Honda has started to carve a name for itself in the crossover and multi-purpose vehicle segments. The Japanese carmaker has pretty much everything from the large Pilot, the CR-V, the smaller HR-V, and the versatile Mobilio. And now, it wants to enter the lucrative seven-seat SUV market with the BR-V.
Introduced last year, the BR-V is a Sport Utility Vehicle based on the Mobilio platform. Created for the Asian market, it can seat seven occupants in relative comfort yet still boasts a tidy footprint. It is more of a tall-rding vehicle that combines the spaciousness of of an MPV. Yet don’t let the “tidy” moniker fool you. This SUV is all that—with body cladding, roof rails, and the requisite ground clearance.
Honda recently showed members of the motoring media what its most affordable seven-seat SUV can do, before it rolls out onto the country’s roads. A ride-and-rive event was held last October 24-25 at the posh Tagaytay Highlands to showcase the vehicle’s versatility as well as power and performance.
Starting the day bright and early at Flatiron in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig, the convoy sped off to Tagaytay Highlands where they arrived around lunchtime. After a sumptuous meal, members of the media were allowed to sample not just the new BR-V but the rest of the Honda SUV lineup—the HR-V, the CR-V, and the Pilot. Through a series of rough road and high-speed runs, each of the four vehicles proved how formidable the H badge is when it comes to crossovers and SUVs.
Packing a 1.5-liter in-line four-cylinder shared with the City, Jazz, and Mobilio, the 120hp and 145Nm motor proved adequate when ferrying seven passengers up Highlands’ steep inclines. The DOHC configuration, however, gave it a bit more juice much earlier to help make easier work of such conditions. Mated to a Continuously Variable Transmission, (CVT), Honda promises equally efficient performance in any driving situation.
Inside, the cabin is typical Honda. Materials are up to par and the dash actually looks familiar if you’re a Jazz owner. The steering wheel, too, is shared with yet another Honda—the 8th generation FD Civic. These touches help give the BR-V a sporty yet still functional vibe. And of course, the trademark versatile seating arrangement with the magic seat mechanism makes loading all sorts of cargo and passengers a breeze.
While the new Honda BR-V may only have a front-wheel drive layout, this shouldn’t be a problem as most owners won’t really take it off road. In fact, the worst conditions it will most likely encounter are the country’s flooded roads during typhoon season. Still, the seven seats and trademark solid Honda engineering are more than enough to ensure worry-free motoring, no matter what the weather.
The Honda BR-V will be out before the year ends.
Photos by Paolo Lesaca
