Honda Brio, the latest entrant from Honda is a hatchback car which holds many prospective buyers’ strong interest. We have seen it all in the Honda sedans; how beautifully they perform. So the expectations attached with the hatchback, Brio is not surprising at all.
The car is beautifully designed and this Avant-garde presentation by Honda is pleasantly welcomed by one and all. Available in some really enticing shades Brio is all set to give a run for money to many automobile companies going strong in the hatchback segment. So without wasting much time let’s hop on to the forthcoming sections having detailed Honda Brio review.
Engine and technical specifications
This is the most interesting section of a Honda car given its history of great engines in all its cars. The Honda Brio is given a 1.2 litre i-VTEC engine with 1198 cc displacement. The four cylinders in-line engine runs on petrol and produces 88 bhp at 6000 rpm. It gives 11.11 kgm torque at 4600 rpm, apt according to the displacement of the engine.
The transmission type is front wheel drive with 5 speed manual gearbox. With a wheelbase of 2345mm, the ground clearance given by Brio is 150mm. weighing just 925 kgs, Brio comes out to be a lightweight easy car. The front suspension is independent Mac Pherson strut type with the rear one as non-independent torsion beam axle type.
The steering wheel is electric powered and the brakes are ventilated discs at the front and drum type at the rear. You can expect ABS but only in the higher variants. The overall dimensions of the car are 3610 length, 1680mm width and 1500mm height. Yes it’s a very compact car, great for city roads.
Exterior design
Honda cars are known to have a beautiful exterior and Brio is no different. This hatchback has been given a very modern and futuristic look. The car looks compact but aggressive at the same time, such is its stance. Just at having one look at the car you would feel the urge to drive and play around with it as it has got a very sporty exterior.
The headlamps are sharp and edgy adding to the smart look of the car. As everything starts looking perfect to you and you move on to the rear and see the glass rear of the car. Now we wonder if Honda has gone a little overboard with its futuristic look. The passengers and driver might feel unsafe with its only glass rear and no solid hard-core body there. Another thing to lookout for is its absence of a rear wiper. The tail lamps also are a little disappointing because of its tiny size. The Brio is too small for a highway drive which actually is a little disappointing. But it’s the compact design of the car that will help you slither through heavy traffic or make your way through narrow lanes of the city.
Interior
Coming to the inside of the car, expect finesse from Honda as it does in all its cars. The interior looks beautiful. The centre console, dashboard and the whole cabin has been done up in a decent and nice manner. On entering the cabin you would feel the lack of good headroom but don’t go on its compact design from the exterior, the cabin has decent space in it.
There is good legroom at the rear and the front too. Another good thing about the Brio is that its cabin is high enough for you to get inside or come out of the cabin easily. So it will not be a problem for elderly people to sit inside or come out of it, unlike some other cars of the hatchback section, like the Ford Figo. The steering wheel looks cute and the chrome finish on the air conditioner vents give the cabin a beautiful look. There is no problem with the storage too inside the cabin. Coming down to the boot space, yes it’s not the best among other hatchback cars. Speaking of the safety features, they haven’t been compromised on. There is the i-SRS airbag which will ensure your safety inside the car.
Performance
The Honda Brio is the best performing car in its segment. The car zooms from 0-100 kilometres per hour under 13 seconds! The gearshift works accurately and the engine is super smooth! The ECO indicator for indicating you to drive in an economical manner is given in the car. The company claims a fuel economy of 18 kmpl which is very good.
The pros
- Smooth engine
- Good safety features
- Good fuel economy
- Affordable price
The cons
- Too small for highways
- Only glass rear
- A little lesser headroom
The verdict
The Honda Brio has got all what it takes to leave behind all the other hatchbacks in the Indian market and become the favourite of any hatchback lover. With almost ignorable cons, Brio has uncountable pros. If you’re planning to buy a sporty fun hatchback, we highly recommend you the all new Honda Brio!
