Newly suited, seven-seat Honda BR-V priced

Honda South Africa remains committed to bringing travel solutions to South Africans and have decided to bring the all-new second generation BR-V to market.

While still representing strong value for money, the model has seen some improvements in exterior design, standard features, technology and increased interior space.

The range now offers three specification levels; Trend, Comfort and Elegance, one engine option and two transmissions; a six-speed manual or a CVT.

Now touted as a seven-seat SUV, in terms of styling, you will still be hard pressed to not see the BR-V as a people moving

But this 2022 offering does bring a new grille, new LED daytime running lights and headlamps, while the same treatment applies at the rear that also sports LED for the rear taillight cluster.

The interior of the BR-V is said to be uncluttered and the use of quality materials and finishes throughout the cabin are employed to underline its minimalistic yet stylish appeal. The fascia showcases Honda’s latest design philosophy which is being rolled out across all its latest models.

Fabric seats are standard on all but the Elegance model, while the synthetic leather upholstery and leather-like materials have been employed on the armrests, door panels, and dashboard.

Carrying human cargo is about space, and the increase in the exterior dimensions of the BR-V has upped leg and shoulder room for those in the second and third-rows. The rear-most seats now have a 50/50 split and the second row a 60/40 split.

As is an absolute requirement in today’s smartphone hungry world, all three rows in the top-of-the-range Elegance offer power outlets to facilitate the charging of these devices. Air-conditioning vents are however provided for those seated in the second and third rows.

The touchscreen infotainment system, measuring seven-inches, has also been upgraded and aside from being standard on all models, boasts Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and in the case of the Comfort and Elegance, the display for the reverse camera.

The chassis system and body of the BR-V have also been re-engineered with significant enhancements to the suspension, brakes and steering. And in terms of the powertrain, the familiar 1.5-litre naturally aspirated unit that offers 89 kW of power and 145 Nm of torque does duty underneath the bonnet.

While likely to suffice at the coast, I have no doubt that up on the Reef, progress will not be a rapid affair, especially with a good helping of luggage on-board. This is not a dig at the BR-V, it is just simply physics, moving lots of weight takes lots of power.

The Trend is only available with a six-speed manual gearbox, while the Comfort has the option of it or the mentioned CVT.

The Elegance is available exclusively with the CVT, which is not my favourite choice in the world, but the good news is that the claimed fuel consumption numbers come in at 6.8 L/100 km for the manual shifters and 6.3 L/100 km for self-shifters.

The BR-V features a decent level of safety features, but it must be noted that the majority is reserved for the Elegance only. Collectively known as Honda Sensing, these include:

• Collision Mitigation Braking;
• Adaptive Cruise Control;
• Lane Keeping Assist System;
• Road Departure Mitigation;
• Auto High Beam Assist;
• LaneWatch Camera;
• Forward Collision Warning

The entire range gets ABS with EBD and Vehicle Stability Assist as standard, with six airbags featuring on the Comfort and Elegance as opposed to the dual front only cushions on the Trend.

Price

Included with each BR-V’s sticker price is a five-year/200 000 km warranty and in the case of the Comfort and Elegance, four-year/60 000 km service plan as well.

• BR-V 1.5 Trend – R379 900
• BR-V 1.5 Comfort – R409 900
• BR-V 1.5 Comfort CVT – R434 900
• BR-V 1.5 Elegance CVT – R459 900