Tata Nexon vs Honda WRV – Which one should you buy?

Two car brands that are competing to become the third largest car brand in India have entered into the compact SUV, which is one of the fastest growing segment. Honda already has the WRV, which been doing good numbers for them and on the other side Tata will soon be launching the Nexon. So which is a better product? What should you invest your money in? Well, it share all the details on the Tata Nexon vs Honda WRV comparison.

Both of them have different design, but both fall in a similar price range, offer similar features and cater to similar set of buyers. Tata Nexon seems to be very promising and at the same time, the WRV has been liked by many for its design, space, practicality and features. Both of them have good road presence and just make it difficult for buyers to pick one of the two. Spoilt for choice is the best phrase for these two compact crossovers.

Tata Nexon vs Honda WRV Design

Lets begin with the design. The Tata Nexon has trendy styling. It has a large front grille that melds with the sleek headlamps. The bumper is large and the design seems more jazzy than anything. The fog lamps are big and it does have white ceramic that has been used across the SUV and it has replaced the chrome bits. The roof is grey, which is different from the other cars/SUVs on offer. The side profile looks sporty with the sloping roof and the rear looks unique and different, when compared to other compact SUVs. The 16-inch tyres look meaty and chunky. The Nexon comes with 215/60R16 tyres. These do look large and very well fill the wheel well. The arches look muscular and this can be even called as a sports coupe. The coupe line is clearly visible and the high ground clearance of 209mm cannot be ignored to state it as a raised hatchback.

The Honda WRV has a very SUV like front. It does have road presence with a chunky chrome grille and has smoked out headlamps too.

The side profile of this crossover does also look a lot similar to the Jazz. The body cladding makes it look a lot more rugged. The roof rails makes it look taller too. The rear does have trendy design too and it doesn’t look like any of the other Honda cars. The Honda WRV does have appealing styling. The ground clearance of the WRV is about 189mm and it also has 16-inch tyres. The alloy wheels are diamond-cut and they too stand out in the crowd. Also, there is also the silhouette, where a resemblance can be seen with the Jazz.

Tata Nexon vs Honda WRV Interiors

On the inside, the Tata Nexon has all new interiors. These interiors are in no way similar to that of any other Tata car. These look fresh and new. There is the same three-spoke steering wheel and the instrument cluster from the Tiago family. The centre console is all new. There is a large touchscreen system that has Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, reverse camera and 8-speaker Harman system. There is dual airbags and ABS as a standard offering. Quality is good and even the features on offer are worth a mention. For the first time, a Tata vehicle comes with Push Start and stop. The space in both the rows is good and the seats are extremely with good thigh support. There is also rear AC vents with even an adjustable blower. The boot at 350 litres is decent enough. The front and the rear pillar in the SUV are thick. This somewhat affects the visibility. Especially when one is driving it on the hills or while reversing.

Honda WRV’s interior’s aren’t very different from the Jazz. There isn’t just a resemblance but they do look similar. The WRV has additional features on offer. The first is the sunroof, then there is a larger touchscreen system with HDMI input. The diesel engine even has push start and stop and cruise control. The WRV has a simple and easy to operate dashboard. The design looks classy and there is a glossy black centre console. When you sit inside the WRV it sits low like a hatchback. But the space on offer is just fabulous. This is one of the most spacious and comfortable vehicles in this segment. The boot too has more than sufficient on the inside. The other important aspect to see is that access to the boot, which is good because of the low loading lip and wider area.

Tata Nexon vs Honda WRV Engines

Tata Nexon has a 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine that has good amount of power. This produces about 108bhp of power and 108Nm of maximum torque. Nexon comes with a six-speed manual. This engine has more power not just on paper but even in the real world when compared to the WRV. The engine is refined and the cabin is well insulated. The WRV has a 1.2-litre engine too, but it isn’t turbo charged. Also the power that it produces is about 89bhp and 115Nm of maximum torque. This engine comes with a five-speed manual transmission. The engine has amazing refinement and has a high revving engine. But it doesn’t offer the performance of the Nexon due to the turbo power and an additional gear too means more shifts needed to the correct torque.

The diesel engine on both are powerful. Nexon has a 1.5-litre one that churns 108bhp and 260Nm, while the WRV has 98bhp and 200Nm. Now there isn’t much of a difference in the power of the two but they are similar in performance and are fairly easy to drive as well.  Both are six-speed transmissions, but the only downside of the WRV is the diesel engine noise is too harsh and audible in the cabin even at low speeds. Else, the Honda WRV has good power to drive in the city and even to overtake comfortably.

The added advantage for the Nexon are the driving modes.

Most of the time we won’t be using them, and there is minor difference in the modes. We haven’t timed it, but it did feel so.

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Tata Nexon vs Honda WRV Mileage

This is another bit where both the SUVs are close for the diesel engine. Both of them shall return close to 16km/l in the city and the number goes up to 19-22km/l depending on the driving style. The petrol on the Honda should be more efficient due to a lighter body comparatively. The petrol returns close to 12km/l in the city and 16km/l on the highway. While the Nexon should return about 11km/l in the city and 15km/l on the highway.

Tata Nexon vs Honda WRV Driving Dynamics

There isn’t much of a difference in the ride quality of the two. The Nexon does feel a bit more pliant and somewhat absorbs the bumps better. The rear seat comfort especially. But in terms of handling both are equally good, even the steering feel is similar on the two. Though it just feels a tad better on the Honda WRV. Where the Honda WRV shines is its ease of driving. In the city, the WRV feels lighter and more convenient to drive. The visibility is also better, though you still feel like driving a hatchback than an SUV.

You do not feel the upright seating, commanding position on the WRV, which is good for those who need comfortable hatchback like driving in an SUV-like vehicle on the outside.

Tata Nexon vs Honda WRV Price

At the moment, the price for the Honda WRV hasn’t been announced. If we assume the price of the Tata Nexon is similar to the Honda WRV, the Tata Nexon might be a better option. However, if the Tata Nexon undercuts the pricing, then it will be a better deal to opt for.