This Jeep-Looking SUV Is Actually a Honda CR-V Playing Dress Up

Car and Driver

13-06-2025

This isn't a new Jeep crossover; it's a Honda CR-V doing cosplay!
A new body kit from Japanese tuner DAMD adds the look of a Cherokee XJ, albeit with modern underpinnings.
The swap comes with a lift, but this kit is more about the look than actually off-roading.
The XJ-series Jeep Cherokee set the stage for the era of the body-on-frame SUV, becoming as much of an icon as its Wrangler cousin in the process. It's such a boxy, charismatic truck, but if you own a vintage example, you do have to put up with fairly chunky ride quality and thirsty fuel-economy figures. That's part of the charm of driving an old truck around–but what if you just wanted the look?
Honda's Halloween Costume
If you live in Japan, then tuner DAMD has you covered. Its latest creation, the Reverb WR-V, takes a humdrum Honda CR-V compact SUV and transforms it into a modern interpretation of what a modernized XJ might look like. You can still see the Honda underneath, but the overall effect is good enough that Jeep might want to start thinking about something more retro-inspired to replace the Compass.
DAMD
Best known as a supplier of body kits and other cosmetic upgrades, the DAMD catalogue is absolutely crammed with whimsy. The Suzuki Jiminy, a tiny SUV once sold on this side of the Pacific as the Suzuki Samurai, can be dressed up as a kleiner Geländewagen called the Little G. Or you can have a tiny Bronco called, you guessed it, the Little B.
The Reverb's WR-V stands for Winsome Runabout Vehicle, which is at once both very Japanese and entirely accurate. The kit extends to a squared-off hood, front grille, and lower bumper. Note that the slots on the grille are one shy of Jeep's trademarked seven.
DAMD
A set of 16-inch steelies wearing BFGoodrich T/A K03s rounds out the look. There's a mild, 1.4-inch lift, but don't expect this Jeep lookalike to be any better at off-roading than a CR-V TrailSport. Plus, that's not really the point here.
A Cheap "Jeep"
The cost for all this Jeepy cosplay seems entirely reasonable, at the equivalent of just over $2000 for the basic body kit. DAMD mostly deals with the Japanese market, but it does have suppliers in the United States. You'd want to check to see if everything would line up on a left-hand-drive CR-V before ordering, though.
DAMD
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then consider this dressed-up Honda as a proper tribute to the XJ. You don't need to have the full off-road capability to appreciate good design.
Brendan McAleer
Contributing Editor
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. Read full bio