Confirmed for a 5^th May launch, the Honda BR-V will be produced in India itself and will be priced below the INR 15.0 lac mark for the domestic market. Let us find out what this Brio-based crossover has in store for us as the production-ready version revealed more specs and features post the February Auto Expo premiere.

The BR-V takes some cues from the Honda City and Jazz styling details, but it is mostly unique. The exteriors of the new crossover will get projector headlamps with LED light directors, electronic ORVMs, roof mounted rails, 16-inch diamond cut alloys, skid plates, and a spoiler for the back profile. The BR-V will have a ground clearance of over 200mm, and will come in 6 exterior paint variants.

For the interiors, it will feature steering mounted control buttons, automatic temperature control with 3-speed settings and rear AC vents, and a music system with Bluetooth compatibility. The 7-seater will have foldable 3^rd row seats and the cabin space of the car will be very large. Standard safety features will include dual SRS airbags for the front, and ABS with EBD. There will also be seatbelts with pretensioner, and ISOFIX. The car will also feature Hill Start Assist, Vehicle Stability Assist, and rear parking camera.

The new BR-V will come with a 3-row seating arrangement. This will be a USP for the car because all its major rivals have 2-row seating arrangement only. However, with this arrangement, the BR-V might even cannibalize on the sale of Honda’s Mobilio. If that happens, Honda might need to consider discontinuing the Mobilio since it has been performing very poorly in the market for almost a year, and the sales have been drastically going down since around September 2015. However, as of now, there is no hint of Honda considering the discontinuation of the MPV.

The BR-V will get both, petrol and diesel fuel variants. There will be one 1.5 liter i-VTEC petrol engine and one 1.5 liter i-DTEC diesel engine. The petrol engine will produce power up to 118BHP, and peak torque of 145Nm. The diesel engine will produce up to 99BHP and 200Nm.

Though these figures are not that impressive on their own, the lighter overall weight of the car will ensure higher fuel efficiency, and easier handling, making up for the slightly lower performance specs. The petrol version will offer around 18kmpl, and the diesel version will offer around 23kmpl.

The petrol engine will be mated to a 6-speed MT as standard, but will also get CVT as option for agile performance, and increased fuel efficiency as Honda claims. The diesel engine will work with the standard 6-speed MT.

The car will battle the likes of the Mahindra Scorpio, the Renault Duster, the Nissan Terrano, and of course, the segment leader, the Hyundai Creta. The Maruti Suzuki S-Cross is also a rival in the segment. The price of the car can be expected to range from IRN 8.0 lac to INR 11.5 lac for the petrol version, and a lac higher for the diesel version.

The Honda BR-V is ready for launch and has just recently passed the ASEAN-NCAP series of crash tests. The model has also received a 5-star rating for the adult passenger protection features offered on some of its variants.

Scheduled for launch on the very first day of May, the crossover offers Electronic Stability Program, and Seatbelt Reminder on is top trim variants. The Seatbelt reminder feature is offered on both, the driver’s seat and the co-passenger’s seat.

The base and mid-trim variants also have salient safety features that have earned them 4-star rating for the adult passenger safety department. On the child safety front, all variants of the model have received 4-star rating and 72 percent score overall.

The standard safety features available across the various variants of the model include dual airbags, Anti-Lock Braking System, Electronic Stability Control, Hill Start Assist, Advanced Compatibility Engineering for impact buffering, and Vehicle Stability Assist. The Indian spec model is expected to get the full-frontal airbags and the ABS as standard across all variants.

The exterior features of the BR-V is a perfect mix of uniqueness and familiarity to the brand. The sleek front fascia resembles the Honda City sedan, owing to the headlamps design. The front grille is muscular and the overall exterior gets generous chrome accents. The back profile of the car features uniquely styled tail lamps with prominent chrome accents at the tailgate.

The interiors of the 7-seater is spacious and comfortable. The car get a beige profile with leather option for the upholstery. There will be push start and leather seats, and a large touchscreen display with the infotainment system.

The engine the car is getting is the 1.5 liter i-VTEC and i-DTEC units. The petrol mill will offer up to 119PS of max power and a max torque of 145Nm. The diesel variant will churn up to 100PS power and 200Nm torque.

