Honda BRV Official Review: Positives, Negatives with Buying Recommendation

Honda BRV Official Review with Positives and Negatives. Review Interiors, Engine Performance, Drive and Handling, Features, Misses in Honda BRV SUV in India

Honda BRV Review

Honda BRV is been launched in India.

Honda Siel Cars is banking a good demand of this SUV, with expectations of more than 50K units planned for sale in FY 2016-17 in 11 months. BRV To be available in

» 1.5 Litre IVtec - 6 Speed Petrol

» 1.5 Litre IVtec - CVT Automatic Petrol

» 1.5 Litre IDtec - 6 Speed Diesel

Honda BRV Drive Performance Review

In Terms of Engine Performance Review

» BRV Petrol Engine (Manual) - Honda BRV Manual Petrol comes in Same IVtec Petrol Engine as in City, but due to additional weight is tuned to 6 Speed Manual for shorter gear shifts in initial gears, so as to avoid in Lag feel. On like of City - Engine Performance comes with top notch refinement with easy Pickup, Pep, Feel but only issue could be the quick short gear shifts - which may be bit annoying a bit in traffic conditions.

» BRV Petrol Engine (CVT Automatic) - Especially designed for those looking for Utmost Convenience with Easy Gentle Sedate Ride. Refinement levels are good. But due to CVT - if you try for throttle response or acceleration surge for Performance Pep - you may end up with disappointment

» BRV Diesel Engine - 1st and 2nd Gear Shift are designed to be short. At Speed of 25 Kmph - you feel to move ahead to 3rd Gear. A Mild turbo lag in under 1500 rpm. But - the Linear Pickup with Light Steering, Smooth Gear Shift and Light Clutch can make it an easy to do driver car - who look for Comfortable Sedate ride, rather than Peppy Acceleration. However - if you have driven Creta Diesel, Duster 4x4, XUV500 - its best to not expect the same level of refinement, pep and feel as in BRV Diesel

» Suspension Dynamics - Been the Wider Tyres, Raised Ground Clearance and Stiffened up Shocker Absorber - the Suspension is slightly firmed up and not as Soft as in Honda Sedan Range, still its well overall acceptable.

» Steering & Gear Shift Dynamics - Steering is Light or rather say comes with Accurate Steering Dynamics along with Light Clutch, Easy Sleek Gear Shifts with Perfect Ergonomic Controls. Once in and driving the car, you can be happy with Visibility, Controls to keep this SUV a much choice for Easy Friendly Usage.

Here is what our Review in terms of Positives and Negatives to assist you in buying decision of Honda BRV

Honda BRV Positives

» Safety Rating: Honda BRV Safety Rating. With 4 Star Safety Rating (as Indian BRV Version does not come with ESP - unsure why Honda not incorporated this feature, which could have made it 5 Star Safety Rating) - it still inspires confidence on Safety Aspect. Even the base Model comes equipped with Dual Airbags. ABS is also standard from Base Model in Diesel, and comes in one model up S as Feature in Petrol

» Honda Dynamics: Honda USP of Dynamics - Light yet Accurate Electric Power Steering, Light Clutch, Sleek and Easy Gear Shifts yet with Specs as Raised 210mm Ground Clearance, Wider R195 Tyres in 16 Inch Wheels, Stiffened Suspension - makes BRV Ideal to be driven across all sorts of City, Highway, Bad Patch roads with absolute ease

» In Cabin Storage Space: Honda has designed it really well for In Cabin Door Pockets and Smart Storage for Bottle, Mobiles across all 3 Rows. In tterms of Boot - With all 3 Rows Up, Boot Space is at 223 Litre, 3rd Row comes with 50:50 Split Seat to accommodate more boot Space. You Fold in 3rd Row and gets in massive 691 Litre Boot Space. No issues in Storage Space

» Mileage: Mileage in Honda BRV in Segment of - Creta, Duster, Terrano, XUV500 in Mid SUV Segment remains the best in both Petrol, Automatic and Diesel

» Noise & Vibration: Though - we all are aware of Refinement in IVtec with segment best Noise & Vibration, but in Diese too - Surely Honda BRV has much improved and NVH in BRV Diesel is much improved than its other sibling Diesel Cars - City, Mobilio, Jazz, Amaze. Though to disclaim - its Hyundai Creta in Diesel - which yet remains as benchmark for best in NVH Levels in Diesel  

» Spacious Family Car: Its a Perfect Family Car having a Couple in Mid 30s, there Parents, 2 Kids in under 15 years and a Daughter in Family for a Comfy Ride. Even the Seating Ingress and Egress is neither too low and nor too high. Its just Ideal. If have 4 Passengers on board - you can Slide and recline 2nd Row Backwards to best in class legroom standards of Innova Crysta. Though to disclaim - width feels average. So if have 3 Well Build Passenger on Rear Seat - you may find them bit squeeze in BRV

Honda BRV Negatives

» Interior Dash Aesthetics: Seems, Honda has missed the opportunity. Though it has Piano Black Finish with Chrome, but The Dash does not gives a Wow Feel. It looks average.. Even in Infotainment has same 2 Din Music System as in Amaze. A More Premium appeal on styling of City was much required

» Missing Features: No Touchscreen Music System as what offered in Jazz, City - not even in Top End. No ESP is offered as safety feature, which otherwise is there in BRV International Series. No Rear View Camera. Also - to differentiate a Sunroof as what offered in City, could have been offered in BRV Top End Vx Model - but is also not available. Its to be noted that - Honda BRV Indonesia offers in much more Safety, Styling Features as missing in Indian BRV. Compare - Honda BRV Differences in India Vs Indonesia

» Exterior Side Profile Looks - Gives a feel of Mobilio from Side Looks. Mobilio has turned to be worst Performer in Sales for Honda Siel Cars.  Though - the Front and Rear apart from Interiors thankfully gives a different unique identity to the car - which looks Premium

» Diesel Engine Performance: Honda is using IDtec Earth Dreams Diesel Engine across all its Models - Amaze, Jazz, Mobilio, City and now is also in BRV. Though - its a 6 Speed Transmission to create Shorter Gear Shift- but you can see what the additional Weight will impact with these 2 comparisons - within Honda Cars Family and the Power & Torque Output w.r.t Competition Cars

Body Kerb Weight is mentioned

It would be fair to not to expect in the Similar Refinement levels, High Speed Performance and standards as seen in Mahindra XUV500, Hyundai Creta Diesel or Duster Diesel

Is Honda BRV Recommended Buy

Yes - if requirement is of :-

» Best in Class Spacious Car at a Price Point Offered

» Honda Safety Rating, Loaded Features in S Model

» Mileage, Reliability of Honda

» Good Pleasing Ride Quality for Comfort

» Convenience of Automatic 

» Suspension Dynamics, High Ground Clearance - makes it Ideal for Indian roads

May Avoid - if requirement is of :-

» Performamce Enthusiast Car

» Looking for no Compromise on High End Features including Touchscreen Navigation

» Fresh Looks Car or Top of Line Interior Aesthetics as seen in XUV500 or Creta