Honda BR-V

Overview

The  Honda BR-V was a breath of fresh air in the 7-seater car market. Back when it was launched, the Honda BR-V was marketed to offer 7 seats in the form of an SUV and drives like a "car" rather than an MPV. Back then, the Honda BR-V's biggest competitor was the Toyota Avanza but as the years went by, the Honda BR-V found itself facing competition from the Toyota Rush and the Perodua Aruz as well. At first glance, the BR-V looks more or less similar to the Mobilio, only it has a higher ground clearance and a larger body. Even so, the Honda BR-V itself is actually a development of the All New Honda Jazz platform. This can be seen from the use of the 1,500 cc 4-cylinder i-VTEC engine which is the heart of the kitchen spur.

History

The Honda BR-V is a subcompact crossover SUV produced by Honda since 2016, sold primarily to emerging markets. Despite being larger in dimensions and offering three-row seating as standard or as an option, the BR-V is positioned below the more sophisticated HR-V. The first-generation model shares its platform with the second-generation Mobilio, which is based on the extended Brio platform. The second generation model is built on a separate platform from the Mobilio. The BR-V has been manufactured and assembled in several Asian countries, including Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, India and Pakistan, and is also sold in Brunei, Mexico and South Africa.

Price

The Honda BR-V price in the Philippines starts at P1,048,000.00. The lowest price is the Honda BR-V 1.5 S CVT, ranging all the way up to the Honda BR-V 1.5 V CVT priced at P1,168,000.00. 

Exterior

The BR-V looks calm but has a stylish body curve that exudes a perfect elegant aura. In addition, the Honda BR-V also appears more 'slim' when compared to other crossover type cars. The headlamp design on the BR-V carries a long shape model with firm lines to the side with projector headlamp technology. The dimensions of the lamp are not so wide, at first glance reminiscent of the appearance of the Honda HR-V headlamp. Towards the side design, the distinctive aura of the Honda CR-V and HR-V begins to be seen here. The BR-V appears with an aerodynamic body shape, typical of the Roundabout Vehicle.

Then, this car also offers dynamic and sharp body curves on the sides. In addition, the side view of the Honda BR-V also looks more sporty thanks to the addition of black fiber fender accessories on the bottom side that are circular from the front following the groove to the rear of the car body. For the rear, the stop lamp on the BR-V is made to stand out with a quite futuristic design combined with a spoiler that also sweetens its sporty aura.

Dimensions

The Honda BR-V measures in at 1,735 x 1,666 x 2,662 mm in terms of width, height, wheelbase. But the length of the Honda BR-V differs slightly between the variants with the E measuring at 4,453 mm and the V measuring in at 4,456 m

Lighting

All variants of the Honda BR-V utilise halogen headlights and LED Daytime Running Lights, while only the V gets front fog lamps.

Wheels

The Honda BR-V rolls on 16-inch wheels.

Interior

The BR-V itself is a small SUV with an MPV-style cabin. That is, this car can carry a large number of passengers as well as MPV. The passenger seat of this car is also equipped with 50:50 folding row 3 technology, which means that the seat can be folded as an additional part of the trunk. To add to the comfort, the Honda BRV specification embeds the Double Blower AC feature to support passenger comfort.

Centre Console

Honda proudly markets 11 cupholders in the Honda BR-V, and these holders are of different sizes to accommodate all sizes of cups and bottles. Using the Japanese space-saving technique has allowed Honda to not only create enough space for all occupants but allow them to squeeze out every inch for a useable cubby space.

Dashboard 

Most of the dashboard is made with good quality hard plastic. Unlike the Honda City, the Honda BR-V does not feel too industrial. The sea of black is relieved by strips of chrome to give it a modern feel.

Space

Honda did not disappoint with the Honda BR-V in terms of spaciousness. All 3 rows are afforded plenty of legroom and headroom thanks to the car's higher height.

Boot

Honda doesn't skimp on space even when accommodating the third row. There is still 223-litre worth of luggage capacity with the third row up and 539-litres on tap with the third-row seats neatly stowed away.

Features

Safety Features

Standard safety features such as a potentioner seatbelt to support driver safety are already installed on this Honda BR V. In addition, there is also a Dual Airbag System feature that will provide additional safety in the event of a sudden collision. In the braking section, the Honda BRV is supported by the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) feature and also Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) etc.

Comfort Features

Only the range-topping V gets leather upholstery, steering wheel and gear knob. The V variant also comes with the ever-useful rear-view camera and electric tailgate as well. Both variants come with rear air-cond vents.

Infotainment features

The base E variant gets only standard audio while the Honda BR-V V gets a 6.1-inch touchscreen. Both variants are connectable via Bluetooth and USB while HDMI is reserved only for the top-spec.

Powertrain performance

Engine

Honda uses the i-VTEC engine, which is an engine valve control technology that is widely used by Honda in its products, such as the Honda Jazz and Mobilio. The engine with i-VTEC technology in the Honda BRV has the advantage that even though it has a small cylinder, it can produce power equivalent to a large cylinder engine.

In addition, the i-VTEC engine can minimize fuel consumption and is comfortable to use as a daily vehicle. For this Honda BR-V, Honda carries an i=VTEC engine with a capacity of 1.5 liters consisting of 4-cylinder DOHC 16 valve inline models. The i-VTEC engine in this car is capable of providing maximum power up to 120 HP at 6,600 rpm and a maximum torque of 145 Nm at 4,600 rpm.

For the variants, the specifications of the Honda BRV will be divided into 3 types, namely S (M/T), E (M/T, CVT) and Prestige (CVT). The highest variant is the Prestige (CVT), where Honda will embed special features, such as the Vehicle Stability Assist, Hill Start Assist, Nano E-ionizer and Aero Kit features.

Transmission

The Honda BR-V's 1.5-litre engine is attached to Honda's efficient CVT.

Chassis

The steering system in the Honda BR-V uses Electric Power Steering with a turning radius of 5.6 m.

Drivetrain 

Though it is essentially an SUV, the Honda BR-V is front-wheel drive only.

Fuel consumption

Honda claims the Honda BR-V returns 15.5 km/ litre thanks to the Earthdream engine.

Driving performance

Transmission Performance

The Honda BR-V makes good use of Honda's famed CVT. Thanks to the Honda BR-V's larger cabin, the loud churn of the CVT is easily channelled out so it is less intrusive leaving only the smooth feeling of the CVT.

Steering and Handling

Though a larger car, the Honda BR-V's steering is surprisingly light. This makes manoeuvring around a tight parking lot a breeze and doesn't leave you tired while cruising on the highway. While it's light, it doesn't disconnect you from the road to give you an artificial feel.

Ride comfort

Sound Proofing

The Honda BR-V doesn't have the quietest interior, there are parts in the interior that rattles and wind from the outside seep into the car easily.

Passenger Comfort 

Being a high riding car, the Honda BR-V can get a little uncomfortable because of the excessive body roll. The suspension is set on the firm side though it still absorbs enough portholes to give a less crashy ride.

Conclusion

Instead of utilitarian, the Honda BR-V is more a lifestyle people mover. It certainly has a more comfortable ride than even all its closest rivals and is easier to handle, it also has practicality than its closest rival, the Perodua Aruz, lacks and more space to boot.