The local multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) segment is one of the most competitive categories on the market today.
It’s not difficult to see why Filipino car buyers are drawn to models under the said category as they combine the spaciousness of sport utility vehicles (SUV) and the ride comfort of sedans, making them ideal for those looking for a family carrier.
Two of today’s hottest rides in the said division come in the form of the Honda BR-V and the Toyota Veloz. Join us to find out which of the two best suits your budget and your motoring needs.
The Honda BR-V measures 4,490 millimeters (mm) long, 1,780mm wide, and 1,658mm tall. It has a wheelbase of 2,700mm and a minimum ground clearance of 207mm.
Meanwhile, the Toyota Veloz has an overall length of 4,475mm, an overall width of 1,775mm, and an overall height of 1,700mm. It has a wheelbase of 2,750mm and a ground clearance of 190mm.
The Honda BR-V boasts a front end bedecked with full LED headlights, LED daytime running lights (DRL), side turn signal lights, and LED fog lights. It also has a black or gloss black grille, complemented by a black or silver bumper skid garnish, depending on the variant.
To the sides of the Honda BR-V are chrome or body-colored door handles, power-folding body-colored side mirrors, and a set of 16-inch steelies or 17-inch alloy wheels. From this angle, the roof rails of the BR-V can also be seen.
At the rear of the Honda BR-V is a tailgate spoiler, a pair of taillamps, a high-mount stop lamp, and a single exhaust pipe.
On the other hand, the Toyota Veloz wears a black gaping grill flanked by split-type LED headlamps and clearance lamps. It also gets a silver front bumper, which complements the similarly-hued accent on the housing of its front fog lamps.
The side profile of the Toyota Veloz features power side mirrors with integrated turn signals and welcome lamps. Blacked-out overfenders accentuate the MPV’s 17-inch alloy wheels. And pretty much like the aforementioned Honda BR-V, the roof rails of the Veloz can also be seen from this angle.
The rear of the Toyota Veloz sport LED combination lamps, a backdoor garnish with LED line guide, a rear spoiler, and a single tailpipe.
Overall both vehicles are neck and neck in this round. That said, we’ll call it a tie.
Inside, the range-topping variant of the Honda BR-V comes with leather seats, a leather-wrapped multi-functional steering wheel, and a shift knob finished in leather.
It also gets an instrument cluster with a 4.2-inch meter and a seven-inch touchscreen audio infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto.
Other notable interior appointments offered by the Honda BR-V include an automatic air conditioning system, accessory sockets in all three rows, and six speakers (four speakers plus two tweeters).
As for the Toyota Veloz, its top-of-the-line variant boasts seats covered in fabric and leather, a multi-functional leather steering wheel, and a shifter finished in the same premium hide.
It slightly edges over its rival with a seven-inch thin-film transistor instrument cluster and a nine-inch infotainment system, also with Apple Carplay and Android Auto.
The Toyota Veloz also comes with a wireless smartphone charger, four accessory outlets, and six speakers.
Toyota did an impressive job in equipping this MPV with better interior amenities. On that note, we give this round to the Veloz.
Powering the Honda BR-V is a 1.5-liter gasoline engine mated to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). This setup is responsible for endowing the BR-V with 119 horsepower (hp) and 145 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque.
Not to be outdone, Toyota slapped a 1.5-liter powerplant into the Veloz and paired it with a CVT. performance-wise, it makes 104hp and 1387Nm of pulling power.
With a more powerful mill, this round goes to Honda’s MPV.
To keep its occupants safe, the Honda BR-V relies on standard safety features like an anti-lock brake system (ABS), electronic brake-force distribution, vehicle stability assist, hill start assist, a reverse camera (with guide lines), and an emergency stop signal.
The top-tier model also benefits from the brand’s Honda Sensing suite of safety features, which adds adaptive cruise control, auto high beam (AHB), lead car departure notification, a collision mitigation braking system, a lane keeping assist system, road departure mitigation, and lane departure warning.
As for the Toyota Veloz, it does come with a similar set of safety features such as ABS, vehicle stability control, hill-start assist control, a back sonar, a rear camera, and a high-mount stop lamp.
Those opting for the highest trim level can expect extra safety features in the form of the Toyota Safety Sense, which adds a pre-collision system, AHB, and lane departure alert. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are also included.
With virtually identical safety features, we will have to call this round another tie.
Honda BR-V
BR-V S (MT) – P1.09 million
BR-V S (CVT) – P1.15 million
BR-V V (CVT) – P1.295 million
BR-V VX (CVT) – P1.39 million
Toyota Veloz
Veloz G – P1.21 million
Veloz V – P1.265 million
The Honda BR-V and the Toyota Veloz prove their caliber in this three-row tussle. However, this battle appears to have ended in a stalemate as both vehicles show they are equal in almost every round.
On that note, the choice of picking one of the other boils down to personal preference.
Photos from Ruben Manahan IV, Juan Paulo Papa, Honda, and Toyota
Also read:
Honda Cars PH officially brings in 2nd-gen BR-V
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