JOIN USIs India still a ‘small car’ nation? It is, but only if one understands what ‘small’ here means. Little hatches came and captured the Indian motorist’s imagination over three decades ago.
In the last few years, small cars continued to rule, but only this time, ‘small’ gave way to ‘compact’, and the new rage surrounding the compact sports utility vehicle lent new meaning to the thought, “Good things come in small packages!”
In an already crowded market, Japanese auto legend Honda has attempted to mark some territory by driving in the impressive BR-V. Honda has always launched relevant models in the Indian market, sensing the direction in which customers look, and have almost always succeeded. Having derived a firm footing in the market in the realms of hatchback, compact sedan, and multi-utility vehicle, among others, and already aware of the SUV craze (Honda sells the larger CR-V), it was only opportune for the smaller BR-V.
In the words of Honda Cars India, “Through our research, we learnt that in addition to the bold exterior appeal of the vehicle, the customer wanted to have the versatility and premiumness in interiors for comfortable and fun adventure trips with friends and family which was lacking in existing market offerings. Also, he wanted to traverse long distances in his vehicle through varied terrains and wanted a vehicle with powerful engine, high mileage and high ground clearance.”
Enter the Honda BR-V, or Bold Runabout Vehicle, and it is to be seen if the new kid on the compact SUV block offers all that it assures.
Body of muscle
The orange Goa sun is just out, and looking as fresh and splendid is this new beauty that we behold. Simply put, the Honda BR-V is a good-looking vehicle. But one thing is certain that while the car calls itself a compact SUV, it isn’t as compact at all. For a first-timer, the BR-V appears like any other larger SUV designs in the market.
The car has been developed as a new generation active crossover utility vehicle, boasting of a bold and sporty SUV stance.
Even as the body appears to be largely based on its UV sibling, Mobilio, a few of the exterior stylised features add a fresh breath of air to the BR-V.
The front view of the BR-V reflects a tough and premium SUV character, expressed by a tough hood, a solid motion pillar, high ground clearance and a strong short fender. Big roof rails lend a sporty appeal to the vehicle, while side cladding reinforces the rugged nature of the young SUV.
Attaching more glitz on the already stylish exterior are projector headlamps flanking the front grill, complemented by LED position lamps highlight.
Looking more keenly, one notices that the tough sporty and premium wide feel is further enhanced by the connected tail light design with LED light guide at the rear. The uniquely designed 16-inch aluminium wheels are cherry on the cake.
Space is a constant
Unlike many of its compact SUV competitors in the market, the new Honda BR-V has three rows of seats (along with the driver and co-driver), all of which allow comfortable seating.
If the large exterior stance wasn’t enough, the space that the interiors lay out in front of us is immense. The big vehicle has so much space that it seems to be aptly built for a large Indian family on a road trip, with a seat suiting everyone.
The first row offers driver seat height adjuster, and driver and passenger seat slide, while the second row allows for 60:40 split seats, slide and recline, one-touch tumble seats.
The third row comprised 50:50 split seats back, seat recline and complete seat fold to provide more luggage space. In addition to above, BR-V has adjustable headrests on all three rows.
Based on Honda’s ‘Man Maximum Machine Minimum’ concept, the base cargo area for the BR-V is a generous 223 litres, which can be enhanced to 691 litres in the third row fold configuration. For the comfort of occupants, the roof mounted rear air conditioner is positioned between the first and second row seats to optimise the air flow ensuring maximum comfort.
The back rows are supremely comfortable, even on the go, and could rock a baby to a sound slumber.
Besides the space and comfort within the cabin, the BR-V interiors carry certain aesthetic elements that are pleasing as well.
The sporty all black colour theme holding together a futuristic dashboard design, and premium interiors are enhanced further by the use of silver accents, cool mesh design, and a piano black finish on the instrument panel.
For the driver, the white-lit 3D speedometer with multi-information display, and leather seats coupled with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather gear knob and leather door armrests add some uber-cool appeal.
The BR-V also comes with multi-layered fabric seats of high quality providing comfort and premium-ness.
The Honda BR-V hosts advanced interior equipment including the Push Button Start with Smart Entry, integrated bluetooth audio system with Hands Free Telephone (HFT), and steering mounted controls for audio, automatic air conditioner and power foldable ORVMs to provide more convenience for the consumers.
The Multi Information Display (MID) allows the driver to monitor all important trip and vehicle information including driving range, instantaneous and average fuel efficiency, ambient temperature and time. Further, an eco lamp provides feedback to the driver during fuel-efficient driving.
Drive away
The inviting cabin is reason enough to take the Honda BR-V for a spin. But does the car carry with it the terrain-taming characteristic that SUVs are so much sought after for? In India, SUVs are more about style and road presence, and the BR-V has passed both tests with flying colours.
For the buyers, the BR-V is available in both petrol and diesel and fuel options in India. We are driving the diesel BR-V, and it must be said that the spacious cabin is quite free from any engine noise.
We are driving the car from the beach front village of Cansaulim, all the way towards Ponda and Panaji, exploring the meandering wooded roads, in some of the best weather that Goa has on offer. The thin curtain of rain that keeps us company through the way is the best reason to drive the BR-V.
The 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine delivers a maximum power of 100PS@3,600rpm, and maximum torque of 200Nm@1,750 rpm. While immediate acceleration is quite good, the car’s large size tweaked to a small engine means that the drive is a little underpowered.
To offer a smoother acceleration and better driving performance, a 6-speed manual transmission has been developed for the BR-V, which corresponds with high torque and gives better shifting with a wider gear ratio range that best matches the engine’s output characteristics, along with lower gear. The final gear was set at a low ratio to improve acceleration performance.
But the car’s power lag becomes more evident especially when attempting to climb inclined or hilly roads. One needs to drop the gear one at a time, so that the car picks up gradually.
The minimum turning radius of 5.5 metres on the diesel variant, no doubt makes the BR-V highly manoeuvrable and convenient for city driving, but steering the car at higher speeds gets the car to shake a little. At the same time, the car’s power seems to lack that sudden acceleration between gears, especially when needed to overtake in traffic.
What wins for the diesel BR-V is the class-leading fuel economy of 21.9kmpl.
Meanwhile, one must be fair in saying that Honda’s petrol engines boast of superior quality and efficiency. The BR-V 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine delivers maximum power of 119PS@ 6,600 rpm, maximum torque of 145Nm@4,600 rpm, and an economy of 15.4 kmpl in MT version, and 16 kmpl in CVT version, respectively.
Safety first
The BR-V’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body enhances self-protection while mitigating damage to other vehicles in the event of a collision. Also, elements such as use of high tensile steel in key areas of the frame, front dual SRS airbags, ABS and EBD, body rigidity and damper ensure a smooth and safe drive.
End of a day’s drive and the cabin feels even more at home. The BR-V is sure a force to reckon with in the market of compact SUVs, having made an impression with its looks, road presence, great features, and price. The BR-V prices range between Rs 8,75,000 and Rs 11,99,000 for the petrol, and between Rs 9,90,000 and Rs 12,90,000 for the diesel (all prices ex-showroom Delhi).
Honda has also scored again on the quality front, something it has mastered around the world. In this era of the ‘urban SUV’, the Honda BR-V will turn the road all the more
scintillating.