With the sad news that Honda Cars Philippines Incorporated (HCPI) is shutting down its manufacturing plant in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Filipinos may have to bid there last farewells to two of the cars made there—the Honda City and Honda BR-V. Considering that the BR-V is one of the most well-appointed cars in its class for the price, its potential loss is arguably the graver of the two bad news.
The Honda BR-V, which stands for Bold Runabout Vehicle, is available locally in three different variants: 1.5 S CVT, 1.5 Prestige CVT, and 1.5 V CVT. The compact crossover has been around since late 2016, and has become one of the more recognizable nameplates in its class. If you’re looking for a reason to make a brand new Honda BR-V your next vehicle of choice, we give you six.
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Under the Honda BR-V hood lies a 1.5-liter SOHC i-VTEC 4-cylinder, 16-valve engine that outputs 118 hp and 145 Nm of torque. The engine’s impressive i-VTEC technology is further enhanced by the addition of Lift Electronic Control, which improves engine performance at low and partial throttle. The BR-V’s engine comes standard with an Earth Dreams Technology Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), which ensures smooth shifts while helping with fuel efficiency.
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The Honda BR-V may be labeled a ‘compact crossover,’ but it seats a total of seven people. With dimensions measuring 4,453 mm long, 1,735 mm wide, and 1,666 mm tall, plus a wheelbase of 2,662 mm, the BR-V boasts ample headroom, legroom and shoulder room in all three rows. Speaking of three rows, getting to the third one is a cinch thanks to 60:40 sliding and reclining seats in the second row as well as the 50:50 reclining function in the last row. And you also don’t have to worry about the comfort of the rearmost passengers, as they have their separate roof-mounted AC along with their own manual control.
The BR-V also has plenty of storage spaces to go around, with four bottle holders and five cup holders—more than enough for any day’s worth of travel. Meanwhile, the spacious boot space also allows you to carry more stuff, so this car makes a great choice for big Filipino families who frequently go on road trips.
Advanced tech features is the area where the Honda BR-V leaves its competitors in the dust, it’s almost unfair to compare. Some of the tech you’ll find in the BR-V can even be found in cars twice its price, such as an onboard navigation system (top-spec 1.5 V CVT variant only), luxury leather interiors, keyless entry, and a suite of safety systems including Vehicle Stability Assist, (VSA), Hill Start Assist (HSA), and more.
In addition to the leather-wrapped interiors, the BR-V also offers power-adjustable rearview mirrors with integrated turn indicators, power windows, the powered central locking, and the multi-view Reverse Camera with Guidelines combine to make the BR-V a truly enviable SUV to own. Of course, there’s more—the BR-V’s exceptional list of features include a 7-inch digital touch screen display, Apple Carplay, Android Auto and Bluetooth connectivity, two USB inputs, adjustable steering wheel, steering wheel mounted audio controls, paddle shifters, front and rear center armrests, automatic climate control system, and driver seat height adjuster, to name but a few.
The Honda BR-V available locally is a 2019 model. Honda actually trimmed down the BR-V’s number of variants from five in 2018 (1.5 V NAVI CVT, 1.5 S CVT, S Modulo CVT, V NAVI Modulo CVT, and 1.5 Touring CVT) to just three. Trim and pricing for the 2019 Honda BR-V models are as follows:
| Honda BR-V 1.5 S CVT | PHP 1,035,000 |
| Honda BR-V 1.5 Prestige CVT | PHP 1,075,000 |
| Honda BR-V 1.5 V CVT | PHP 1,155,000 |
Its top competitors in its category include the Mitsubishi Xpander, Toyota Rush and Kia Seltos. All of these are great cars in their own right, but while the Xpander and Rush may be cheaper, they lack the BR-V’s stylistic flair. And although the Seltos is similarly priced and packaged as the BR-V, Honda’s Earth Dreams engine and CVT system makes it cut above the rest.
With the closing of its local factory, the fate of the Honda BR-V in the Philippines is still uncertain. Though the car has multiple assembly plants around the world (India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Thailand), Honda may deem it not feasible enough to import the car here due to low demand. If you find yourself interested in snapping up this car, know that you could be buying one of the last brand new Honda BR-Vs to be sold locally.
If you want to learn more about the Honda BR-V and its existing promos, click on this link.
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