In 2016, we will see a new compact SUV from Honda, the BR-V, or the Bold Runabout Vehicle. It is expected to be launched here in April and is likely take on the Hyundai Creta and Renault Duster. It is the only seven-seat car in its segment, and is expected to be locally assembled at Honda’s Tapukara facility in Rajasthan.
To bring you a first look of what the BR-V has in store for the Indian small SUV buyer, we went all the way to Honda’s R&D centre at Motegi, Japan, to drive the BR-V.
On the outside, the BR-V’s beefy front fascia houses a thick chrome-laden two-part grille flanked by angular headlamps. The squared-out bonnet, the scuff plates on the sculpted bumpers, and the plastic cladding on the wheel arches betray little of the fact that the car is based on the same platform as the Brio, the Amaze and the Mobilio. Step over to the side, however, and you shall be greeted by familiar side-profile, one seen on the Mobilio. What is also evident is that the car is the longest amongst the crop of compact SUVs in India. Although the BR-V does comes shod with 16-inch alloy wheels, they look puny on a car its size. At the rear, the SUV’s thick haunches and a tad flamboyant styling give it a handsome, albeit overdone, look. That said, the tail section scores high on practicality, given the good visibility through the rear windscreen and the ease of putting cargo into the car.
Slip into the driver’s seat and there’s more good news inside. Unlike the Brio hatchback and Mobilio MPV’s functional, though minimalist, dashboard, the BR-V’s interior has a premium air to it, thanks to elements borrowed from the Honda City and Jazz. The slim, but nevertheless well-bolstered, front seats feel comfortable. The same goes for the middle row, where the head and knee room are generous, although the SUV’s width doesn’t allow three adults to sit abreast. The BR-V’s USP is its third row of seats—this part of the cabin is surprisingly usable compared to the third rows of most seven-seater cars. The last row has decent amount of headroom and overall space for two adults.
While with all seats up, there may not be much room in the boot, the BR-V is hugely flexible in terms of storage. The third and even the second-row split-seats can be folded partly or entirely, to make way for luggage space.
On the whole, the interior is high on quality, but still does not feel as premium as the Hyundai Creta.
On the engine front, the BR-V is similar to the City; it gets 1.5-litre petrol and diesel motors. The 118bhp petrol engine on the BR-V gets the option of a six-speed manual gearbox and an automatic CVT (continuously variable transmission) gearbox, while the 1.5-litre diesel engine will only get the six-speed manual transmission. Also, the diesel engine in the SUV will be tuned to produce more power than the 98.6bhp it produces in the Honda City.
The car we drove was the 118bhp, 1.5-litre petrol version that came equipped with an automatic CVT gearbox. It felt peppy off the mark, which should make it useful in city traffic. The car was smooth, and rather sprightly to drive and responded well to steering inputs. It did however let its size be felt when changing directions. We could not make much of the car’s ride and handling because of the flat track we were driving on, but the car’s stiff suspension and big brakes make for a very confidence-inspiring drive.
The BR-V will be priced to take on the Hyundai Creta and the Renault Duster, which would be in the range of Rs.8-11 lakh. It does have all the makings of an attractive compact SUV.
