Back in April Honda started taking orders for their all-new crossover, the BRV. Since then the car has been launched in India and it managed to sell a rather impressive amount considering it is not really the cheapest car out there. In fact, the 2017 Honda BRV starts from roughly the equivalent of $17,500 and it goes to as much as $21,000 for a fully loaded car. This actually makes it one of the more expensive cars in its class but it is usually well worth it even though it has its drawbacks. Competitors like the Renault Duster usually offer fewer features for slightly less money.
Platform
Like with many of its rivals, the BRV uses the chassis of a car already present on the market. It shares its chassis, engines and most of the running gear with the Mobilio, a rather affordable MPV. Unlike the MPV though, the BRV uses a slightly taller suspension system and it also offers a slightly better equipment level which is quite obvious from the higher price tag. However, the interior is pretty much identical, both in terms of design and layout, while the exterior is a bit more muscular which is quite well received in its class.
Design
Let’s first start our preview of the 2017 Honda BRV with the way it looks. Being based on an MPV means that the car is usually longer and taller than a regular car. This is quite obvious but Honda managed to hide it with clever additions. For starters, the front end is completely new. The car features a design that seems inspired by the US models with its headlights mounted higher and a new grille which reminds us of the CR-V. The back makes use of a new bumper as well as a slightly larger window-spoiler which further completes the design. The end result is a car that, despite sharing the doors, windows and most of the other sheet-metal with the Mobilio, looks like a unique product.
2017 Honda BRV Interior
We can’t really say the same about the cabin of the BRV. Here it is a lot more obvious that the two cars are related. The basic shape of the dashboard is identical to what the Mobilio has. However, the BRV is definitely the better-equipped car of the two. For starters, it comes with things like automatic climate control, keyless entry and goes as well as with a rather good audio system as standard. These are usually just optional extras on its rivals or even completely missing. Another great feature of the BRV is the fact that it comes, at least in India, with seven standard seats. Also, the rear bench folds completely flat which allows for a rather large cargo area that is considerably larger than that of its competitors. This is mostly thanks to the fact the car has been based on an MPV rather than a small sedan.
Engine
Unfortunately, this is probably the only lacking part of the new 2017 Honda BRV. Somehow Honda decided to offer just two engines for their entry-level crossover, both 1.5 liters four-cylinder offerings. The base car gets a petrol engine which is good for up to 118 horsepower and 145 N*m of torque thanks to V-TEC. However, the engine feels rather slow and even though a 6-speed manual is offered as standard, it feels underpowered. A CVT gearbox is also available for this particular powertrain but it is not really the better option of the two. The one most people are most likely going to get is the 1.5-liter diesel. This offers only 99 horsepower but 200 N*m of torque which is a bit more adequate. Unlike the petrol engine, a 6-speed manual is the only offering.
