Soon to be launched Honda BR-V will be equipped with features such as paddle-shifters and push-button start system. Price-wise, the car is expected to undercut the Hyundai Creta by a good margin.
The Honda BR-V is a very important upcoming project for the Japanese automotive giant. After the dud response of the Mobilio and the relatively slow selling CR-V, Honda has very little to show for itself in the high profit utility segment right now. Therefore, it is imperative for Honda to not to clobber up the launch of the BR-V as if successful, the car will be a game changer for the company in India. Now Honda has released some details of the equipment that is present on the India-spec BR-V.
The Honda BR-V actually is just the Honda Mobilio MPV with a heavily reworked front-end, back-end, raised ride-height with chunky tires and roof-rails, along with lots of plastic cladding in order to give it an urban-SUV look. Thus with the Mobilio base comes the USP of the vehicles in form of a spacious third row of seating. Also carried over from the Mobilio MPV are the engine options which include the Honda’s 1.5-litre i-DTEC engine churning out 100 BHP of power and the 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine which makes a modest 118 BHP of power.
The BR-V also gets the upmarket interior which is inspired from the Honda City sedan. Honda has confirmed that dual airbags will be standard across the range. Also present in the vehicle will be Bluetooth telephony and audio streaming, automatic climate control, steering-mounted audio buttons, push button start, electrically foldable outside rear-view mirrors, LED light guides and 16-inch alloy wheels. Sadly, the car misses out on the touch-screen infotainment system and thus in-car navigation.
The BR-V diesel will be mated to a six-speed manual gearbox and the petrol car will get the 6-speed manual and CVT automatic gearbox options. Drivers will have the option to manually operate the CVT gearbox via steering-mounted paddles which is a first-in-class feature. The petrol manual BR-V’s ARAI-tested fuel efficiency is 15.4 km/l whereas the diesel tops out at a healthy 21.9 km/l. Bookings for the BR-V are open and deliveries will commence from May 5 onwards.
Honda BR-V Details Revealed
– The Honda BR-V will get the same 1.5-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines as the Mobilio
– The car will be equipped with features such as Bluetooth telephony and audio streaming, automatic climate control, steering-mounted audio buttons and push button start
– The USP of the vehicle will be the third row seating option
– Deliveries of the BR-V will commence from May 5 onwards