The petrol engine is reported to be mated to a 5-speed MT as standard, with the option for CVT. The diesel version might get the same, or even a 6-speed MT. Automatic transmission is however, still not in the cards. The car will get the AWD powertrain in the future, but as of now, it comes with FWD.

Launching on 1^st May, the BR-V is being produced at the Tapukara plant of Honda, located in Rajasthan. The car is being produced with a huge percentage of localization. When in the market, the car will battle with segment leaders like the Renault Duster, the rapidly growing success of the Hyundai Creta, and also the Nissan Terrano. It will face competition from the Vitara Brezza, the first homegrown launch from Maruti Suzuki.

With all the top brands aggressively notching up their crossover and compact SUVs game with the rising demand for the segment in the market, the competition will not be easy. But Honda is ready for competition with the above-mentioned cars, and also with the Mahindra Scorpio, arguably the most popular product from the SUV specialist of the country. The Tata Safari Storme too stands the chance of a setback in sales after the BR-V is launched.

Honda Cars India has dismissed rumors of discontinuing the Honda Mobilio. The arrival of the Honda BR-V raised rumors of replacing the Mobilio, but the Japanese automaker confirmed that the BR-V 7-seater and the Mobilio will be two different models which will both be seen in the market together.

The BR-V 7-seater crossover will enter the market around June this year. The rumors of the upcoming car replacing the Mobilio stemmed from specs comparisons of these two models. Being somewhat similar, it was first imagined, and then declared that the BR-V will consume the sales of the Mobilio.

As they say, all rumors do have some truth in it, it is probably time Honda should consider the usefulness of the Mobilio in the market. The car has sold only 3,338 units in the August 2015 to January 2016 time space. The car has managed to bring Honda, just under 3 percent shares in the MPV segment.

New rumors claim that Honda is planning to introduce a new facelift of the Mobilio to let the model have another chance in the market. Though nothing of this has been officially declared or admitted, if Honda is not to discontinue the car, a facelift is the only logical step to take.

If the facelift is happening anytime soon, it is highly likely that the new Mobilio will follow the design language of the 2016 Amaze and take some cues from the Indonesian version of the Mobilio.

The facelift is likely to get some features in tune with the BR-V. For example, the dashboard is likely to be inspired by the BR-V design and so is the MID that is expected to be present in the top trim variants. The facelift will further feature an HVAC system with automatic climate control technology, a new display unit, and restructured instrument cluster and buttons.

However, since it is too early to know if the facelift news too is a rumor, we can only take a closer look at how the current Mobilio is doing in the market. The rumors for a discontinuation stemmed up from a mixture of the BR-V craze and the fact that the sales of the Mobilio is steadily dropping. The car has sold just a little over 10,000 units since March 2015. This averages to 1000 units per month. The lowest sales in recent times were recorded in the November 2015 to January 2016 time gap. The car sold 393, 192, and 441 units respectively in these three months.

At present, the only cars in the segment doing worse than the Mobilio are the Nissan Evalia and the Chevrolet Enjoy. The future of both these cars appear doomed. However, Honda is still trying to get back in the game and give a new competition to the segment leaders, the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, the Toyota Innova, and the Chevrolet Tavera, all of which are performing well and giving each other a tough competition.

Hence, as of now, the Mobilio is staying and the BR-V will soon be launched to help the Mobilio stabilize the Company’s foothold in the MPV segment.

The Honda BR-V compact crossover has been one of the most awaited new car launches in India, ever since the Japanese car major displayed the vehicle at the 2016 Auto Expo. Although Honda Cars India introduced its brand new BR-V SUV to India at the Auto Expo, the company did not divulge the exact time frame when the vehicle will be launched in the country’s domestic market. Now, if the latest reports are to be believed, Honda India is getting all braced up to launch the BR-V SUV officially in the Indian market on 1^st of May. Although it was also reported earlier that the new Honda BR-V compact SUV is expected to launch in India in the month of May this year, the exact launch date of the vehicle was never confirmed.

According to a latest report the Honda BR-V would hit the market on 1^st of May, 2016. If this is true, then the Honda BR-V would be the second offering from the house of the Japanese car major in the Indian car market in this year after the new refreshed Amaze’s launch.

