The Honda BR-V is a compactcrossoverSUV which has been manufactured by Honda since 2016. The car shares its platform with the second generation Mobilio, which is based on the lengthened Brio platform. The BR-V sits below the HR-V and is sold in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, Brunei, the Philippines and Thailand. The abbreviation BR-V stands for Bold Runabout Vehicle.
Development
On 20 August 2015, the BR-V prototype was unveiled at the 23rdGaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show. It is the third automobile model that was developed by Honda R&D Asia Pacific Co., Ltd. in Thailand after the Amaze and Mobilio. According to Tomoki Uchida, director of Honda Prospect Motor in Indonesia, the BR-V would serve as an answer to rising customer demands and needs for an inexpensive SUV that rides high, has a sleek design and is capable to load 7 passengers at one trip. As BR-V is targeted particularly for the Asian market, mass production will take place at several plants with different commencement date.
Engines
The BR-V available with either a 1.5 L L15Z1i-VTECfour-cylinderpetrol engine that produces at 6,600 rpm and of torque at 4,600 rpm, or a 1.5 L N15AEarth Dreams i-DTEC four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine that produces at 3,600 rpm and of torque at 1,750 rpm.
Markets
India
The BR-V was launched in India in an official event in Kolkata on 5 May 2016. Four trim levels were available: E, S, V and VX. All trim are available with either a petrol or diesel engine paired with a manual transmission. Only the petrol-powered V trim can be had with a continuous variable transmission. It was discontinued in 2020 due to declining sales and implementation of BS6 emission standards from April 2020.
Indonesia
The BR-V went on sale in Indonesia on 23 January 2016 and is available in 3 trim levels:
The BR-V was launched in Malaysia on 5 January 2017. The Malaysian version comes with added NVH reduction features compared to those sold in neighboring countries. By early March 2017, bookings up to 8,500 units were received for the Honda BR-V in Malaysia, making it one of the top selling cars for Honda in Malaysia and resulting in an extended waiting time for the car. Almost 12,000 units of BR-V were sold within the first six months after launch. All variant/trim come standard with Electric Power Steering, Hill Start Assist, Anti-lock Braking System, Vehicle Stability Assist, Isofix and reverse camera with parking sensors. In Malaysia, the BR-V is offered in E, V and SE trim levels and powered by 1.5L SOHC i-VTEC engine paired with Continuous Variable Transmission.
Pakistan
The BR-V was opened for booking in Pakistan in February 2017 and officially launched on 21 April 2017. Honda Atlas offered the vehicle in three different variants/trim levels:
i-VTEC MT
i-VTEC
i-VTEC S
The i-VTEC MT variant was launched on 1 April 2018.
The BR-V was launched into the South African market in October 2016 with either manual transmission or CVT options in several trim levels:
Trend Manual
Comfort Manual
Comfort CVT
Elegance Manual
Elegance CVT
South African models get paddle shifters on the CVT models. The lineup doesn't include EBD on any models. Both daytime running lamps and reverse parking sensors are absent and neither are offered as an optional factory option.
Thailand
Initially previewed at the 2015 Thailand International Motor Expo, the BR-V was launched in Thailand on the 28 January 2016 with two variants available: V and SV. The V only came with two rows of seats allowing for a seating capacity of 5 while the SV variant came with three rows of seats allowing for a seating capacity of 7.
The BR-V received a facelift that includes redesigned front and rear fascia. This facelift was first launched at the 27th Indonesia International Motor Show on 25 April 2019. On 5 November 2019, for the Mexican market, this facelift entered the market just after being sold for a year.
