2016 Honda Brio facelift launched at Rs. 4.69 lakh

Honda has launched the Brio facelift at a starting price of Rs. 4.69 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Like its predecessor, the facelifted Brio only gets a petrol engine, and is offered in three trim levels - E, S and VX. Both manual and automatic gearbox combinations are on offer with the top-end trim.

Changes on the outside include a new gloss black front grille that gets chrome detailing on the lower edge. The front bumper too has been redesigned, as it gets a larger air dam and beefier fog lamp housings. No changes have been made to the sides and even the alloy wheels are the same units that were found on the pre-facelift model. The rear gets a slightly tweaked pair of tail lights and a tailgate spoiler that houses an LED stop lamp. It is available in 5 colours – Taffeta White, Alabaster Sliver, Urban Titanium, Rally Red and White Orchid Pearl.

The biggest change is on the inside, as the Brio facelift gets a new all-black dashboard, similar to the one offered on the Amaze facelift and the BR-V. It also gets a new instrument cluster, digital AC controls, and a 2-DIN integrated audio system that has USB, AUX and Bluetooth connectivity. The system also supports hands-free telephony. The lower variants feature beige upholstery for the seats and door pads, while the top-end VX trim gets an all-black cabin.

Powering the Honda Brio facelift is the 1.2-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine which churns out around 87 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of 109 Nm @ 4,500 rpm. It is mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic gearbox. The company claims a fuel economy figure of 18.5 km/l and 16.5 km/l for the manual and automatic variants, respectively.

The list of safety features includes dual airbags, anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), and seatbelt pre-tensioners with load limiters.

The Brio facelift will compete against the Maruti Swift, Hyundai Grand i10 and Ford Figo.

Prices (ex-showroom, Delhi):
•    E MT - Rs 4,69,000
•    S MT - Rs 5,20,000
•    VX MT - Rs 5,95,000
•    VX AT - Rs 6,81,600