Like the Mobilio MPV, the Honda BR-V is based on the extended Brio platform and also shares many parts and the general design with the Mobilio MPV. Post the Indian launch, the Honda BR-V will be rivaling against the likes of the immensely popular Hyundai Creta and the Renault Duster in the hugely popular Indian compact SUV market.

Along with the immerging reports about the imminent launch of the BR-V, other reports have also emerged about the Honda Mobilio MPV. Rumors are rife that the Japanese car maker is planning to pull the plug on the Mobilio, as the MPV is in the same price range as that of the BR-V in India and also to make space for the production of the BR-V. The Mobilio MPV which was launched in July 2014 has not been able to strike the right cords with the buyers and has been a poor seller. The MPV could manage to find just 226 takers in February this year.

The Honda BR-V gets equipped with a 1.5 liter 4-cylinder i-VTEC petrol motor that pumps out a top power of 117 bhp at 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of 145 Nm at 4,700 rpm. The engine is coupled to a 6 speed manual transmission gearbox. The compact SUV is also expected to come powered with a 1.5 liter i-DTEC diesel motor that powers most of the diesel models by Honda Cars India.

The Honda BR-V compact crossover would be fully loaded with many premium features. The vehicle will also be equipped with many safety features like dual front SRS airbag, ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) with EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution), HAS (Hill Start Assist) and VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) among others.

The BR-V will be Honda Cars India’s sole competitor in the mass compact SUV market of India, while its other compact SUV offering is flagship model – CR-V.

India’s leading premium car maker, Honda Cars India has finally unveiled the highly anticipated Honda BR-V compact crossover model. The brand new Honda BR-V crossover utility vehicle (CUV) has been specifically developed for the Asian car markets and was globally unveiled first towards the end of 2015. As per a company official, the CUV will be hitting the Indian roads in the April – June period this year.

Honda Cars India also unveiled its flagship sedan model, the new-gen Honda Accord at the event that will also launch in India later this year to mark its return in the country.

The President and Chief Executive Officer of Honda Motor, Takahiro Hachigo said that India contributes the largest volumes in the company’s total sales from the Asia and Oceania region, which makes India one of the fastest growing markets for Honda.

Honda is definitely focusing on India, as the company is very aggressive with its new car launch in the country. With the launch of the BR-V, Honda will enter the highly popular compact SUV market of India that has super popular models such as the Hyundai Creta and Renault Duster among others.

Labeled as the ‘Active Sport Crossover’, the brand new Honda BR-V was first unveiled in its production ready version at the 2015 Thailand Motor Show. The BR-V compact crossover is based on the same extended Brio platform as the Mobilio and comes with an attractive and sporty look. The vehicle flaunts exterior features such as angular headlights with projector lamps, LED Daytime Running Lights, aggressively styled front bumper, stylish round fog lights in chrome housings, and a stylized U-shaped chrome slatted front radiator grille.

The Honda BR-V’s sides flaunt bold character lines, plastic body cladding in black, roof rails and stylish 16 inch alloy wheels on the top variants. At its rear, the compact SUV gets the same aggressive styling that it flaunts on its front fascia. Its most remarkable rear feature is the new tail light design which is uniquely shaped as the letter C, while there is also a fat chrome slat on the tail gate’s centre and a rear skid plate to complete the sporty and premium looks of the crossover.

Powering the new Honda BR-V compact SUV are the 1.5 liter SOHC, 4 cylinder i-VTEC petrol motor that has the capability to offer a max power of 117 bhp and a top torque of 146 Nm, and the 1.5 liter i-DTEC diesel mill which is good to generate a peak power of 99 bhp and a max torque of 200 Nm. The engines will be paired with a 5 speed manual transmission gearbox and Honda’s patent CVT automatic gearbox option.

The vehicle will be loaded with several safety features such as dual front SRS airbags, Vehicle Stability Assist, Hill Start Assist, ABS with EBD among others.

The Honda BR-V compact SUV’s India-spec model will offer the seating capacity of 7 occupants which will offer the vehicle an edge over its rivals, as it is the first in its segment to offer a 7-seater configuration.

