Shooting for the stars: Can the 2023 Honda BR-V take on the Hyundai Stargazer?
VJ Bacungan · Nov 21, 2022 01:00 PM
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The 2023 Honda BR-V is now available in Honda cars showrooms. PHOTO BY MARK JESALVA
The all-new Honda BR-V has been officially launched. And here are the prices of each variant:
1.5 S MT - ₱ 1,090,000
1.5 S CVT - ₱1,150,000
1.5 V CVT - ₱1,295,000
1.5 VX CVT - ₱1,390,000
It is a particularly important model for Honda Cars Philippines Inc. because it is the Japanese carmaker’s entry in the hotly-contested subcompact, seven-seater multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) segment.
The BR-V also enters the fray weeks after the official launch of Hyundai’s four-wheel spaceship, the Stargazer MPV.
The Honda may not be as dramatic to look at as its Korean rival, but are there other things that make it stand out in its class? Let’s check out the numbers.
The BR-V may not be as enormous as the Mitsubishi Xpander or the Nissan Livina, but it holds its own for being one of the widest subcompact MPVs in its class.
Like the Stargazer, the Honda’s class-leading horizontal dimensions will make things more comfortable for passengers. This is a vital selling point in a segment with notoriously narrow cabins.
For those particular with ground clearance, the all-new BRV, the Xpander, and the Livina are the only ones that go past the 200 mm mark.
Vehicle
Length
Width
Height
Wheelbase
Minimum Ground Clearance
Wheels (top-spec)
Honda BR-V
4,490 mm
1,780 mm
1,651-1,685 mm
2,700 mm
207 mm
17-inch alloy
Hyundai Stargazer
4,480 mm
1,780 mm
1,695 mm
2,780 mm
195 mm
16-inch alloy
Toyota Avanza
4,385-4,395 mm
1,730 mm
1,650-1,700 mm
2,750 mm
180-190 mm
16-inch alloy
Toyota Veloz
4,475 mm
1,775 mm
1,700 mm
2,750 mm
190 mm
17-inch alloy
Suzuki Ertiga
4,395 mm
1,735 mm
1,690 mm
2,740 mm
180 mm
15-inch alloy
Mitsubishi Xpander
4,595 mm
1,750 mm
1,750 mm
2,775 mm
225 mm
17-inch alloy
Nissan Livina
4,510 mm
1,750 mm
1,695-1,700 mm
2,775 mm
205 mm
16-inch alloy
The 2023 Honda BR-V's SUV-like silhouette distinguishes it from the typical 7-seater subcompact MPV. PHOTO BY MARK JESALVA
Plush interior
AutoFun Philippines has gotten the chance to sit in the all-new BR-V, and we were impressed by the quality of the materials and construction.
The Honda is available with supple leather in higher variants, making it feel very comfortable.
As seen at the Philippine International Motor Show last September, the 2023 Honda BR-V's interiors are more upscale and plush compared to other MPVs. PHOTO BY MARK JESALVA
60:40 split second-row seats tumble forward to allow access to the third row. PHOTO BY MARK JESALVA
The third row's space is ample, with cup holders and 12-volt sockets available for rear passengers. PHOTO BY MARK JESALVA
Cargo capacity is compromised a bit in the 2023 Honda BR-V. Other MPVs offer more space. PHOTO BY MARK JESALVA
The 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system isn’t quite as big as the others, but it does make up for this by having competitive cargo capacity.
The 2023 Honda BR-V's infotainment seems to have the basics covered. PHOTO BY MARK JESALVA
However, the Xpander-Livina duo takes the cake in the hauling stakes with 495 liters with third-row seats up and 781 liters with the third row folded.
Vehicle
Seat Material
Infotainment System (top-spec)
Cargo Space (3rd-row up)
Cargo Space (3rd-row down)
Honda BR-V
Cloth or leather
7-inch touchscreen
244 liters
530 liters
Hyundai Stargazer
Cloth or leatherette
8-inch touchscreen
200 liters
585 liters
Toyota Avanza
Cloth
8-inch touchscreen
N/A
N/A
Toyota Veloz
Cloth and synthetic leather
7-inch touchscreen
N/A
N/A
Suzuki Ertiga
Cloth
8-inch touchscreen
153 liters
550 liters
Mitsubishi Xpander
Cloth
7-inch touchscreen
495 liters
781 liters
Nissan Livina
Cloth or leather
7-inch touchscreen
495 liters
781 liters
Most powerful MPV
There’s no getting around it – the Honda BR-V is the most powerful subcompact MPV around.
