This Honda Was a Jeep Cherokee in Another Life

Well, I’ll be DAMneD. Japanese tuners have found a way to surprise us again. After Mitsuoka gave the Civic a Nissan Skyline makeover, another Honda now channels a Cherokee XJ vibe. If you’re unfamiliar with the WR-V, you honestly haven’t missed much. The weirdly named “Winsome Runabout Vehicle” is just another small SUV in a crowded field. With a front-wheel-drive layout and a continuously variable transmission, it won’t exactly set your pulse racing.

DAMD has come up with an ingenious way to give Honda’s forgettable crossover a stronger personalit, albeit one borrowed from another model. Yes, this WR-V wants to be a second-generation Cherokee when it grows up. The old-school rectangular halogen headlights flank a Jeep-esque grille with, conveniently, only six slots. Had they added another, the tuner might’ve had to lawyer up. As for the LED daytime running lights below, they look as if they were lifted from a previous-gen Mercedes G-Class.

The tuner, known for its quirky G-Class and Defender projects, fully embraced an 1980s and early 1990s aesthetic with faux wood paneling along the sides. At the rear, DAMD didn’t bother changing the taillights to mimic the XJ’s vertical lights, but it did add a questionable piece of black plastic trim. The rear garnish swaps the Honda badge for a REVERB logo, calling out the package’s official name.

The whole shebang even includes a redesigned, squared-off hood and a chunky front bumper. While the standard WR-V is far from an off-roader, DAMD lifts the suspension by nearly 1.4 inches (35 millimeters) and wraps the 16-inch wheels in BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A K03 tires sized 215/70 R16.

There’s not much going on inside, but customers can order plaid seat covers to emphasize the retro effect. The checkered pattern extends onto the front and rear center consoles, as well as the front seat pockets. It’s a strange combination, but given how Japanese tuners consistently churn out unusual cosmetic packages, there’s clearly a demand for unorthodox custom builds.