Honda BR-V 2019 Review - Prices, Mileage Specs, Variants, and Features

In how many variants is the Honda BR-V available in?

There are 4 variants on offer in the BR-V. The 4 root variants namely, E, S, V and VX all get a petrol engine. However, only the E variant misses out on the diesel powertrain. The price of the diesel variants starts from Rs. 11.96 lakh and goes all the way up to Rs. 13.93 lakh (Ex-Showroom Delhi). 

Whereas the petrol variant starts at Rs. 9.63 lakh and ends on Rs. 12.94 lakh (Ex-Showroom Delhi). The diesel variant is powered by 1.5-litre i-DTEC engine and the petrol variant is powered by 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine. The various features on offer in all of the variants are listed below.

Which variant of Honda BR-V is best for you?

Out of all variants, the best selling variants are the i-DTEC “V” manual diesel variant and the i-VTEC “V” manual petrol variant. We also recommend these two variants because they have all the necessary features and accessories that you require in your vehicle.

The lower variants are not as loaded as these and the higher ones do not come with any significant changes. If you want specific features you can buy the VX version for the added touch-screen experience or can go for the V variant with the CVT gearbox for extra convenience.  

Honda BR-V May 2020 Offers

There are no ongoing offers on the Honda BR-V. It was discontinued in April 2020 and all of the BS4 stock has been sold off as well.

Also Read,

Does the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga stand a chance in front of Honda BR-V?

How well does the Lodgy place itself into the competition?

What are the powertrain options in Honda BR-V?

Engine performance is something that can make or break a deal especially in a 7 seater car. As 7 seaters have to haul around more load most car manufacturers give them more power than their sedan or hatchback siblings. With the BRV Honda has offered a choice of petrol as well as a diesel engine option which you can select depending upon your usage and the kind of performance you want.

Both the engines have a 1.5-litre capacity but the power and torque figures are quite different. The Petrol engine offers 119 PS power and 145 Nm of torque while the diesel offers 100 PS power and 200 Nm of torque. Though the power delivery of the engines is not drastically different from each other, torques of the engines are significantly different.

The automatic CVT transmission is available with only the petrol engine of the car, which can be a disappointment if you are a diesel user. Both the engines feel adequate for the BR-V, be it within the city or the highway. The diesel engine even with lesser power is a better city crawler as it comes with more torque. This makes it more drivable in stop-go traffic. But once on the highway, the petrol engine performs way better as it has more power to pull 7 people to triple-digit speeds. The petrol engine of the BR-V can easily make a hatchback into a hot-hatch. But in the BR-V both the engines feel only adequate to due the heavier kerb-weight, hence don’t expect this to be an enthusiast car.

Nonetheless, both engines are one of the best mills we have seen so far from Honda’s stable. They are very well known for their reliability, endurance and efficiency. The automatic transmission, even while being a CVT does not feel laggy under a light foot. But if you go pedal to the metal style then the typical rubber band effect gets quite pronounced. Hence, to get the maximum out of it, gradual acceleration is the key. The diesel engine has loads of torque which is quite useful under full load. Let’s compare this to some of its competition.

On paper, Renault Lodgy generates more power and torque figures than the other two vehicles but it does not have a petrol engine or an automatic transmission. Whereas the Ertiga is a better option on paper, it does not look as well sculpted and sharp on the outside as the BR-V.

How quick is the Honda BR-V from 0-100 KMPH?

People don’t buy MPVs for outright acceleration. But you will be glad to know that the BR-V has better 0-100 kph performance than all its rivals. The acceleration numbers are better than some of the hatchbacks which are smaller in size and weight than the BR-V. The 6-speed manual transmission helps to divide the torque from the engine linearly which results in quick acceleration.

In the CVT transmission, it does feel a little laggy during aggressive acceleration as it has to quickly shift more gears. Overall, it delivers the acceleration from 0-100 kmph in 12 seconds which is the fastest in its segment. The diesel engine takes 14 second which is 2 seconds slower than the petrol.

The Ertiga lags behind the BR-V by 1 second and Lodgy lags by 1.30 seconds in acceleration competition.  We believe that Honda has tuned BR-V’s engine quite well as it is the fastest car in its segment even with lowest power figures. There is no other MPV that can match the 0-100 kmph performance of the BR-V.

How good is the handling of Honda BR-V?

