Honda Brio: Variants Explained

The all-new Honda Brio is the perfect example of having to end up with that chick you called ugly back in high school. The first-gen Brio wasn’t exactly a hot hatch, nor did it have the makings of one. It looked more like a cute Kei car rather than a small five-door hatchback. In fact, it reminded us more of that “baby shark” your nieces and nephews never get tired of singing about. Now bolder and sexier, the all-new second-gen face-lifted Honda Brio is taking the local automotive industry by storm with a suite of variants packed with looks and specs worthy of its pedigree, including two variants donning the RS badge. Honda Cars Philippines, Incorporated (HCPI) offers the Honda Brio in four trim levels; a 1.2 S MT, a 1.2 V CVT, plus two RS variants, the 1.2 RS CVT, and the 1.2 RS Black Top CVT. Compared to other compact hatches on the market, the all-new Brio may just be, hands down, the best-looking vehicle in the compact hatch segment. Across the board, all four trim levels are outfitted with multi-reflector halogen headlights, bulb-type tail lamps, front wipers intermittent with washer and non-intermittent rear wipers, as well as body-tone door handles and side mirrors. Here are other common features found on each variant.

• Tilt-Adjustable Steering Wheels
• Electric Power Steering System
• MacPherson Strut with Stabilizer Front Suspension
• Torsion Beam Rear Suspension
• Ventilated Front Disc Brakes
• Drum Rear Brakes

In terms of safety, the all-new Honda Brio is made using Honda’s G-Force Control Technology (G-CON), which enhances its impact absorption in the event of a collision. All four variants are also equipped with a standard loadout of airbags and seatbelts.

• Driver and Front Passenger Air Bags
• Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
• Immobilizer

Pop open the hood and you’ll be greeted with a familiar L12B i-VTEC engine found on German/Indian-spec Honda Jazz nameplate. Here’s a more detailed spec sheet of the Honda Brio’s engine configuration.

Honda Brio 1.2 S MT

While the Honda Brio 1.2 S MT sits at the bottom of Brio’s pool, it’s by no means an average hatchback. Outfitted with a chrome front grille with matching honeycomb swatches at the front, this second-gen Brio offers looks that will turn heads. The eye-catching front fascia is coupled with high-mount LED stop lamps with an LED parking light guide. At the back, you’ll find a rear bumper with black exterior lower garnish and a cute micro-type antenna sitting at the top rear. Inside the cabin, the base-level Honda Brio comes with a 1-DIN audio system with Bluetooth connectivity, audio streaming functionalities, and a USB port plus a 12V accessory socket. For its price, the Honda Brio 1.2 S MT offers decent exterior and interior features for a compact hatchback. Its price tag, 598,000.

Honda Brio 1.2 V CVT

Like its stick-shift counterpart, the Honda Brio 1.2 V CVT comes with the standard loadout exterior features found on the base MT variant including fender-mounted turn signal lights as well as body-tone mirrors and door handles. This upscale variant spices things up by adding a seven-inch capacitive touchscreen audio infotainment system with Bluetooth, audio streaming and USB port connectivity. Audio is delivered through four speakers strewn in its deceptively large cabin. Like the base variant, most of the amenities inside the Honda Brio 1.2 V CVT are found at the front leaving nothing but passenger seats and a set of bottle holders at the back. However, the door handles inside the Honda Brio 1.2 V CVT is lined with silver trims compared to the interior color-based inner door handles on the Honda Brio 1.2 S MT. Sold for 658,000, the Honda Brio 1.2 V CVT offers just the right bang for your buck.

Honda Brio 1.2 RS CVT

The Honda Brio 1.2 RS CVT shows you it’s a cut above the rest not only by donning the RS badge but also by offering a few minor upgrades from its standard-spec brethren. To begin with, both the RS variants boast a longer frame at 3,815 mm compared to the 3,800 mm frame of the non-RS trim levels. This translates to a larger cabin and surprisingly better handling. Also, the Honda Brio 1.2 RS CVT boasts a front grille in glossy black with an RS emblem. And if that’s not enough, the flank of the Honda Brio 1.2 RS CVT comes with matching RS side sill garnish with a matching RS rear bumper at the end. You’ll find the same seven-inch capacitive touchscreen audio infotainment system paired with four speakers and two tweeter speakers for better audio. The interior door handles match the interior shade of the cabin that offers a sporty orange accent. The Honda Brio 1.2 RS CVT is yours to take home at 730,000.

Honda Brio 1.2 RS Black Top CVT

The Honda Brio 1.2 RS Black Top CVT is what top-spec dreams are made of. Alongside the RS details bestowed on the Honda Brio 1.2 RS Black Top CVT both inside and out, it offers a blacked-out roof paired with a tailgate spoiler equipped with high mount stop lamps. A 15-inch RS alloy wheels give the Honda Brio 1.2 RS Black Top CVT the stance it deserves. Inside you’ll find RS badges at the instrument panel (that makes you want to go faster) with matching orange trims on the dash and orange stitching on the seats that by the way are comfortable to sit in. This sexy and steamy top-spec variant is locally sold for 735,000.   Also read: Honda PH's Brio, BR-V Post Stellar Figures in Eco-Run
BUYER'S GUIDE: 2019 Honda Brio