Honda Malaysia has recently revealed its plan to launch four new vehicles in 2023. One of them will be a facelift model while the other three will be all-new models inclusive of a small SUV that is said to be the first such release from a Japanese automaker in Malaysia.
The company did not mention any names though but based on the silhouette in the slide during the presentation by Honda Malaysia’s President & Chief Operating Officer Sarly Adle Sarkum at a recent media session, we don’t think the small SUV can be any other models than the highly anticipated WR-V.
After all, the SUV which made its global debut in Indonesia last November, has already been spotted going through real-life tests on our roads. Featuring a similar design language as its bigger sibling, the HR-V, the model is also available in Thailand.
In both markets, the WR-V was equipped with a 1.5L four-cylinder i-VTEC engine that produces 121PS of power alongside a maximum torque of 145Nm. Similarly, the engine was paired together with a CVT transmission.
Depending on the market, the high-end RS variant can be obtained with the Honda SENSING safety suite which offers features such as Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Keeping Assist System, Road Departure Mitigation System with Land Departure Warning, Auto High-Beam, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Lead Car Departure Notification System. The RS variant can also be equipped with the Honda LaneWatch feature as well.
A potential rival to the popular Perodua Ativa and Proton X50, Sarly’s presentation also said that Honda Malaysia plans to launch the new small SUV sometime in Q3 this year. On a related note, the arrival of the SUV will also mark the end of Honda’s 7-seater BR-V in our market which was revealed by the company’s Executive Coordinator Yujiro Sugino during the Q&A session at the same media session.
When it comes to the three other models, Honda Malaysia did not provide hints that were as obvious as the WR-V. That being said, one of Sarly’s presentation slides also depicted a manual six-speed gear shifter that seemed to represent the 2023 Civic Type R.
You may have also heard reports about a highly disguised 2023 CR-V being tested on local roads. All in all, seems like it is going to be yet another busy year for Honda Malaysia.
