Though the compact SUV market in Indonesia is fairly new, it has been dominated mostly by the Toyota Raize and Daihatsu Rocky. The twins to the Perodua Ativa seemed unbeatable but that all changed once the Honda WR-V entered the fray.

In its first month of sales, the WR-V has overtaken the Raize as Indonesia’s best-selling compact SUV and that momentum seems to continue according to the latest sales data. While both SUVs are priced close to one another in Indonesia, the WR-V won’t be looking at a similar situation if it were to be launched in Malaysia.

Still, our Indonesian colleagues over at AutoFun have paired up the two SUVs in their latest comparison to see which is the better choice. Granted, this is going to be just a photo post as AutoFun ID has not published its verdict on the driving impressions yet.

Style – Aggressive or conservative?

Making its global debut in Indonesia, the Honda WR-V is a regional product that is developed by the Honda R&D Asia Pacific team in Thailand. Hence, it has a more local feel that you might get from other models made for developing markets as compared to the Toyota Raize.

Also read: All-new 2023 Honda WR-V debuts in Indonesia - Can it win over the Ativa?

The Raize is developed mainly in Japan where the model made its global appearance before being sold overseas. So if you’re quite smitten with Japanese design, the Raize might look better. Ditto the Perodua Ativa despite the Malaysian P2 flavour since the original donor is developed for the Japanese domestic market.

Also read: This Perodua Ativa has seen too many '80s American action flicks - Meet Japan's Alpine Style Havana

The WR-V is built on the same platform as the 7-seater BR-V but Honda makes an effort to give the smaller SUV a distinct yet familiar design. It looks more posh and elegant with the smooth and sharp lines in front that kind of resemble a mix of the Civic and City.

The compact lines continue around the side with some minor inspirations from the HR-V such as the “hidden” rear door handles. The rear, on the other hand, has a simple design but it does give the WR-V a bit more character than the BR-V.

Also read: From Karawang with love: CKD Indonesia Honda WR-V set for ASEAN export, includes Thailand

As for the Raize, it's clear that Toyota is giving it a more aggressive design overall. There are hints of Toyota’s other SUVs in the design like the RAV4 but it’s still distinct and sporty. Even without the GR aero kit, the Raize gives an impact on its design.

The blue Raize shown in these photos is the top-of-the-line GR Sport variant so those aero kits are only available for that variant. It also comes with safety features that we will talk more about in the next part of this article.

Also read: The most popular Daihatsu Rocky (Perodua Ativa) variant in Indonesia is also the most expensive

Hence, some might find the aggressive body kits to be a bit too much but if one were to get the highest-spec Raize, they would have to accept the look. At least on the WR-V, it’s a bit more subtle even on its top-of-the-line variant.

Features – Similarly equipped but the Raize has some advantage

The Indo-spec WR-V is offered with 3 variants and the model shown in this comparison is the top variant – the RS with Honda Sensing that starts from IDR 309.9 million (~RM 94k). Meanwhile, the blue Raize is the GR Sport with TSS variant that starts from IDR 302.5 million (~RM 88k).

Also read: Honda WR-V, more powerful than Ativa, adds Sensing, sub-RM 90k possible for Malaysia?

Despite the difference in price, both SUVs in their highest grades are similarly equipped. Both are equipped with a push-start ignition button, digital air-conditioning, and 17-inch alloy wheels.

There are a few differences in features between the two top-of-the-line SUVs though such as the WR-V getting leather seats while the Raize has fabric and leather combination seats. Both the WR-V and Raize also come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity though the head unit is smaller in the former (WR-V: 7 inches Raize: 9 inches).

Also read: 5 things the Perodua Ativa needs to improve on – Long term review #10

In terms of safety, both SUVs offer 6 airbags as well as ADAS on their respective highest variants but when it comes to the latter, the features offered are also different.

Also read: A mini HR-V, Malaysia-bound Honda WR-V awarded 5-star ASEAN NCAP crash test rating

Both models come with adaptive cruise control (ACC), lane departure assist, and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) but the WR-V is the only one with auto high beam (AHB). The WR-V also comes with the Honda LaneWatch camera while the Raize has regular blind-spot monitors (BSM).

It seems that the Raize has an advantage over the WR-V in terms of available features on both top-spec variants while also being more affordable. So, this round seems to point towards Toyota’s favour.

Engine and performance – WR-V is more powerful

Unlike the (non-hybrid) Perodua Ativa, the Toyota Raize in Indonesia is offered with two different petrol engines – a naturally-aspirated 1.2-litre WA-VE 3-cylinder (88 PS/113 Nm) engine and a turbocharged 1.0-litre 1KR-VET 3-pot (98 PS/140 Nm).

Also read: Same same, but very different - CBU 2022 Perodua Ativa Hybrid vs CKD Perodua Ativa

Both engines are offered a choice of either a 5-speed manual transmission or a D-CVT automatic transmission. However, to get all the bells and whistles like on this GR Sport variant, the only available combination is the turbo unit paired with a D-CVT.

Meanwhile, the Honda WR-V is only offered with one engine choice and one transmission. Across all three variants including the top-of-the-line RS with Honda Sensing, Honda’s smallest SUV is powered by a larger and more powerful naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre i-VTEC DOHC (121 PS/145 Nm) that is mated to a CVT-type automatic gearbox.

On paper, the larger engine which is also found on the all-new BR-V has the advantage in terms of size and power. In fact, against rivals in the compact SUV market in Indonesia which also includes the Nissan Magnite and Kia Sonet, the WR-V clearly has the power supremacy which might contribute to its rise in sales.

Conclusion

Honda says that the WR-V name stands for “Winsome Runabout Vehicle” and in terms of sales, the SUV is certainly winning over Indonesian buyers.

Also read: 2023 Honda WR-V outsold Perodua Ativa's Indo twins Rocky and Raize in December 2022

Even though the Toyota Raize has been on the market much longer and is a slightly older model, it actually holds up against Honda’s challenger. We can’t really say which is the clear winner between the two as both compact SUVs have similar merits.

The WR-V is fresher-looking and more powerful while the Raize is cheaper and has slightly more features. When the WR-V is introduced in Malaysia, it might be a worthy alternative to the Perodua Ativa but you won’t exactly see it overtaking in terms of sales unlike in Indonesia.

Also read: From Axia to Vios, these 8 cars are coming to Malaysia in 2023 and could cost less than RM 100k!

Special thanks to our colleagues over at AutoFun ID for providing us the photos.