Honda WR-V 1.2 Elegance (2023) Review

Introduction

Right, so you’re scouring the sub-R300k used crossover listings and want something unlikely to leave you waiting for a flatbed on the N3, groceries melting in the boot. The Honda WR-V 1.2 Elegance is worth considering - as long as you’re realistic about what you’re actually buying. Don’t expect a Sonet rival in disguise. You’re getting a tall Jazz with extra clearance, not some urban adventurer. Here’s the honest bit: Honda’s WR-V quietly slotted under the BR-V, barely troubled the sales charts, and by February 2024 had vanished from new car lists. Now, it’s a used-car play - and that’s how you should approach it.

Key takeaway: The WR-V 1.2 Elegance is a simple, honest city crossover with useful kit, held back by an ageing engine. In the R200k–R260k used bracket, it’s a rational buy.

Design & Exterior

What you're actually looking at

Park the WR-V next to anything else and its proportions give the game away: hatchback first, crossover second. That’s because it’s built on Jazz bones - same platform, just with chunkier cladding, a boxier front, and a raised roof. The 2020 facelift sharpened up the grille and added smarter lights, and that’s the only version you’ll see here unless a parallel import sneaks in from India.

Where it sits in the segment

Next to a Kia Sonet or Hyundai Venue, you realise the Honda is refreshingly upfront. No fake bash plates, no neon garnish. The Elegance spec brings LED headlights and 16-inch alloys, so it doesn’t look bargain-basement. You’ll walk past it in a mall parkade, but on gravel stretches, that 188 mm of clearance suddenly counts for something. No tough-guy posturing - and sometimes, that’s a selling point.

Cabin & Practicality

Materials and ergonomics

Let’s not pretend: it’s plastic everywhere. But the assembly is solid. I once ran a WR-V for a week that had clocked 12,000 km of Gauteng’s finest potholes - not a rattle to be found. The 7-inch touchscreen (wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) works fast, the physical climate dials are exactly where you want them, and Honda’s kept real buttons for audio. Compared to the usual touch-obsessed cabins, the WR-V feels thoughtfully old-school.

Space and the Magic Seat

This is classic Honda. The Magic Seat system - rear bases flipping up cinema-style - lets you load a 29-inch suitcase or folded pram vertically behind the front seats. Boot space? 363 litres with the seats up: average for the class, but the real trick is flexibility. Drop the 60/40 split, and you’ll swallow a weekend’s camping kit if you pack smart. ISOFIX on both rear outers, and if you’re 1.73 m, you’ll sit behind a driver your height without knees pressed into plastic.

Standard kit on Elegance

• 7-inch (17.8 cm) touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Cruise control
• Keyless entry and start
• Low-res reverse camera (you’ll notice)
• LED headlights
• Leather-trimmed steering wheel
• Dual airbags, ABS with EBD, hill-start assist, ISOFIX

Missing items? No Honda Sensing, no blind-spot, and no AEB. For a post-2020 launch, that’s a glaring omission.

On the Road

Around town

This is where the WR-V feels most at home. Light steering, a tight turning circle, and a high seat give you a clear view over the Polo Vivo scrum. The clutch is forgiving - useful in stop-start up Jan Smuts. The 1.2-litre four dishes up 66 kW and 110 Nm, which is just enough for city work.

The highway problem

Get out onto the open road, and the lack of power is obvious. On Van Reenen’s Pass, two adults and a bag meant dropping to third to keep momentum. Only a 5-speed manual - Honda SA never bothered with an auto - and you’ll find yourself working it hard. Overtaking? Plan in advance. A turbo triple would solve this, but Honda never offered one here. The WR-V always felt like a hatch that needed more engine, and that’s the point.

Ride and refinement

This is where the WR-V fights back. MacPherson struts up front, torsion beam at the rear, and decent 60-profile tyres on 16s mean it soaks up rough tar better than stiffer rivals. Whether dodging potholes around Kempton Park or inching into a Pick n Pay loading bay, the ride stays composed. As for the real-world fuel consumption? I saw between 6.8 and 7.2 L/100 km. Not quite what Honda claims, but fair for a non-turbo working hard in Jozi traffic.

Data & Comparison

Honda WR-V 1.2 Elegance price in South Africa

List price when new was R363,800 - and let’s be honest, that always seemed steep. The used WR-V prices are the real story: 69% of them now sit in the R200k–R260k range, most with less than 70,000 km. That’s where the value finally clicks. New? It never made much sense.

