Re: With Honda in Japan: BR-V preview & more. EDIT: BR-V launched Was just driving back home from work and decided to check out the BR-V. Luckily, the TD vehicle had just arrived so got the opportunity to drive one too.
Here is what I felt:- - The styling from front is excellent, in no way it feels like the car belongs to the same Brio family of Amaze and Mobilio. The rectangular Projector headlamps and the heavy grille looks urban and chic. I am not a huge fan of chrome but it definitely adds a lot of character to the front.
- The Faux silver skid plate, a typical SUV touch! Almost all the vehicles these days sports it to give that SUV character.
- What were Honda designers thinking while designing the BR-V?
Changed the front and rear but who will work on the side profile! In no way it can be called a Compact SUV and even the sales executives agreed with me. Infact, they were comparing it with Ertiga.
Looks exactly like Mobilio from the sides, why did I get a feeling like this car gets the same Mobilio RS Alloys?
- "It's definitely a MPV!" My re-action after looking at the back. The new LED Tail lamps looks neat with the long reflectors adding that Urban MPV character but why did they had to use the Chrome garnish above the plate?
- Actually, to sum it up, The Designers at Honda seemed pretty confused to me. They started working on a compact SUV but then ended up designing a MPV or to be precise it looks more like Mobilio facelift to me.
- Step into the cabin and it's a Honda but a 15 lakh one? Sorry I am not paying even a single penny more than 10 lakhs for it. Exactly the facelift Honda Amaze interiors. Atleast they could have given it the Honda City's steering wheel instead of retaining the last generation Jazz, Civic or ANHC's steering.
- A lot of people said it should have got a touchscreen infotainment system, I say atleast give it the New City's non touch infotainment system. It's the same Honda Amaze's unit in a 15 lakh car! I mean Honda seriously? The Jazz gets a better central console than this. The only thing I liked were the Climate control switches, felt pretty well designed and good to operate.
- The material quality too was disappointing with the shiny black plastics on the central console and Hard plastics on the door panels. Though I liked that Carbon fiber finish on the dashboard along with the silver finish, a sophisticated cabin touch. The black leatherette upholstery which felt quite comfortable could have been little better in terms of designing.
- Honda I seriously want to know what were you guys thinking while creating a feature list of the vehicle? Who doesn't offers parking sensors or camera in such a huge vehicle when you can equip the same in City and Jazz? Why not the same instrument cluster as City instead of using the Amaze's unit? Why no magic seats? Why that old school looking Rear AC Vents which seems like an after market fitment?
- In terms of space, the BR-V is a narrow vehicle. It's ideally a 6 seater. A person in the middle would be a squeeze though the headroom and leg room is pretty impressive. What I liked the most was the 2nd row seats recline, good for chauffeur driven folks just sit back and enjoy the drive. The third row is good enough for teens and children. The average built adults too can use it in small city drives but on a long drive, may God bless your legs.
Now, coming to the aspect which matters the most. "DRIVE" - The only diesel engine Honda has, tried and tested 1.5 i-dtec which is only good for extracting mileage. I don't know why but the NVH felt improved in this one when compared to Amaze or City though nothing beats the Creta in this department. Even the Duster at times feels quieter. The power figures are the same 100 PS on tap with 200 NM Torque and a 6 Speed gearbox.
- The acceleration in lower gears felt better in BR-V when compared to City, though the first two gears felt quite short. The car is best suited for linear driving, push it hard and the high engine noise is extremely irritating.
- Even though I got a short spin around the locality, its safe to assume that the BR-V has predictable handling. The steering weighs up as the speed increases and is quite light at low speeds. I found the ride at extremely low speeds to be bumpy but as the speed progresses it get's quite decent (Felt driving that on rumble strips and a poor patch of road). The good part like all SUVs and MPVs is the high ground clearance on offer. The driving position too was quite good, finding one would be an easy task. You won't get that commanding the road kind of feeling in this one.
What I Like:
Middle Row Seats
Front Styling
Dual Airbags and ABS standard across all diesel variants
Climate control switches
Linear Power delivery of 1.5 i-dtec, good for chauffeur driven people.
What I didn't Like:
Confused styling, Front looks SUV the rest a MPV!
Lack of features, No Parking sensors and Camera, Touchscreen infotainment system and proper Rear AC Vent.
The Diesel engine is still needs improvement, dull driving experience.
Quality! The car didn't feel much sturdy or strong. Didn't had that thud effect of Germans not even close to Creta too. Interior quality too is disappointing.
Price, anything above 10 lakhs for this is simply not worth it atleast to me. Didn't at all felt worth approx 15 lakhs OTR. |