The 2016 Honda Mobilio was recently launched in Indonesia with an all-new interior and little changes on the outside, however the powertrain remains the same.
The Indonesian division of Honda has just launched the facelift of the Mobilio which was originally launched two years back. The interior of the previous generation Mobilio were borrowed from the hatchback sibling Brio while the new generation MPV gets the interiors from the upcoming BR-V. The changes on the outside are limited to the new design of alloy wheels and the chrome finish around the fog lamps while the engine options remain unchanged.
The interior was the backdrop of the previous generation Honda Mobilio, it was borrowed from the Brio and hence felt cheap or not in accordance with the MPV character. This is the prime reason behind the launch of this facelift which majorly concentrates on the interior. The updated MPV gets interior in-line with the upcoming BR-V which in-turn borrows it from the City/Jazz cousins. However, the dual-tone layout remains constant while the RS variant continues to get the all-black treatment.
The centre console to begin with, is now traditional with the speedometer in the centre, RPM meter on the left and the fuel gauge on the right side, however the three spoke steering wheel remains unchanged. Coming to the AC vents which are now rectangular as found in the Honda City while the 2016 Mobilio also gets a larger centre console with a touch-screen infotainment system which has an in-built reverse camera. The updated MPV gets automatic climate control which has created a storage space where the AC controls were placed in the previous generation vehicle. A small storage space is also available below the driver-side AC vent which can store a mobile or a wallet.
The 2016 Honda Mobilio will continue to be powered by the 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine that produces 115 BHP and 144 Nm of torque mated to a 5-speed manual transmission or CVT unit. The Indian market still does not seem to have accepted the MPV as the December sales were at a record low of 192 units. However, Honda may bring the facelift to Indian shores with an expectation that the new interior may attract buyers and also because its rival, the Maruti Ertiga has seen a facelift in October last year.