Honda Cars India had revealed its display plans well ahead of the soon to start 2016 Indian Auto Expo. Among the many exciting global new products and concepts, there will be the much awaited Honda BR-V compact SUV model that will be making its Indian debut.

The brand new Honda BR-V which has been making headlines even before it was unveiled in Indonesia towards the end of 2015, is a huge upcoming launch from the stable of Honda Cars India and is expected to be another great hit from the company in this country. The brand new Honda BR-V is finally ready to break its cover in India at the 2016 Auto Expo and grab eyeballs at the event.

As already known, the BR-V is also based on the same extended Brio platform that the Honda Mobilio MPV is based on, and the compact SUV has been garnering a lot of attention since the model was first showcased in 2015 year in the car market of Japan. Post its Indian launch, the Honda BR-V will be locking its horns with the extremely popular new Creta from Hyundai Creta, S-Cross from Maruti Suzuki, Duster from Renault and Terrano from Nissan.

For the Indian market the all new Honda BR-V compact SUV model will be coming in both its petrol and diesel avatars and is likely to get fitted by the company’s tried and tested engines, namely – the 1.5L i-DTEC diesel mill that that good to generate a max power of 100 PS and the very familiar i-VTEC petrol mill that is able to churn out a peak power of 120 PS. The power figures of the BR-V are at par with its market rivals in India, although some make a bit of more power. However, as the BR-V is likely to be lighter than many of its rivals it would not lack behind in performance. Both the petrol and diesel engines will be paired to a 6 speed manual gearbox, while the petrol motor will offer a CVT automatic transmission choice as well.

In terms of fuel efficiency, the diesel version of the Honda BR-V is expected to deliver the mileage of around 20 to 23kmpl, while its petrol avatar is expected to offer 17 to 18kmpl of fuel efficiency.

The Honda BR-V compact SUV will also be a feature rich model and will come loaded with many premium features such as projector headlamps, LED daytime running lights, electrically foldable and adjustable outside rear view mirrors, diamond cut alloys, a large touchscreen infotainment system, automatic climate control, foldable third row, and rear parking camera among many more.

The new Honda BR-V will get dual airbags and ABS as standard features across all models in its range. The SUV will have an edge over its rivals with its 7-seat configuration – a first in the segment. The compact SUV’s expected price range is around Rs. 9 lakh to Rs. 13 lakh.

Honda Cars India is preparing for its next big launch that will take place this year, in the form of the brand new Honda BR-V compact SUV. Honda India has already revealed its display lineup for the 2016 Indian Auto Expo and has announced that the BR-V will be making its Indian debut at the event.

Here is a detailed look at the upcoming Honda BR-V:

Category

The name BR-V is an abbreviation of the ‘Bold Runabout Vehicle’ and it will mark the Honda’s venture into the Indian compact SUV mass market. It will be offered as a premium compact SUV model In India. The BR-V is based on the same extended Brio platform as the Mobilio and will be place above the MPV. It will also be the first 7-seater model in its own segment.

Mechanical specs

The new Honda BR-V will get a 1.5 liter diesel motor generating 100 PS of power and 200 Nm of torque coupled to a 6 speed manual transmission. The petrol version will get a 1.5 liter unit offering 118 PS and 145 Nm mated to a transmission choice of a 6 speed manual and a CVT unit.

Exterior & Interior

The new Honda BR-V compact SUV comes with great attractive looks and sporty styling which should be one of its primary buy-points. The front fascia of the BR-V is certainly inspired by the Honda India’s flagship model, the CR-V SUV. It is quite a big SUV model as well in the compact SUV segment of India, being considerably larger than the Renault Duster and slight shorter than the Mahindra Scorpio. Though much more stylish and premium looking, being based on the same platform and due to parts sharing, the BR-V has some similarities with the Mobilio MPV when looked at from a distance. The vehicle is eye-catching from all angles. Its rear design flaunts stretched wraparound tail lights which are connected with an attention drawing red reflective strip.

