In case you missed it, Honda Cars Philippines (HCPI) just launched the all-new BR-V in our market. It sure did take its sweet time getting here, but what’s important is it’s finally arrived.
Prior to the launch, Top Gear Philippines was invited for a sneak peek at the subcompact SUV. Our very own Niky Tamayo was able to take the next-generation model out for a spin at HCPI’s facility in Laguna to see if it’s ready to take on other heavy-hitting seven-seaters in its segment.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
Say hello to the 2023 Toyota Innova
Nissan Silvia looking ready to pull up at a car meet gets pulled over by the MMDA instead
The BR-V is actually an interesting proposition even when you compare it with its staunch rivals. At the bottom of the range, you have the P1.09 million manual variant with its decent 1.5-liter naturally-aspirated gasoline engine churning out 119hp and 145Nm of torque. On the other end of the spectrum, you get the same powertrain but this time mated to a CVT and with Honda Sensing safety features added to the overall package. All these come at a bigger P1.39 million price tag, though.
Of course, competitive pricing isn’t all there is to it. How does it actually feel behind the wheel? We’ll—no pun intended—let Mr. Tamayo talk to you about that. You can click on the embedded video above to see what he thinks of the all-new model.