KUALA LUMPUR, July 15 — Earlier this week, we saw Honda Malaysia launch the WR-V, the company’s long-awaited entry-level SUV. Slotting below the already-popular HR-V, it starts well below the RM100,000 mark, putting it in direct competition with the Proton X50. But to meet that attractive price point, Honda has had to make some compromises in terms of specs, so have those trade-offs been worth it?

To recap, the WR-V is available in four variants, all of them purely petrol powered. On-the-road prices excluding insurance are as follows:

• Honda WR-V 1.5 S – RM89,900
• Honda WR-V 1.5 E – RM95,900
• Honda WR-V 1.5 V – RM99,900
• Honda WR-V 1.5 RS – RM107,900

At the heart of the WR-V sits a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated i-VTEC four-cylinder engine that’s shared with the City, producing 89kW (119hp) and 145Nm of torque. It’s not turbocharged, so it’s not as powerful or as torquey as the X50—and with a CVT with seven virtual ratios, the compact crossover takes 11 seconds to get from zero to 100km/h, on its way to a top speed of 160km/h. On the flip side, Honda quotes a combined fuel consumption figure of 6.0 litres per 100km.

Although it’s priced in the ballpark of the X50, the WR-V is closer in size to the smaller Perodua Ativa. It measures 4,060mm long, 1,780mm wide and 1,608mm tall, making it 270mm shorter than the HR-V; its 2,485mm wheelbase is also 125mm shorter. Despite this, it actually has a larger boot that measures 380 litres, although you do lose out on a tonneau cover and the HR-V’s incredibly practical rear Ultra Seats.

The level of standard kit also leaves much to be desired. While you do get keyless entry, push-button start, a seven-inch touchscreen head unit, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a LaneWatch blind spot camera across the range, the base 1.5 S only comes with halogen headlights, fabric seats, four airbags and, somewhat incredulously, only two speakers.

You’ll have to step up to the E variant to get four speakers, along with automatic headlights, remote engine start, walk-away auto lock and a reverse camera. On the bright side, this model also comes with the full Honda Sensing suite of driver assists. Spending extra on the V nets you LED headlights and fog lights, auto air-con and leather seats, but only the RS receives larger 17-inch two-tone alloy wheels, as well as paddle shifters, six speakers, Honda Connect smartphone remote control and, most importantly, six airbags. — SoyaCincau