On the inside, the BR-V’s design and upholstery look pretty similar to its sedan cousin, the City while the interior layout and space are again alike the Mobilio. Features like touchscreen integrated infotainment system with navigation, armrest with cup holders and roof mounted air condition with three blower settings for the rear are expected.

Pricing & Expected launch

The Honda BR-V will have high localization level of around 90 percent and is expected to have a competitive pricing at par with its primary market rivals in India. The BR-V compact SUV is expected to launch in India in the first quarter of the next financial year that is in the April-June period.

Competitors

The Honda BR-V’s primary market rivals in India will be the premium compact SUV/crossover models like the Hyundai Creta and Maruti S-Cross. However, the base models of the BR-V will aim at eating into the demands of the sub-compact SUV models like the Ford EcoSport. With time, this stylish and sporty 7-seater family mover will also get increased competition for sure.

The 2016 Indian Auto Expo is a highly awaited event this year and all the car majors in the country are busy preparing to showcase their best new and upcoming offerings at this edition of the Expo. Japanese auto giant Honda Motor’s Indian wing, Honda Cars India is also busy readying itself for the huge auto show and has now announced its whole display line-up for the upcoming Indian Auto Expo next month.

Honda Cars India which is the country’s leading premium car maker, has revealed that the company will be displaying a range new cars as well as concept models at this year’s auto event.

Here’s a look at what Honda India will present at the 2016 Indian Auto Expo:

Honda BR-V

The brand new Honda BR-V will definitely be the major attention drawer at the auto event. The all new compact SUV or CUV (Crossover Utility Vehicle) as Honda says the vehicle actually is has been already displayed at various international car shows. After its Indian debut at the 2016 Auto Expo, the Honda BR-V will soon be launching in the country this year.

The BR-V is based on the company’s latest design language and is a very sporty and stylish looking compact SUV that features stylish angular headlights, LED position lights, muscular bumpers, round chrome encased fog lamps and U-shaped chrome slatted front grille. The BR-V will get 1.5 liter petrol and diesel engines and will go straight against the Hyundai Creta and facelift Renault Duster.

McLaren Honda MP4-30

Not the Honda BR-V, Honda’s showstopper at the Expo will be the McLaren Honda MP4-30 racing machine. This Formula One race car was the first to be built by McLaren after the MP4/7A. This racing beauty will be displayed to have all auto enthusiasts’ eyes glued to it at the Honda stall.

All new Honda Accord

Honda Cars India will be unveiling the new generation model of the Honda Accord premium sedan. The new Accord will resurrect the model in India sometime this year, and will come along with a hybrid powertrain. This car packs in a 2 liter i-VTEC petrol motor that is coupled to an electric motor that gets powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. The petrol engine offers 141 bhp of power, while the hybrid powertrains combined power output is 196 bhp along with an impressive 306 Nm of torque. The powertrain will be mated to an advanced electronic CVT automatic transmission to tame the great torque.

Apart from these above mentioned three models, Honda India will also be showcasing around 10 more car models this year. There will be the new concept models from the house of Honda on display which includes the Honda Project 2&4 which will be driven by RC213V, and the new Honda Jazz Racing Concept car model. There will also be the Honda Accord, Goldwing and ASIMO, which are meant only for exhibition purpose. Apart from these, there will be the entire Honda India lineup – Brio, Amaze, Mobilio, Jazz, City and CR-V on display.

Japanese car major, Honda Motor is ready to charm the Indian audience with yet another brand new vehicle model – the Honda BR-V. The Honda BR-V will be Honda Cars India’s warrior in the increasingly popular and growing compact SUV market of India. The Honda BR-V compact crossover model will be launched in the Indian car market next year, and is expected to go on sale by April 2016.

The Honda BR-V is a brand new crossover model that is based on the Brio platform and is the abbreviation for the ‘Bold Runabout Vehicle’. The BR-V is certainly very bold when it’s styling and visual appeal are concerned. Right from its unveiling in Indonesia recently, the BR-V has garnered a lot of appreciation for its sheer gorgeousness, despite being a compact vehicle that is not pitched as a premium model.

