Rediscovering Bataan with the refreshed Honda BR-V
The small to large SUV category is a very active segment in the Philippine automotive market. Large families, poor road conditions, and the need to transport bulky luggage all beg for larger passenger and trunk capacity — within the boundaries of what most Filipinos can afford to buy and maintain.
Enter the Honda BR-V—the brand’s affordable, 7-seat SUV that has become so successful that it now enjoys local production in the Philippines to further ensure that its price tag always remains in that sweet spot. The BR-V further entices customers with the premise that there is no waiting time upon its purchase. Thus, its carefully crafted characteristics, price tag, and immediate availability continue to make the BR-V Honda’s second bestselling model in the Philippines.
To keep things current and exciting, HCPI launched last June the new, refreshed BR-V, which now features updated styling cues and feature upgrades. The new BR-V is now even bolder and more masculine – featuring improved NVH and additional tech. All these qualities and add-ons were incorporated to further enhance the BR-V’s SUV image – and they’ve indeed achieved such, with the vehicle’s new front bumper, new chrome front grille and redesigned rear bumper, for starters.
Aside from the immediately noticeable change in the front fascia, the new BR-V now also flaunts new 16-inch alloy wheels – gifting the car with a more commanding stance. Among the other new bells are a new shark fin antenna and LED daytime running lights in the 1.5V variant, not to mention new, red leather accents on the car’s door armrests. These red accents extend beyond the armrests in the V variant, while red trimmings are also positioned within the steering wheel and on top of the shift knob to exude a more upscale and sportier vibe.
Powering the 1.5V and 1.5S BRV variants is Honda’s tried and tested 1.5-liter SOHC i-VTEC engine that spits out 120ps at 6,600 rpm and 145Nm of torque at 4,600 rpm. Both variants use Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology CVT. The higher-end V variant adds paddle shifters for drivers who want more driving control.
Our drive – which took off from Bonifacio Global City through EDSA northbound in morning rush-hour traffic, and into NLEX and straight through SCTEX – was a great opportunity to experience the new BR-V’s improved NVH and riding comfort. The congested roads were also good testing grounds for the car’s fuel efficiency, which did not disappoint – first, thanks to it being a Honda vehicle; and next, making it more enticing to drive efficiently with the car’s ecocoaching light.
The BRV offered an unmistakably comfortable ride, gifting the driver with Honda’s consistently good car maneuverability and driving dynamics; and the passengers with sufficient head and legroom to keep everyone comfortable enough to fall asleep while the driver battles through typical traffic.
For those who value on-road entertainment, the refreshed BR-V now features a 7-inch touchscreen on both variants; with the conveniences of Apple Carplay and Android Auto already installed in the V variant. And for those who would rather stare out and appreciate the scenic vistas, the BR-V has delightfully large windows.
Having taken a longer, and more challenging (but also more fun to drive) route towards Anvaya Cove, our drive also proved to be an excellent opportunity to test the car’s versatility. Having 201mm of ground clearance (and despite being front-wheel drive), our press convoy had the guts to traverse an off-road area where the roads were still being constructed. Couple all that soil from a heavy downpour, and you have some soft and slippery patches of mud – which our BRVs impressively managed to drive through.
Typical of Honda Philippines’ test drive activities, the entire day’s journey entailed us to drive the cars through various road conditions. The BR-V proved to be a comfortable highway cruiser that was likewise enjoyable to drive through winding mountain roads – capable of taking zig-zags and corners at speed with confidence, thanks to its array of safety and driving enhancement tech.
The BR-V earned a 5-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating in the Adult Occupancy Protection (AOP) category, thanks to the combination of its active and passive safety features. Among them are Vehicle Stability Assist, which restricts skidding during spirited cornering; Hill Start Assist, which prevents the car from rolling backwards when moving uphill; and the standard ABS with EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution).
Also included in the parade of the BRV’s safety features are its G-CON (G-Force Control) Collision Safety body, which basically dissipates the G-forces away from the vehicle’s occupants in a collision; and the standard driver and front passenger airbags. ISO-FIX anchors for latching on child seats are also part of the package. And if you’d like to count it in as an extra safety feature or simple convenience, the refreshed BR-V comes with a new, reverse camera (with guide lines) available in both variants.
The new BR-V 1.5V CVT is competitively priced at P1,155,000, while the 1.5S CVT can be had for P1,035,000. New colors are Platinum White Pearl (for an extra P20,000) and Passion Red Pearl. Both new colors are available for the 1.5V variant only.