With the launch of the Honda WR-V, the Japanese carmaker has finally entered the highly competitive sub-4 metre SUV/Crossover segment. Priced at Rs. 7.75 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) the Honda WR-V is the most expensive offering in its segment and right below is its key rival the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza. Now, we have already pitted both the cars against each other in real world conditions, but here we'll see which one of the two makes a better case for itself on paper.
Engine and Transmission:
Coming to the heart of the matter, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza currently offers only one engine option - the tried and tested 1.3 litre DDIS, three-cylinder diesel motor that makes 89 bhp and develops 190 Nm of peak torque. On the other hand, the Honda WR-V comes with the option of both petrol and diesel engines, namely the 1.2 litre i-VTEC and a 1.5 litre i-DTEC engine. As for the one the matters here, the 1.5 litre oil burner makes 99 bhp and 200Nm of torque, which substantially more than what the Vitara Brezza offers. That said Honda has also worked up on the engine for better fuel efficiency which is why the WR-V returns 25.5 kmpl compared to the Vitara Brezza which offers a mileage of 24.3 kmpl.
As for transmission options, the both the model only offer manual gearboxes and while the Honda WR-V's diesel variant gets a 6-speed unit Maruti Suzuki has equipped the Vitara Brezza with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
| Model | Honda WR-V | Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza |
| Engine | 1.5 Litre i-DTEC | 1.3 Litre DDIS |
| Displacement | 1498cc | 1248cc |
| Max Power | 99 bhp | 89bhp |
| Max Torque | 200 Nm | 190Nm |
| Transmission | 6 MT | 5 MT |
| Fuel Efficiency | 25.5 kmpl | 24.3 kmpl |
Design and Dimensions:
In terms of design, both the cars are very different from each other. Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza is a proper subcompact SUV, the all-new Honda WR-V in all sense is a crossover. That said the WR-V does come with a bold SUV-like styling that adds a brawny flavour to the car. The Marti Vitara Brezza, on the other hand, is inspired by its Japanese cousin Suzuki Vitara so you get that conventional SUV silhouette with bold styling. As for dimensions, the Honda WR-V is longer than the Vitara Brezza at 3999 mm compared to the latter's 3995 mm length. That said when it comes to width and height the Vitara Brezza is wider at 1790 mm and taller at 1640 mm against the WR-V's 1734 mm width and 1601 mm height.
All that said, the Honda WR-V gets a relatively longer wheelbase of 2555 mm compared to the Vitara Brezza's 2500 mm wheelbase. And this reveals why the WR-V offers the best-in-class cabin space that we spoke about in our review as well.
Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza
| Dimensions | Honda WR-V | Maruti Vitara Brezza |
| Length | 3999 mm | 3995 mm |
| Width | 1734 mm | 1790 mm |
| Height | 1601 mm | 1640 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2555 mm | 2500 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 188 mm | 198 mm |
Features and Equipment:
The Honda WR-V is a very important car for the company, which is why the carmaker has equipped it's with some swanky features like a sunroof ( a segment first), a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system or as Honda calls it Digipad with navigation and optional Wi-Fi for internet support and 1.5 GB internal memory. Other features include a reverse camera, with a multi-view layout - for wide, normal and top views. Features exclusive to the diesel model includes - start/stop button, smartkey entry and cruise control. On the safety front, ABS with EBD and Dual airbags will come as part of standard equipment.
The Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza comes with the much appreciated floating roof style, projector headlamps, dual tone colour scheme and more. The Vitara Brezza also offers a host of features that include a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, keyless entry, engine start/stop button, dual airbags (driver side airbag is standard) and ABS with EBD among others.
Price:
| Model | Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) |
| Honda WR-V | Rs. 7.75 lakh - Rs. 9.99 lakh |
| Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza | Rs. 7.26 lakh - Rs. 9.92 lakh |
Conclusion:
Now for a more technical verdict as to which one of the two is a better value for money you can refer to our comparison review. But in a specification face off, the Honda WR-V clearly makes a strong case for itself. It comes with a bigger and more powerful engine but still manages to offer better mileage. The WR-V is high on features as well with equipment like an electric sunroof, cruise control and better safety features. Considering all this, we are inclined to say that on paper, the Honda WR-V is a better option than the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, but is it a better car? well, we have answered that question in our previous reviews.
