Honda WR-V: Mastering variants and suspension for Malaysian roads

HONDA Malaysia has reason to celebrate as its recently launched compact SUV, the WR-V, has already gained significant traction in the market with over 3,800 units registered on the roads just two months after its launch.

WR-V Assistant Large Project Leader Nattawut Sasitorn shared this impressive milestone during an interview session in Langkawi recently.

Car enthusiasts and motoring journalists had gathered in Langkawi for a media test drive event, where they had the opportunity to engage with Sasitorn, who hails from Thailand.

One of the key topics of discussion during the interview was the WR-V's suspension system, which Sasitorn explained has some differences among the various offered variants.

In Malaysia, the WR-V is available in several variants, including the S, E, V, and the top-tier RS variant, each with slight differences in their suspension setups.

"The RS variant, for instance, comes equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, unlike the other variants, which feature 16-inch wheels.

"Consequently, we had to make specific adjustments to ensure that all WR-V variants meet the same performance and comfort standards," Sasitorn said.

WR-V Assistant Large Project Leader Nattawut Sasitorn

These adjustments primarily pertain to shock absorber tuning, as the RS variant needed modifications to accommodate the larger tire weight and the thinner tire profile that comes with its 17-inch wheels.

Sasitorn pointed out that these adjustments were crucial to maintaining a consistent level of comfort across all WR-V variants.

WR-V RS also received minor refinements in terms of the power steering system mapping and CVT tuning due to the differences in wheel and tire size.

Sasitorn, a Honda veteran with 15 years of experience, stressed that these adjustments are essential to achieving the primary goal of the WR-V: delivering a compact urban SUV that offers the driving experience of an SUV without compromising passenger comfort and smoothness.

He also shed light on Honda's Research and Development (R&D) capabilities in Thailand.

He explained that Honda's R&D unit in Thailand has the capacity to take new models from the planning stage to manufacturing and assembly, with only a few tests being conducted in Japan due to limited facilities there, which are exclusive to Honda Japan.

In line with its market strategy, Honda also confirmed that the WR-V is intended to replace the BR-V model in the Malaysian market, signalling the brand's shift towards a greater focus on smaller SUVs.