The ride quality of a car is one of the most important factors which a customer is looking for while purchasing a car, especially if it is a 7 seater. The BR-V gets 16-inch wheels which come with large wheel arches as it allows more suspension travel. It results in a much more comfortable ride over broken roads.

The overhang behind the rear axle is quite large but the third-row passengers have less legroom, comparatively. They have to sit knees up which is not a comfortable posture for longer rides. With the ground clearance of 210 mm it can easily tackle Indian roads without compromising the comfort of the passengers. 

Within the city, the BR-V can soak in the bumps and potholes quite well but the sharp bumps and potholes creep into the car’s cabin. The suspension still goes on working silently. Things improve once the car gains more speed and the highway ride is better than the city one. Honda has set up the suspension for a more comfortable highway ride than a city one. The ride feels quite firm at lower speeds due to the stiffer suspension set up.

This helps in preventing the body and the car feels composed even on high speeds. It is not a vehicle to throw around the corners but it can handle the corners better than its rivals. The steering is pretty much direct but does not provide much feedback to the driver. Within the city, it is super light and on the highway, it picks up enough heft and weight that makes it feel well planted. Hence, most customers will find nothing to complain about the ride and handling of the BR-V considering it is an MPV.

How grippy are the brakes on Honda BR-V?

The BR-V is fitted with disc brakes in the front and drum brakes in rear as standard. Its kerb weight is also quite light considering that it is an MPV that weighs 1238 kgs. Due to the lighter weight of the vehicle, the brakes feel more efficient and quick. All the variants of the BR-V did not have ABS as standard in previous generations but now Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), as well as Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), have been made standard by Honda.

It is a good feature for safety as well as better handling of the vehicle. The BR-V stops from triple-digit speeds under hard braking without much drama.

The kerb weight of the BR-V is lesser by a significant amount than the Renault Lodgy and a little bit more than the Ertiga. Which makes its braking system quite efficient and safe. Being a lighter car overall helps it not only in acceleration but also braking.

What are the mileage figures for Honda BR-V Engine?

MPVs have to carry more people and luggage which creates a requirement of higher displacement engine and hence the BR-V is powered by a 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engine options. Its petrol engine variant provides a mileage of 15.4 kmpl with the manual transmission and 16 kmpl with the CVT transmission. Whereas, the diesel engine gives the mileage output of 21.9 kmpl.

Thus, the diesel engine is more popular amongst Indian buyers. The fuel tank capacity of the vehicle is quite adequate, it can store 42 litres of fuel.  Let’s compare it to some of its rivals and see what the numbers say:

The larger fuel tank capacity of the Lodgy provides it with a better range but its fuel economy is the lowest. Ertiga has a big fuel tank and also more mileage which gives it the longest range. The BR-V has the smallest tank but it has better mileage than some rivals so it does not have a longer range than the others. 

What are the exterior features of Honda BR-V?

How sharp does the 7-seater BR-V look?

Honda BR-V has been designed quite aggressively and looks much better than its predecessor, the Mobilio. With the use of sharp edges and angles on the front grille and bumpers, Honda has tried to give the BR-V some SUV elements. The sharp cuts and creases are carried to the back of the vehicle with connected tail lamps and also with chrome accents all over the body of the vehicle. The 2020 Honda BR-V has got quite a few upgrades than its 2016 launch model.

It looks more striking when compared to its rivals which do not have any sharp and aggressive looking features like BR-V. It has massive chrome strips in front as well as in the rear end above the registration plate. The front bumper of the BR-V is sculpted tastefully with the sharp angles connecting the fog lamps and headlights in a line and carrying that line to the rear of the vehicle.

The BR-V gets a healthy amount of ground clearance which makes it very comfortable to drive on the most variety of road conditions. It does not seem as bulky as Renault Lodgy, which makes it easy to manoeuvre in the city traffic. Let’s see some dimensions and comparison between the rivals.

Overall, the BR-V is in the middle of the segment considering the dimensions of the car. But the difference is not huge and hence does not impact interior space and comfort of the car. It also gives an advantage in the traffic conditions, therefore, it is a good choice for the daily commute.

Exterior Features

There are many interesting features in the exterior of the car and some of them are listed below:

• Solid wing front face
• Rear air spoiler
• Projector headlamps with LED position lamps
• Sporty r16 alloy wheels
• Front bumper lower garnish
• Rear combination lamps with LED light guide
• Silver finish roof rails
• Heat absorbing windshield
• Rear wiper and washer

How spacious is the 7-seater Honda BR-V?

