Honda has had a mainstay hatchback in the local market for a while now in the Jazz, but it doesn’t quite stack up fairly against the likes of the Toyota Wigo or the Mitsubishi Mirage. What’ll look to be a perfect match against these two little city cars is Honda’s smaller hatchback offering: the Brio.
Honda’s quirky little vehicle was first introduced in the Philippines back in 2014. Earlier this year, we finally got to see a redesign of this interesting piece from the Japanese carmaker.
It’s still no luxury vehicle that will drop jaws, of course, but it’s a perfect match for potential car buyers looking for a practical, easy-to-use daily driver in the metro. If you want to learn more about the all-new Honda Brio, here’s everything you need to know about it.
Exterior
The new-look Brio gets a sportier, stronger design than before. You’ll be greeted by a more aggressive honeycomb grille up front with a look that’s reminiscent of the Mobilio’s. Step around the vehicle and you’ll see the biggest changes to this new hatch: the flat glass tailgate and the chrome taillights have been replaced with a more conventional design.
Size-wise, this hatch doesn’t deviate too far from the old one, but it’s slightly longer at 3,800mm by 1,680mm by 1,485mm. The 14-inch steel or 15-inch alloy wheels keep the Brio upright and 137mm off the ground. It’s also slightly heavier than its competitors, weighing in at 954kg.
The Brio also comes in a wide array of colors across all variants, including Carnival Yellow, Phoenix Orange Pearl, Rallye Red, Modern Steel Metallic, and Taffeta White. The highest-spec Brio also comes with a blacktop option, which looks quite neat in the metal.
Interior
As you would assume with a small vehicle at this price range, you won’t be able to find anything too plush on the inside. Fabric seats give a mediocre look, but they do provide comfortable cushioning. Lots of plastics can be seen all around the cabin, the steering wheel sees no changes from the old Brio’s tiller.
The 60mm length increase might not seem like much, but if you get to sit in this new model, you’ll find the legroom—specifically in the back—has significantly improved. There is also an abundance of cargo space at 258 liters with the rear seats up and 710 liters with the back row folded down. All that space can now be more easily utilized with a bigger rear opening and a lower cargo liftover height.
Engine and specs
The all-new Brio is powered by a 1.2-liter SOHC i-VTEC engine capable of 89hp and 110Nm. These figures are down from the previous 1.3-liter unit that maxes out at 99hp and 127Nm, but the non-manual versions of this Honda hatch are now equipped with a CVT instead of a conventional automatic transmission. If you’ve driven the old Brio and do end up trying out this one, there’s a good chance you won’t really feel much difference, especially at lower speeds.
Stopping power is taken care of by front disc and rear drum brakes. Handling and ride quality are supported by an independent MacPherson strut up front and a torsion beam in the back.
Extra features
You get a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system on this Brio and can enjoy a decent six-speaker setup. There’s no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay on this one, no—but not that it was expected in the first place.
Interestingly enough, it does get speed-sensing door locks. Not too shabby, especially when even some SUVs—not just budget hatches—lack this feature. Dual SRS airbags are fitted to the front, but that’s about it.
Prices and variants
Honda ramped up—albeit slightly—its prices at the start of July. Check out the updated price list of the 2019 Honda Brio below:
2019 Honda Brio
- Honda Brio 1.2 S M/T – P598,000
- Honda Brio 1.2 V CVT – P658,000
- Honda Brio 1.2 RS CVT – P737,000
- Honda Brio 1.2 RS Black Top CVT – P742,000
So there you have it—all the crucial details of the all-new Honda Brio. You can check out some more of our photos below.
