Honda Cars India Limited is ramping up production of the Honda WR-V to 5,000 units per month. The response to the Jazz based crossover has been better than anticipated with Honda receiving around 23,000 bookings since the launch. However, only 16,000 deliveries have been made resulting in a two month waiting period for some variants.
The current monthly production of the Honda WR-V stands at 3,400 units. The increase in production will help clear backlog and prepare for the upcoming festive season as demand is projected to increase.
Honda WR-V was launched on March 16, 2017. It comes with the same engine options as the Jazz - 1.2 L i-VTEC Petrol and 1.5 L i-DTEC Diesel. While the former gets a 5-speed manual transmission, the latter comes with a 6-speed manual. There is currently no automatic transmission on offer. According to reports, Honda is considering launching the WR-V with the City's 1.5 L Petrol engine with an optional CVT gearbox, but HCIL denied plans for an automatic transmission to IAB citing demand.
The WR-V is the first product from HCIL developed by its R&D team in conjunction with the R&D arm of Honda Japan. While the side profile is similar to the Jazz, the WR-V features a different front end. The exterior gets LED pilot lamps, heavy body cladding all around, roof rails and 16-inch alloy wheels. Inside, the WR-V features a 7-inch Digipad infotainment system with Mirror Link support, but no Android Auto, and Apple Car Play. There are features like automatic climate control and sunroof on offer as well.
Currently, the Honda WR-V retails for INR 7.67-9.92 Lakhs (ex-showroom New Delhi). It is available in two trims - S and VX. It rivals the Maruti Vitara Brezza, Ford EcoSport, upcoming Tata Nexon and the Hyundai i20 Active.