The earlier Honda BR-V did not have many interior features but now things have changed as they have introduced many new features inside the vehicle. The overall interior of the car in higher trim levels is quite pleased with the leather stitched seats and all-black colour scheme. But because of the colour scheme, it can seem a bit claustrophobic for some people on the inside. It does not have a ladder on frame chassis like the Mahindra Marrazzo and thus the third-row passengers have to sit in knees-up position and the headroom is also limited in the 3rd row.

The instrument cluster and the dashboard of the vehicle are very well positioned and are a bit different than you see in most vehicles. 

The BR-V is smaller than the competition but it is a well proportioned and comfortable vehicle which offers lots of space in the cabin. The driver-oriented instrument cluster also makes it a very user-friendly car.

What are the features of Honda BR-V's infotainment system?

Since its launch, the BR-V did not have a touch screen infotainment system. It was equipped with just a 2-Din audio system. Now Honda has introduced the touch screen infotainment in higher trim levels. The 7-inch display sits a bit high on the dashboard which makes it easy to look at while driving.

 It is equipped with android auto which has a camera input for rearview parking. Some of the features of the infotainment system of the BR-V are as follows:

• 7-inch display
• Android auto
• Bluetooth
• Rearview camera

Creature Comfort Features

Some of the interior features of the BR-V are as follows:

• Automatic climate control
• Power windows on all windows
• Air conditioner
• Rear armrest
• 60:40 split rear seats
• Leather seats
• Height adjustable driver’s seat

How spacious is the cargo space of Honda BR-V? 

The boot capacity of an MPV has always been an issue as there is not enough space to store the luggage of all the people it can carry. But the BR-V gets an option to fold the rear seats to create more luggage space.

Still, the rear seats of the car do not fold in 60:40 split which reduces the luggage capacity of the car. The rear opening of the boot is low which makes it easy for loading and unloading.

The boot capacity of the BR-V is the largest in its segment with 223 litres whereas the Ertiga and Lodgy have 207 litres and 209 litres of boot space. Depending upon the seat folding efficiency of these cars the boot space of the vehicles will vary.

What are the safety features on offer in Honda BR-V?

With increasing safety regulations, Honda has also made proper changes to provide better safety to the vehicle. Some safety features such as dual airbags, ABS with EBD are made standard on the vehicle. Some other features such as centrally mounted fuel tank, engine immobilizer, crash sensor, speed sensing auto door locks and ISOFIX child seats are standard throughout all trim levels.

The Honda BR-V has scored a 5-star rating in the ASEAN NCAP which is quite an achievement for the car. 

Safety features in BR-V are as follows:

• Seat Belts with pre-tensioners
• Dual airbags
• ABS with EBD
• Anti-theft alarm
• ISOFIX child seats
• Central locking
• Power door locks

How does Honda BR-V compare against its competition?

Honda BR-V VS Maruti Suzuki Ertiga

It is a real competition for the BR-V as it provides almost all the features provided in the BR-V with better fuel efficiency. But the looks of the Ertiga might be very bland for some whereas the BR-V has quite aggressive looks and stance. The Ertiga is such an MPV that is used in daily lives without any hassle. It outshines in terms of cabin space across all seating rows.

The BR-V also has more ground clearance than the Ertiga which gives it a great advantage on the Indian roads. Though because of its efficiency and price range Ertiga has created good competition for BR-V.

Honda BR-V vs Renault Lodgy

It is a bulky looking car that offers more interior space and some better features such as a bigger fuel tank and more room for the third-row passengers. But it does not have some features that the  BR-V does. Hence, the Lodgy has not yet succeeded in the Indian market compared to some of its competition.

The Lodgy provides better performance with its more powerful engine but due to the size, it is more difficult to manoeuvre in city traffic. Therefore BR-V will be a better option over the Renault Lodgy.

Could Honda BR-V change the entry-level MPV segment?

The Honda BR-V now has added new features to its list and also comes with a top-notch safety package. It looks quite aggressive compared to its rivals and offers a comfortable ride. It also offers adequate cabin space and good handling too.

The BR-V does not bring anything groundbreaking to the table but Honda has given it a lot of arsenals to take on its rivals. It tries to offer everything a customer is looking for in this segment. The BR-V then clubs in good looks with practicality and is a car worth considering if you are looking for an affordable 7-seater.