Five-year TCO and residuals

• Estimated 5-year ownership: R230,000 (fuel, insurance, maintenance, tyres)
• 3-year residuals? Discontinued status makes hard numbers scarce
• Sales: around 640 units in 2022, 675 in 2023 - while segment leaders rack up 17,000-plus

How it stacks up

The rivals? All offer a turbo engine and an automatic transmission. Honda? Neither. Instead, you get a five-door hatch with a well-earned rep for reliability, but less sizzle on the spec sheet.

Segment context

Local crossover interest flickered between 34 and 42 on the trend index through late 2025, while true SUV demand sailed past 73. The WR-V’s struggle was always image - shoppers saw a hatch, but the sticker said SUV. That mismatch meant few made it out of the showroom.

Editorial Focus

Honda's new entry crossover tested - is it really a crossover?

Honda SA pitched the WR-V as an entry crossover below the BR-V. On paper at least, it checks the right boxes: tall, five-door, raised up, pitched at a broader audience. In reality? It’s pure Jazz underneath. Same 1.2 L L12B motor, same five-speed manual, same basic suspension. The 188 mm ground clearance is the one number that shouts “crossover”, and yes, it helps on speed bumps and rutted driveways - standard suburban stuff in SA.

Let’s not sugar-coat it: calling this a “new entry crossover” is a stretch. Honda took a Jazz, raised it, added black cladding, and asked R363,800. At the same time, Kia, Hyundai and Renault dropped in turbo engines with automatic transmissions, and South Africans noticed. The Elevate, which launched in 2024, finally delivered what the WR-V should have aimed for: modern engines, more specs, and a package built for the segment. Stack the WR-V against its own brochure, and you get a tall hatch dressed up. Not a flop, just honest product truth.

People Also Ask

Are Hondas still reliable?

Absolutely - Honda sits among the most dependable mainstream brands in SA, and the WR-V keeps that streak. The 1.2-litre is tried-and-tested, borrowed from the Jazz, and issues are rare. In long-term use, it just runs. The five-year/200,000 km warranty is a genuine plus for used buyers.

What are the common Honda WR-V problems?

No disaster stories here. The typical Honda WR-V problems are minor: sticky door hinges, lightweight sun visors, a low-res reverse camera, and an engine that gasps on hills. A few early infotainment units struggled with Bluetooth, but that’s about it. No pattern of mechanical trouble.

What are the common problems with the 2020 Honda WR-V?

For common problems with the 2020 Honda WR-V: the infotainment sometimes freezes, and first-gear shifts can be stiff, but they usually loosen up. The reverse camera remains grainy. Mechanically, the GL-series is solid. Stick to the cambelt and clutch intervals, and you’ll avoid headaches.

What is the Honda WR-V service plan in South Africa terms?

When new, the Honda WR-V service plan in South Africa covered 4 years/60,000 km, paired with a 5-year/200,000 km warranty. Services are every 15,000 km. If you’re buying used, check if there’s any cover left - Honda dealer servicing is surprisingly competitive on this car.

Is the WR-V good on fuel?

It’s okay. I saw 6.8 to 7.2 L/100 km with mixed driving, and a steady 90 km/h cruise drops that to 6.2. Not the most economical - turbo rivals do better - but a 40-litre tank means you can stretch 500 km between fills.

Verdict

Who should buy it

The best value for a used Honda WR-V 1.2 Elegance price south africa is R220k to R250k, under 60,000 km, and a service plan still ticking over. If you’re stepping up from a Polo Vivo, want a higher seat, or need the Magic Seat for kid-hauling, you’re getting real-world practicality.

Who should skip it

If you’re clocking the N1 from Johannesburg to Cape Town, want an auto, or need the latest safety kit, look elsewhere. The WR-V doesn’t tick those boxes. You’ll tire of third-gear overtakes fast on long commutes.

Rating

As a used buy in 2025: 7/10. As a new car at R363,800: 5.5/10. That gap tells the whole story. Honda built a practical, reliable, sensible car - but it was never priced right new. Now that depreciation has done its thing, and with Honda dealers still keeping the lights on with the Elevate, the WR-V finally makes sense on the wallet. Buy it pre-owned, keep it maintained, and it’ll do what you ask - as long as you’re asking the right questions…