Honda BRV

The compact SUV segment has been buzzing of late, with a plethora of launches and updates flooding the market The segment that was kickstarted by the Renault Duster now has an entrant from the Land of the Rising Sun. Honda has jumped into the fray with the BR-V, a seven-seater crossover SUV. The Hyundai Creta and the Renault Duster lie squarely in its crosshairs. 

What does it offer? Let's take a look! 

Honda insists on calling the BR-V an SUV. However, it is hard to overlook the MPV overtones that the design carries. We have to add that the Honda looks significantly smaller in the flesh. Prepare to be slightly surprised when you first lay eyes on one. 

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While the car is amongst the longest in its segment, it isn't very wide. For instance, the Duster is a full 87mm wider. The narrow dimensions are evident easily, as the BR-V does not have the mandatory butch stance most compact SUVs have. Honda has added SUV-inspired elements such as matte-black cladding and roof-rails, which gel well with the overall theme. The sixteen-inch alloy wheels get a finish we have seen on the Mobilio RS. While they look cool in isolation, they seem tiny and lost in the busy side profile. 

Our favourite angle to view the BR-V has to be the front three-quarters. The Accord-inspired face, with large projector headlamps, LED light guides and the matte-silver skid gives the compact SUV a likeable face. We like the creases on the bonnet and around the foglamp housing on the bumper that go the extra mile in adding some aggression to the face. 

The rear looks quite drab and mini-van like. The wrap-around tail lights are connected by a huge reflector strip that runs across the length of the boot. Barring the small strip of chrome above the number plate area and the skid plate, there's nothing to write home about the rear section. 

Summing up, the styling isn't as muscular and butch as a Renault Duster, nor as clean as a Hyundai Creta. It is somewhere in the middle. While it does look nice from certain angles, we wish it did not resemble the Mobilio as much, especially from the side. 

The Honda’s City’s interiors are one of the sedan’s USPs, and Honda has decided to continue with the trend, offering a familiar layout in the cabin. The all-black layout offers a sporty and classy touch, though some buyers may prefer a beige palette. The piano-black centre console and dull silver accents across the cabin add a premium touch, with subtlety.

While the exterior of the BR-V does emit a Mobilio-esque vibe, the interiors don’t share the MPV’s relatively cheap look and finish, though there is room for improvement, especially considering the competition it faces. The top-spec version gets good-quality leather upholstery with leather around the steering wheel, gear knob and door armrest as well. You also get adjustable headrests for all seven seats.

The BR-V is woefully under equipped for a car launched in 2016.

Honda’s “man maximum machine minimum” philosophy has given its cars a good reputation when it comes to space, to the extent that hatchbacks like the Jazz offer space that can put sedans in segments above it to shame. All three rows of the BR-V are very accommodating and can hold the average Indian frame in reasonable comfort, even if the person is on the bulkier side. Space in the second row is generous enough to accommodate one six-footer behind another. The seat compound isn’t very soft and, while it will help on long-distance highway trips, short in-city journeys could prove to be a little irritating.

Legroom and headroom get a thumbs up from us, but under-thigh support is inadequate because of the small seat base. Another problem in the second row is the fact that it can’t support three passengers together, and the S-Cross does a better job of this. In the third row, headroom is surprisingly good, but this still isn’t a seat of choice to begin with. Passengers here will tend to sit with their knees pointing upwards and under-thigh support is not commendable by any means. It’s best suited for kids, or perhaps adults on short journeys.

Boot space with all the seats up is 223 litres, expandable to 691 litres with the third row tucked away. The BR-V does make a good proposition for a large family and will satiate most needs, but ignores many of the buyer’s greeds. The feature is far too spartan and, while you do get keyless entry and go, and automatic climate control with roof-mounted rear AC vents, these features aren’t differentiators. The music system would barely be acceptable in a Brio, let alone the BR-V. 

Additionally, the 4.4-metre length should immediately warrant the inclusion of parking sensors at least, if not a rear-view camera; not to mention, you get just one 12V charging socket (for the front passengers) in a car that has three seat rows.

We love that dual front airbags come standard across all variants!

The BRV is at par with the competition in terms of safety. The BRV scored 5 stars in the Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) and 4 stars in the Child Occupant Protection (COP) tests conducted by the New Car Assessment Programme for Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN NCAP). 

In terms of safety features, the car gets dual front airbags as standard while ABS is available in all the variants except the base trim.Other safety features that are spread across the variants include a driver seatbelt reminder, security alarm and impact sensing door unlock. 

