Honda showcased its BR-V crossover earlier this year in August at the Indonesia International Auto Show in Jakarta. At the inauguration of its first engine test bench facility in Indonesia last week, PT Honda Prospect Motor (HPM) had a BR-V on display, painted in ‘Urban Titanium’ (Modern Steel Metallic), giving us a glimpse of how the India bound crossover will look outdoors. The new facility is located in the West Java city of Karawang.
The BR-V crossover has been made specifically to cater to Asian markets, and will be introduced in the Indonesia first (early 2016), where it has already amassed 2,500 bookings. The BR-V is expected to be showcased at the upcoming 2016 Auto Expo in Delhi, followed by a launch in the subcontinent.
Based on the popular Brio/Amaze/Mobilio platform, the BR-V aims to blur the lines between a MPV and a SUV, with the functionality of the former packaged inside looks of the latter. Styled using Honda’s ‘XCITING H DESIGN!!!’ philosophy, the BR-V for Indonesia is powered by a 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine (120 bhp and 145 Nm), mated to either a new 6-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Alongside, India is expected to receive the familiar, 1.5-liter i-DTEC diesel engine (100 bhp and 200 Nm) doing duty on the the Jazz, Amaze and the City.
Other highlights include a chrome heavy grille, LED tail lamps, body cladding, 16-inch alloy wheels, spacious interiors, a multi-information display and dedicated A/C vents for second and third row seats. Active and passive safety features include dual front SRS airbags, ABS with EBD, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Hill Start Assist (HSA) and seats belts load limiters and pre-tensioners.
For the Indonesian market, the BR-V will be priced from 230 million to 265 million rupiah, which approximately translates to INR 10.8 – 12.5 lakh, about 10 percent higher than than prices of the Mobilo MPV in Indonesia.
