Auto Expo 2016: Honda BR-V Compact SUV Unveiled in India

The Honda BR-V has been unveiled in India at the 2016 Delhi Auto Expo and has its work cut out as it will take on the likes of the hot-selling Hyundai Creta when it will be launched in the country. Honda has not released the compact SUV's launch date for India yet but it is likely to be in mid-2016.

Labelled as an 'Active Sport Crossover', the production-ready version of the SUV had first been displayed at the 2015 Thailand Motor Show.

The BR-V compact SUV comes with most of the features that we saw on the prototype unit we had reviewed earlier. The car is equipped with angular headlamps with projector units and LED DRLs, an aggressive front bumper housing, round fog lamps with chrome bezels, and a prominent U-shaped chrome slat with the Honda badge on the front grille.

The Honda BR-V's side profile features sharp character lines, black plastic underbody cladding, and roof rails, and gets a set of sporty 16-inch alloy wheels in the top-end variants. As for the rear section, the BR-V uses the same aggressive approach that defines its front fascia. The most prominent elements are the new tail-lamp cluster that gives the feel of a single unit with C-shaped lights on both sides, the thick chrome slat at the centre of the tail gate, and the rear skid plate.

Under the hood, the Honda BR-V compact SUV sports a 1.5-litre SOHC, 4-cylinder, 16-valve i-VTEC engine that delivers maximum power of 117bhp and a peak torque of 146Nm. The SUV will also feature a 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel unit that powers the City and Mobilio, producing 99bhp of power and 200Nm of torque. Transmission options will include Honda's signature CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) gearbox along with a 5-speed unit.

The car will also include safety features like dual SRS airbags, ABS with EBD, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Hill Start Assist (HAS), etc.

As for its interior design, the India-spec model will be a 7-seater. Globally, the BR-V comes with 2 seating configurations - 7 seats in 3 rows with multi-adjustable functions and 5 seats in 2 rows with a large boot space.