The Honda BR-V is available with two engine options, both of which have been tried and tested under the City's bonnet. 

1.5-litre i-VTEC (Petrol) 

The petrol BR-V is amongst the most refined cars in its class. The engine loves to be taken to the redline and doesn't mind staying there either. With the short throws, the new six-speed gearbox is an absolute delight to use,. As is the case with most petrol Hondas, the clutch is light and the travel is just right. Power delivery is linear and the motor picks up pace cleanly. We like how well Honda has tuned the engine and gearbox combo to make up for the weight of the BR-V. 

The engine gets an optional CVT automatic as well. Keep a steady and light right foot, and the auto box does not disappoint one bit. Under hard acceleration, the gearbox gets whiny and revs the socks off the engine. It isn't a pleasant noise either; so we'd recommend you keep the weight on the accelerator pedal in check. Of course, you can take charge of the gears yourself by using the paddle shifters. Response is acceptable — no reason to complain there. 

1.5-litre i-DTEC (Diesel)

The BRVs diesel engine may be underpowered, but it makes up for it by delivering good fuel economy.

The diesel motor fits well into the overall package of the BR-V. NVH levels are well controlled compared to the Amaze, but there's still a fair bit of noise that filters inside the cabin, especially over 3000rpm. There is a noticeable turbo-lag that will bog you down if you let the engine fall below 1500rpm. Like the petrol, the clutch on the diesel is light as well. In case you are stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic with this one, you shouldn't have an issue. 

The best part is the fuel efficiency which Honda claims is a respectable 21.9km/l. While it didn't achieve that figure while on test, it never dipped below the 15km/l mark. We think that is phenomenal for a car its size. 

Ride and Handling

The BR-V is a car-like SUV and, while it won’t pummel through rough patches and bad roads as well as the Duster will, it will absorb most of the undulations you expect on Indian roads. Like most Hondas, it is a little stiffly sprung and, while that aids dynamics, it won’t make the ride jarring. The 210mm ground clearance is adequate, provided you understand that this is a soft-roader and not an off-roader.

Handling mannerisms are good, if not the most engaging. This is a monocoque and not a ladder-frame, making it a little more predictable to drive when the driving gets a little spirited. The steering weight and feel are just about right. Since this is an urban SUV, the steering is light at low speeds, letting you chuck the thing around with one finger. This is no compact SUV and the length makes the turning radius rather large. Taking a U-turn is a task in itself. There's enough feedback that gives you the confidence to push it through the corners as well. The ride is slightly bouncy in the second and third rows, but is tolerable for shorter journeys.

Dual front airbags come as standard across the range which is a welcome addition and while ABS with EBD is offered as standard with the base diesel, the petrol only gets it in the S-variant. The base (E) variant does get the bare essentials and adding an after-market entertainment system will make this a decent package for the price-sensitive buyer. However, you will have to upgrade to the S-grade to get a little more novelty.

Thankfully, you don’t have to go up to the top-end variant to get a good share of what the BR-V has to offer. The S-variant gets the 2DIN entertainment system with multi-media support and steering mounted audio controls. You also get automatic climate control and chauffeur driven owners get a sliding 2nd row seat and rear AC vents. A height-adjustable seat for the driver, along with the rear defogger, wiper and washer are also offered, making this the most value for money variant in the range. 

The V-grade adds niceties such as push button start, alloy wheels, and an MID, but this variant is mainly for those opting for the CVT automatic gearbox, as the additional features do come at a steep premium. 

The range-topping (VX) model primarily adds premium leather to the interior and a few additional features to bump-up the BR-V’s premium factor.

With the BR-V, Honda has done just about enough to keep up with the competition, but little to beat it. It has seven seats, offers a compliant ride, and has engines that have proven themselves in other cars from the Japanese automaker’s stable. However, everything else is lukewarm at best, with nothing to make you exclaim in appreciation. In a market that has buyers who are hungry for features, loading the BR-V to the gills should have been a no-brainer. Hyundai did it with the Creta and the results are here for us to see.

The two deal makers for the BR-V will be the fact that it has seven seats and Honda’s hassle-free ownership experience. Honda had an opportunity to more than one up the slow-selling Mobilio, but may have played it too safe in a highly-competitive market. Honda has priced the BR-V petrol between Rs. 8.75 – 11.99 lakh and the diesel between Rs. 9.90 – 12.90 lakh. This puts it around the same range as the Duster and Creta and will make it tempting for buyers with large families. We just wish it came with more kit to drive the deal home.