Under the hood of the car we drove was the 1.5-litre in-line four-cylinder i-VTEC petrol engine making 119 PS and 145 Nm, paired to a CVT automatic transmission driving the front wheels, just as in the Honda City CVT we have on sale. It sure is punchy, but the CVT box makes it more of a city convenience than a driver’s car. The manual should be much better from tht aspect.
The seating is higher than the Mobilio and that helps the crossover feel. The steering response too is quite good and makes turning easy, even at speed. Handling is competent and gives enough confidence. The BR-V i-VTEC CVT we drove is in fact the Indonesian-spec model. Coming to the Indian spec, we can expect the same variant structure we’re familiar with, and, of course, the 1.5-litre i-DTEC turbo-diesel motor as well.
The BR-V should be priced in the Rs 10-15 lakh bracket when launched next year, and will target the Hyundai Creta, Maruti Suzuki S-Cross and the Renault Duster. An Auto Expo unveil seems imminent but isn’t confirmed.
| Need to Know: Honda BR-V i-VTEC | |
| Engine: 1.5-litre, four cylinder, petrol | 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, in-line, i-VTEC |
| Maximum Power: 119 PS | 119 PS |
| Maximum Torque: 145 Nm | 145 Nm |
| Transmission: CVT Automatic | CVT |
