Honda BR-V Long Term Review
Long Term Test No. 132
Car Tested: Honda BR-V i-DTEC
Kms Done: 3865 kms
Test Started at: 17,472 kms
Test Concluded at: 21,337 kms
Mileage: 16.50 km/l, 19 km/l (best), 14.5 km/l (worst)
Fuel Consumed: 234.24-litres
Fuel Cost: Rs. 14,731/-
Rs. per km: Rs. 3.81/-
The BR-V is a versatile offering from Honda with a good balance of style and substance
When you think about a 7-seater car, it usually gives an impression of an MPV or a full size SUV but of late we have been testing a car that is multifaceted and offers the best of both worlds, the Honda BR-V. It is a compact SUV that offers the practicality of an MPV. I tried to find if an alternative exists in its segment but eventually figured out that there are no direct rivals of the BR-V. Yes, there are MPVs in the same price bracket but you won’t like them seeing in your garage because they belong to the taxi fleet. And yes of course there are compact SUVs in this price bracket but they don’t offer practical 3-row seating. So how did this unique combination fare in our long term test, we find out.
The Honda BR-V no doubt looks mature and SUV-esque
Most of us Indians have the tendency to judge a car by its styling, in some cases it is a deal-breaker if the styling is not up to their taste. Honda though, has learnt the feedback quickly with the Mobilio and immediately replaced the plain looking car with the BR-V, that additionally offers an SUV attitude with the restyled exteriors. Some of the eye catchy elements like the raised bonnet, big chunky alloys, roof rails, black cladding and unique tail lamp cluster makes its presence felt on the road and it really looks nice in the white colour. The side profile though might look a bit lengthy because of the long wheelbase and length for accommodating the third row.
The all-black interior looks good and is easy to maintain too
The Honda BR-V’s seating is highly flexible for better practicality
Speaking about the third row seat and long wheelbase, Honda has really lived up to their motto here – ‘Man maximum, machine minimum.’ There is surprisingly fantastic amount of cabin space for 7 adults in the BR-V to sit with comfort. The middle row is adjustable, having no dearth of headroom and legroom (which is flexible) while the third row has enough space to seat two average height adults with good comfort. Yes, we have driven it for long routes with 7 people on board along with decent space left for luggage in the boot, which is 223-litres in size. The seating is high flexible too, that adds to the practicality. The third row has 50:50 split while the second row has 60:40 and to get to the third row, you just need to pull a lever and it tumbles the second row seats without much effort.
The seating and cargo space is quite flexible in the BR-V
I’ve spoken a lot about practicality but what about convenience? Honda has equipped the BR-V quite well and it is a comfortable daily driver. First up is the keyless go feature, which is super convenient. Walk up to the car, key in your pocket, press the door request button, unlock, just sit and drive away with a push of the start/stop button. You might think it’s a regular feature these days but hey! The new long term compact SUV I have belongs to the same price bracket and I sorely miss this feature while fumbling my pockets to find the key of this car. Then there is the powerful automatic climate control AC in the BR-V, cooling the cabin quickly having an additional set of vents mounted on the roof for the rear passengers. The projector headlamps are powerful offering good visibility, the fog lamps too were useful in the foggy winters of Delhi.
We missed the cruise control feature while driving on highways
Our range-topping test car didn’t come with the new Honda touchscreen infotainment system, that also meant that we had no reverse parking camera which was a pain while reversing the car considering the length. However, the Japanese automaker is now offering the new infotainment which is loaded with tech like navigation, web browsing, etc. These are some essential features you need these days in your car. However, I wish they could’ve added cruise control in the BR-V and sunroof, which isn’t missed as much since the glass area is huge!
This is us rushing to the Auto Expo, i-DTEC engine on duty
The Honda BR-V is being offered with the 1.5-litre petrol (MT and AT) and the more popular 1.5-litre diesel engine, which is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission that we had for testing. The oil burner produces 100 PS of power and 200 Nm of torque. It is quite a tractable engine offering linear acceleration with minimal lag in the low-end. I like the i-DTEC for its perfect balance of performance and efficiency. Even with the full load of passengers and luggage, I managed to extract 16.5 km/l on the highway, which is easily stretchable up to 19 km/l with lesser load. The diesel clatter is quite audible inside the cabin if you’re not listening to music and it gets louder near the redline. The 6-speed gearbox is slick with well defined gates and even the clutch is light for easy city drivability. The additional 6th gear is a boon on the highways ticking 2000 RPM at 100 km/hr while cruising. If you are concerned about the top speed of the BR-V, it is limited to 149 km/hr, which is not bad. Also, the ECO lamp on the cluster is quite helpful too, which pops up when you drive efficiently. I got used to it and miss it on cars that don’t have this feature.
You get some amount of body roll while cornering hard
The ride quality is comfortable and at the same time offers good stability
The ride quality of the Honda BR-V is good at low speeds, not too soft and not too stiff. It becomes better as you speed up and offers a flat ride on the highway, offering good sense of control and stability. The steering is responsive and communicates well but the BR-V has some body roll when you corner hard, so you need to turn in with ease in order to keep your passengers in place. Braking is fantastic since it offers good stopping power and positive pedal bite, which doesn’t fade with hard braking and ABS works well. For safety, it comes with dual front airbags as standard but since it is a 7-seater, Honda should’ve added a couple more.
Honda is known for their low maintenance, same is the case with BR-V
Honda BR-V Diesel Service Costs
1. Service Schedule – 10,000 kms/6 months (whichever is earlier)
2. Cost of Service per 1,00,000 Km – Rs. 49,081/-
3. Cost of Spares –
* Engine Oil Per Service – Rs. 1785/-
* Brake Oil – Rs. 322/-
* Oil Filter – Rs. 426/-
* Fuel Filter – Rs. 1323/-
* Brake Pads (Front) – Rs. 3000/-
* Front Bumper (without painting) – Rs. 2500/- (est.)
* Rear Bumper (without painting) – Rs. 2800/- (est.)
* Headlamp Assembly (Each) – Rs. 3200/- (est.)
* Tail Lamp Assembly (Each) – Rs. 3700/- (est.)
The clever balance of performance and fuel efficiency is impressive
The price tag matters a lot in our market and the BR-V tilts a little towards the expensive side with Rs. 13.43 lakhs (ex-showroom) sticker price for the range topping VX diesel variant. However, if you factor in the overall package it offers, you won’t find any other car in that price range. A well spaced out 7-seater having decent amount of equipment list, efficient engine and SUV styling. Don’t forget, you also have the option of an automatic transmission with the petrol engine. Yes, cruise control is missing out and NVH could have been better but if you are looking for a sub Rs. 15 lakh car with 7-seater requirement, the Honda BR-V is the only sensible choice.
Honda has heard its customers and is now offering stylish alloys
What’s Cool
* A compact SUV with the practicality of an MPV is a rare combination
* Very spacious and airy cabin for seven passengers
* Fuel efficient diesel engine that is responsive too
* The BR-V is a multi-purpose car that you can drive to work daily
What’s Not So Cool
* Cruise control and rear parking sensors are missing
* The diesel engine clatter can be heard inside the cabin
The styling of the BR-V really grows on you with time
Testers’ Note:
It is a practical MPV in SUV clothes
Further Reading –
Honda BR-V Video Review
Honda BR-V Review
Honda BR-V Travelogue
Honda BR-V Long Term Review – First Report