The Honda BR-V shares many things with its cousin Mobilio MPV including the platform, parts, features and styling cues. However, even if the BR-V looks faintly like the Mobilio from a distance, it is way more stunning and visually appealing. The heavily stylized and muscular appeal of the BR-V comes from its aggressively styled front fascia that flaunts a chrome grille, angular headlights, muscular bonnet, sculpted bumpers with scuff plates and the wheel arch plastic cladding. The side is familiar to the Mobilio, but again sportier and stylish with its 16 inch alloy wheels and character lines. The crossover’s rear again gets flamboyant with heavily stylized tailgate, tail lights and bumper design with heavy chrome décor.

The Honda BR-V gets a premium look and feel on the inside as well unlike its Brio based cousins Mobilio and Amaze. It gets some elements from the premium City and Jazz, but remains distinct in style. Its advantage lies in its third row of seats despite being a compact SUV, and more surprisingly even the last row has decent space and headroom for two adult occupants. Apart from offering comfortable and styling interiors for all the occupants, the BR-V also offers good cargo space which can be increased by the smart foldable third as well as second row seats. The entire cabin feels practical and quite premium, though Honda has kept it minimalistic which looks quite smart and neat.

Under the hood, the new Honda BR-V compact crossover model will be getting the same engine options as that of the Honda City sedan, and will get powered by the same 1.5 liter petrol as well as diesel engines. The 118 bhp developing 1.5 liter petrol motor on the BR-V will get coupled with the transmission options of a 6 speed manual and an automatic CVT gearbox. On the other hand, the 1.5 liter diesel mill will be getting equipped with only the 6 speed manual transmission gearbox. Moreover, this familiar diesel engine will be tuned for the crossover to offer more power than the 98.6 bhp that it belts out for the City.

The Honda BR-V will go up against the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Renault Duster, etc in India.

The Honda BR-V recently had its global debut in August at the GAIKINDO International Auto Show, in Indonesia, and is now busy with the ongoing Thailand International Motor Expo, and will soon debut in the Indian market at next year’s Auto Expo in Delhi. The Bold Runabout Vehicle is Honda’s new concept after the CR-V model.

The BR-V compact SUV has been developed in the Asia Pacific Research and Development Center in Thailand. This concept has been made for the Asian markets primarily. The Honda BR-V is based on the Brio platform, which is shared by the Amaze and the Mobilio. The BR-V will however, be sportier and more rugged in design than the sedan and the multi-purpose vehicle that share the Brio platform with it.

The BR-V will have a more sports utility vehicle kind of appearance and will have a high ground clearance with wide front and back tracks. The car will feature chiseled bumpers and big alloy wheels apart from high roof rails and a wrap-around tail light cluster.

Coming to the dimensions, the Br-V will have a length of 4,455mm, breadth of 1,735mm, and height of 1,650mm. The wheelbase will be a large 2,660mm with ground clearance of 200mm. The car will also feature a black body cladding to add to the sporty rugged look. The interiors will feature a 7-seater planning with good quality upholstery and a big boot space.

The car will feature a multi-info display with a satisfactory 6 inch infotainment system, rear air conditioning system available in between the first and the second row, and steering mounted control buttons. The safety features will include Vehicle Stability Control, Anti-lock Braking System with Electronic Brake-force Distribution, dual airbags for the front seat, and Hill Start Assist features.

Now talking about the most important part, the engine, the Honda BR-V will offer with a powerful 1.5 liter i-VTEC petrol unit with four cylinders. It will offer up to 120PS of power and 145Nm of torque. There will also be a diesel engine option which will have the same fuel capacity as the petrol unit does. The performance of the diesel unit will be a little lower, at 100PS maximum power, but the torque offered will go up to 200Nm. The Indian market will get both these variants. The engine will be supported by a 6-speed manual gearbox and constantly variable transmission will be available as an option.

The BR-V will enter an aggressive production phase in January 2016 in Indonesia. The car will be produced at the Ayutthaya plant in Thailand. The car can be expected in the Indian market after the middle of next year. Since the car is still about a year away from the launch, nothing definite can be said about the price of the model, but it can be guessed to be something around the INR 10,00,000 mark. On the Indian roads, the car will compete the current Renault Duster, and the recently launched Hyundai Creta. Let’s see if the BR-V can outdo Honda’s own performance with the CR-V.