The Honda BRV compact SUV has been launched in India at Rs 8.75 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).The Japanese carmaker started taking pre-orders for the car last month. The latest from Honda will enter the segment that currently fields a handful of competent products such as the Renault Duster and the Hyundai Creta. The Honda BR-V is based on the same platform as that of the Brio, Amaze, and Mobilio, which makes economical sense for the carmaker. The 7-seater compact SUV's design also borrows a handful of details from the Honda Mobilio MPV.
The Honda BR-V measures 4,455mm in length, 1,735mm in width, 1,650mm in height and sports a wheelbase of 2,660mm. Built on Honda's 'Active Solid Motion' design philosophy, the Honda BRV dons a large chrome-slat grille, black projector head-lamps, a sturdy bumper, plastic body cladding on the wheel arches. The SUV's promise of a doughty spirit is further advanced by a ground clearance of 201mm. The side panels, however, seem to have been directly lifted from the the Honda Mobilio. (Read Honda BRV Compact SUV: 9 Things You Need to Know)
The first 7-seater SUV in its segment, the Honda BR-V will receive comfort and convenience provisions like start/stop button, steering-mounted controls, automatic climate control, roof mounted AC vents, Bluetooth connectivity, height-adjustable driver's seat, etc. depending on the selected variant. For safety, the Honda BRV will get dual airbags as a standard provisions across the entire range. Other than that, the SUV will get ABS, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Hill Start Assist (HAS), etc..
The automaker will offer the SUV with a choice of two engine options and two transmission options, including CVT. While the 1.5-litre petrol puts out 117bhp along with 145Nm of peak torque, the 1.5-litre diesel develops 98 horses and a maximum torque of 200Nm. The 6-speed manual transmission will be offered on both the aforementioned engines, but the CVT's availability will be restricted to only petrol variants.
Considering its rivals, competitive pricing will be imperative to Honda BR-V's success in the country. However, the automatic (CVT) will also play an important role in driving the car's sales in the country, much like we had mentioned in our review.
