Honda Brio is ready to rule the sales charts. At least that seems to be the notion behind Honda’s new creation. It is the cheapest car from the company in India. It will be cheaper than the Honda Jazz. The small car is pitted against the likes of the Maruti Swift.
It looks a generation above than the present lot. The curves are a never seen before, the car has a stance to reckon with. Over all it is a sporty and compact car giving it an appealing nature.
Compared to the other compact cars it is smaller in size. This could possibly be a cause of concern which makes the car look below par its class. The most striking feature of the car is the entire packaging it comes in. It has a 1.2 litre motor, the dashboard is not very deep and most of the focus seems to have gone on the making the best space utilization.
As a compact car it has hit all the right nodes in the fuel, performance and stability department. The car is ultra low weight with just 925 kgs. The strength is bolstered with high quality steel and reinforcements at vulnerable areas. The suspension takes the entire load and is springy and lively even at the worst stretch of roads.
The engine is same as the Honda Jazz and delivers up to 88bhp. The interiors are not up to the likes of the Jazz or the Vista, but it does surprise you to an extent when compared to its compact exteriors. The back seats are comfortable as well. It has good arm and leg space for the occupants. In fact a person of even six feet height can easily sit at the back in this compact car.
It is a compact car but not a cheap car. It is not embedded with jewels of higher end cars but at the same time it is not stuffed with low cost materials to save costs. When compared to the low cost materials available in the Toyota Etios Liva the Honda Brio does not come with the same cheap feel to it.
The actual cost savings comes in the form of no adjustable driver’s seat, lack of parcel tray at the back, no music player options, no rear demister, which does pinch you a bit. The boot is also on the smaller side but Honda has done enough for the maximum utilization of its luggage area.
The gear transmission as usual needs no introduction from Honda. The engine too is also smooth and nice for a decent run around but it wrangles at higher engine speeds.
Verdict: In short it is spacious for a compact car. Does not look cheap for a compact car, pretty comfortable with good looks, decent engine and a good fuel economy it has all the right nodes to become a successful compact car. The Honda Brio does look worth its price at Rs 4.3 lakh making it a value for money.
