Honda Jazz-based WR-V crossover: This is how it could look like

Honda is building a crossover based on the Jazz hatchback, and this vehicle will soon go into production. Dubbed the WR-V, this year’s Sau Paulo Motor Show is when the crossover is likely to be unveiled. Here’s a nice render that shows how this vehicle could look like when it’s production ready.

The WR-V is India-bound, and here, it’ll rival the likes of the Fiat Avventura and the Hyundai i20 Active. A launch in 2017 is likely. Notably, the i20 Active has been quite successful in terms of sales numbers, and Honda would seek to emulate this best-selling crossover’s success with the WR-V.

Also, the i20 Active has been the first-ever success in the hatchback-based crossover segment, which should inspire other automakers to launch similar cars. Such cars make a lot of sense for Indian roads, where good ground clearance is a must.

The Jazz hasn’t been going great guns for Honda, what with the hatchback a distant third when compared to the Baleno and i20.  On an average, the Jazz does around 3,000 units, compared to the 8,000-10,000 units that the i20 and Baleno each do. The WR-V could come as a welcome sales booster for the Jazz.

In terms of engines and transmissions, the WR-V is likely to share the 1.2 liter i-VTEC petrol and 1.5 liter i-DTEC turbo diesel engines with the Jazz. Manual transmissions could be standard with the CVT automatic option offered on the petrol engined model.

Expect the WR-V to be priced at a premium of about 30,000-50,000 rupees over the Jazz. Anything more and Honda risks another flop. The Japanese automaker’s sales growth is at near-standstill, with 2 % being registered in 2015-2016, a far cry from the 41 % sales growth that it experienced a year ago.

The City is now being outsold by the sharper priced Ciaz while the Brio is not even doing 500 units/month. The Amaze has slowed down while the Mobilio MPV is Honda’s biggest recent-flops. The recently launched BR-V is also not doing very well as far as sales numbers go.

Via QuatroRodas