Honda Cars India, the fully owned subsidiary of Honda Motor Company of Japan stepped in the Indian market in the year 1995 and since then it has been playing hard in the sedan segment. Though it hasn’t launched many hatchbacks in the country but when it realized the growing small car market in India, it launched its second hatchback Brio after the much appreciated Jazz. When Honda Brio was launched, it instantly became the talk of the town and since then has been receiving great response from the general masses. The compact hatchback is molded in brave looks and encompasses advance features which make it a real interesting piece of machine.
Though available in only petrol trim, Honda Brio in India has some attention-grabbing specs under the hood. The small baby employs a powerful 1.2L I-VTEC 4-cylinder petrol engine based on VVT and Lift Electronic Control which help the car generates a sheer power of 88PS and 109Nm of peak torque. The engine comes mated with optional 5-speed manual or 5-speed torque converter automatic transmission gearbox. Although there are plenty of features that have made this small hatch a top priority but the excellent fuel economy has something that has grabbed the attention of the car lovers. The car in standard conditions can give up to 19kmpl of mileage certified by ARAI with automatic transmission variant lagging a little bit in the department. Honda Brio faces dominant players like Hyundai i10 and Maruti Swift in the segment.
Exteriors possess some futuristic design elements in the car especially molded for the young blood in India. Front fa§ade looks truly elegant with drop shaped headlamps and chrome studded grille featuring company badge the center. Rear of the car is fitted aptly with glass-tail gate and crystal clear tail lamps.
Interiors of the car are an example of excellent craftsmanship with cabin having enough space to absorb four occupants with ease. The seats are beautifully designed while the dashboard has integrated up-to-date stereo system with USB support. Safety of the occupants is ensured with airbags, ABS with EBD.
In several road test reports, the car has given mostly positive feedback, thanks to the smooth suspension and lightweight body that makes ride comfortable. Although the car can be tagged as perfect city car but it also holds some negative reviews like cramped interiors and lack of diesel variant. But recent news reports suggest it could get a diesel variant very soon.