It just about pips the Stargazer by using the same 1.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline engine found in the City, City Hatchback, and the entry-level HR-V.
When hauling seven people plus cargo, having a powerful engine is an advantage. PHOTO BY MARK JESALVA
As the figures show, most of the power and torque from the BR-V comes in the mid-to-high RPM band. In our initial tests, you had to wind up the engine to enjoy strong acceleration.
Honda sticks with its fuel-efficiency-biased CVT in the 2023 Honda BR-V. PHOTO BY MARK JESALVA
The BR-V is available with either a 6-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission, with the older Suzuki Ertiga, Xpander, and Livina still offering outdated 4-speed automatic gearboxes.
Vehicle
Engine
Gearbox
Power
Torque
Honda BR-V
1.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline
6-speed manual or continuously variable transmission
121 PS at 6,600 rpm
145 Nm at 4,300 rpm
Hyundai Stargazer
1.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline
6-speed manual or continuously variable transmission
115 PS at 6,300 rpm
144 Nm at 4,500 rpm
Toyota Avanza
1.3-liter or 1.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline
5-speed manual or continuously variable transmission
98 PS or 106 PS at 6,000 rpm
122 or 138 Nm at 4,200 Nm
Toyota Veloz
1.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline
Continuously variable transmission
106 PS at 6,000 rpm
138 Nm at 4,200 Nm
Suzuki Ertiga
1.4-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve, inline-4 gasoline
5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic
104 PS at 6,000 rpm
138 Nm at 4,400 rpm
Mitsubishi Xpander
1.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline
5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic
105 PS at 6,000 rpm
141 Nm at 4,000 rpm
Nissan Livina
1.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline
5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic
105 PS at 6,000 rpm
141 Nm at 4,000 rpm
Class-leading safety tech
Safety-wise, Honda went to town by offering its excellent Honda SENSING active safety suite on the top-of-the-line VX.
This includes adaptive cruise control, collision-mitigation braking, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. These are things that the Stargazer also offers.
All BR-Vs come with dual front airbags, with the top-spec VX getting front-side and curtain airbags. Again, these features are available in the Hyundai.
Honda SENSING along with a full complement of airbags make the 2023 Honda BR-V about even-steven with the Hyundai Stargazer. PHOTO BY MARK JESALVA
The Hyundai and the Honda also get standard traction control and ISOFIX child restraints. As the chart shows, the rest of the MPV class is trailing in the safety department.
The all-new Honda BR-V is a well-made, well-equipped subcompact MPV that will attract buyers who want the latest in refinement and safety tech.
Price-wise, the all-new Honda BR-V competes well with other subcompact MPVs. But its closest rival, the Hyundai Stargazer, just about undercuts its price.
Vehicle
Price Range
Honda BR-V
₱ 1,090,000 to 1,390,000
Hyundai Stargazer
₱ 998,000 to 1,218,000
Toyota Avanza
₱ 833,000 to 1,059,000
Toyota Veloz
₱ 1,210,000 to 1,265,000
Suzuki Ertiga
₱ 853,000 to 1,003,000
Mitsubishi Xpander
₱ 1,050,000 to 1,180,000
Nissan Livina
₱ 1,029,000 to 1,209,000
Overall, the Honda BR-V represents a new generation of subcompact MPVs that take refinement and safety to new levels.
It also caters to people who want a more traditional-looking MPV than the Hyundai Stargazer. A complete comparison test between the two will tell us more.
Are you excited to try out the 2023 Honda BR-V in person?
An award-winning multimedia journalist, editor, and host for online and TV who has written in-depth stories on road safety and the Philippine elections. Outside of the media, VJ is an accomplished motorsports champion, English teacher, and dancer.
