When the Honda WR-V was launched in Indonesia at a more premium price than its rival, the Toyota Raize, many were quick to stifle a chuckle but as it turns out in the end, Honda had the last laugh as the WR-V continues to outsell the Raize, according to AutoFun.

Competition is tight in the compact SUV segment across the Straits of Malacca but PT Honda Prospect Motor (HPM), the distributor for the marque there, has had several clever strategies in marketing the car.

Prior to its launch there, Honda conducted a thorough series of consumer research as well as various tests across Indonesian roads under differing conditions.

From the data gathered, Honda designed a car that answered the needs of consumers in Indonesia, especially for the younger family demographic who wanted a compact SUV that was suitable for urban and suburban areas, had a stylish and sporty design with decent power and features.

Also Read: Priced from RM 90k, 2023 Honda WR-V launched in Malaysia; 1.5 NA, CVT, Sensing ADAS

HPM offers the WR-V in two variants, the E and RS. While the E gets a CVT and manual, the RS comes exclusively as a CVT. Like Malaysia, there’s only one engine option, a 1.5-litre i-VTEC DOHC 4-cylinder with 121 PS and 145 Nm of torque.

Pricing for the WR-V in Indonesia ranges from Rp. 270,200,000 to Rp. 318,500,000 (~RM 81,500 to ~RM 96,000).

On the other hand, pricing for the Raize starts at Rp. 235,000,000 (~RM 70,850) and goes up to Rp. 307,700,000 (~RM 92,800).

Also Read: Review: 2023 Honda WR-V RS - The next big hit for Honda Malaysia?

Apart from the Raize and its Daihatsu Rocky twin, the other players in the segment include the Kia Sonet and Nissan Magnite but those rivals seem to be less successful in terms of sales.

Despite being priced higher and having less variants than the Raize, data from the Association of Motor Vehicle Industries Indonesia (Gaikindo) make it clear that the WR-V outsells the Raize.

Also Read: The Daihatsu Rocky is more expensive than the Toyota Raize, why?

For September 2023, Honda sold 1,566 WR-Vs while the Raize managed 1,093 units. It was a similar picture in August 2023 as well, with 1,805 units of the Honda against 1,728 units of the Toyota.

Only in July 2023 did the Raize manage to pip the WR-V, gaining 1,951 for itself with the Honda just behind at 1,841 units. Still, Honda is expected to maintain its dominance in the segment moving forward.

Also Read: Toyota Raize and Daihatsu Rocky launched in Indonesia: 1.0T at launch, up to 20 variants!