First Drive: Honda Mobilio

One of the biggest debuts at the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo, Honda Mobilio is finally set to launch in India soon. This multi utility vehicle has already generated so much buzz in the market, that frankly we can't recall a MUV launch affording so much attention. The Honda Mobilio is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated launches this year, so we wonder if all the brouhaha over this MUV is justified.

We asked our Facebook followers about the positioning of the Mobilio, in the MPV segment, pitted against the Ertiga and Innova. Most of them felt that the Mobilio is more of an Ertiga rival and doesn't nearly pack enough to threaten the Innova. However, that could change since Honda will also add the much sportier looking Honda Mobilio RS to its line-up, which could probably lure the market away from Innova.

Coming back to the Mobilio, though Honda has a fairly extensive range of MUVs in its global market, the Mobilio, with its relatively compact proportions, seems like a logical choice for India and south east Asia. Built on an extended version of the Brio platform, the MUV uses Honda's 'Man maximum, machine minimum' philosophy to offer a more spacious cabin and look better than its rivals.

At the front, it resembles the Brio and the Amaze a little despite a noticeable line connecting the headlight and the front grille. The edges of the large front bumper have a sporty wing-like design and are body-coloured except the centre, which is black.

The Mobilio RS a handful of additional features like the new twin-slat chrome grille, LED projector head-lamps, revised bumpers, roof-mounted spoilers and better looking alloy wheels. Moving on to the standard Mobilio, it's side profile scores the most in the looks department. The character lines and the lightning bolt belt line highlight the MUV's sportiness. The rising roofline and the extended 3-row window glass that connects to the tail gate also blends in well. It also doesn't look too tall or raised despite the ground clearance of 189 mm, which is higher than that of the Etriga and the Innova. The rear is also more attractive than your run-of-the-mill MUV, thanks to the contoured tail-gate and a flared rear fender that adds drama to the rear 3/4ths.

We drove the top-end diesel variant, which is expected to drive the volumes for Honda. The 1.5-litre i-Dtec continues to impress with a claimed mileage of 24.2Km/l, whereas the i-Vtec petrol engine will offer 17.3Km/l. Claimed efficiency figures for both the engines are well ahead of its competitors. Honda has also enhanced friction reduction in both engines to boost fuel efficiency.

The 1.5-litre diesel mill is certainly impressive and is a little bit less noisy as compared to the one on the Amaze. Honda's efforts to insulate the Mobilio's cabin shows that only makes the driving experience a little better. What makes the MUV even more fun is the fact that the gear shifts are quick and smooth, with an equally smooth acceleration. That said, the steering does feel a tad bit light and is no fun at high speeds.

As far as the tech specs are concerned, the Mobilio's diesel is quite exciting with 98bhp and a generous 200Nm of torque on offer. On the other hand, the 1.5-litre i-Vtec offers 117bhp and 145 nm of torque. Honda will offer only the 5-speed manual on both variants for now and has no immediate plans to bring in the CVT gearbox for India.

The sedan-like monocoque chassis means a fairly smooth drive. The suspension isn't too stiff and fares well even on bad roads. The minimum turning radius of 5.2 metres on the petrol variant is quite handy for city driving conditions. However, the turning radius on the diesel is marginally higher at 5.4 metres due to engine size and weight. The Ertiga features a turning radius of 5.2 metres, while that of the Innova stands at 5.4 metres.

With 7 adults in the MUV, we had a fair chance to check out the suspension setup under full load. The car felt heavier and the body roll seemed to have increased too. Luckily, the diesel engine has the grunt to still pull through fairly well.

Honda has used high tensile steel in the Mobilio's frame to increase energy absorption and minimise impact from any direction. The top end variants get dual front airbags and Anti-lock Braking system (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD). However, it remains to be known if these safety features will be offered across all variants. That said, we expect dual front airbags to be offered as a standard provision across all variants.

The car's luggage space with all seats deployed is good enough for small suitcases and the wide tailgate and the higher floor makes for easy loading and unloading. The third row can be folded completely, and offers 521-litres of cargo space. The back of the first and second row seats are slightly concave in order to provide additional knee room to rear passengers.

The second row of the Mobilio felt fairly comfortable with generous amounts of legroom and headroom on offer. The large windows also add to the cabin's roomy factor. The seats also recline and slide, again, adding to the passengers' comfort. The rear AC vents, with controls, work well. Moving on to the third row, the one motion fold-down function is almost effortless but doesn't make ingress and egress any easier, especially for tall people and the elderly. The third row has decent amounts of legroom and headroom, but it gets a bit uncomfortable since one has to sit with their knees up. Though A/C vents are missing in the third row, it gets a cup holder and a small area to put your mobile phone.

The dashboard of the Mobilio is not boring. The centre console of the top-end variant receives a faux wood finish, whereas the base model gets beige-black interiors with fabric seats. The seats are slim and have integrated headrests and are fairly comfortable. The instrument cluster has protruding triple analog metres with white and blue illumination for a slightly premium feel and better visibility.

Expect the Mobilio to be launched wth a price tag ranging between Rs 8 - Rs 12 lakh, smack in between the Ertiga and the Innova, thus posing a challenge to both of them. For now, the Mobilio seems to be living up to all the hype around it. But if Honda hopes to land another hit, it will have to play smart in terms of pricing, a lesson the company seems to have learnt by now. We can only hope.

Also Read: How Does Mobilio Fare Against its Rivals?

For the latest automotive news and reviews, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.