR-V next year. 

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