REVIEW | New Honda BR-V improves in all areas except one

An affordable seven-seater multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) is an alluring proposition for many South African consumers.    

For family-orientated buyers, it represents the ideal lifestyle solution. For the business-minded, such a format offers income potential, or versatility in day-to-day operations where a mix between people-moving and cargo-hauling is required.    

Options include the Suzuki Ertiga, a competent choice, or the Toyota Rumion, its identical twin. Renault offers the Triber, which is keenly-priced, but feels as rickety as a wheelbarrow.    

Honda has always had a good thing in the Mobilio, which became the BR-V during its evolution, in ne with the crossover and sport utility vehicle offerings of the brand.    

Now there is a new BR-V in town and it is praiseworthy in just about every regard, except the engine department. We will get to that later.     

First, allow us to talk about what we liked about the practical Honda. The MPV format does not allow designers much leeway, limited by a tall, upright template. The stylists at Honda have managed to create a confident, assured evolution of the old BR-V, something that looks steady on its feet.    

Getting behind the wheel of our range-topping Elegance tester, my first impression was one of improved quality. This is thanks to plusher materials. Synthetic leather upholstery for the seats, steering wheel and other panels boast a convincing look and feel.

The seven-inch infotainment system looks slightly out of date, but gets the job done, supporting Android Auto and Apple Car Play. Heatwave conditions allowed for a true test of air-conditioner efficacy. It works properly, let me assure you.    

Also novel to note is the inclusion of the Honda Sensing suite of features. This comprises adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, as well as a lane-watch camera for the left side, activated by a switch on the indicator stalk. It is a useful feature that brings an added level of assurance in freeway conditions.    

On the safety front, anti-lock brakes, ISOFIX mountings, vehicle stability control and dual front and side airbags feature across the board. The Comfort and Elegance gain curtain airbags too.    

Honda claims extensive work has been performed under the skin. More liberal use of high tensile steel, stronger engine mountings and additional insulation material has been employed.    

You can certainly feel the benefit of those refinements, in comparison to the old vehicle. It feels confident around town or on the freeway. But what sullies the lustre of the product overall is a lack of grunt, amplified by the standard continuously-variable transmission (CVT) fitted to the Elegance.    

Under the hood is a 1.5-litre, normally-aspirated petrol engine with four cylinders. A proven and familiar engine. Output is 89kW and 145Nm. Driving through the uphill sections of my suburb, the Honda droned painfully, as the CVT allowed the motor to wind-up, extracting every bit of claimed torque. Imagine the same task but with every seat filled and a Thule box on the roof, loaded with luggage. Their stated consumption figure is 6.3l/100m. My average during the week was 7.4l/100km.   

Perhaps the manual version would bring a somewhat more effusive character to proceedings. Either way, that power deficit is going to make itself known.    

At R459,900, the Elegance prompts a knee-jerk response as being expensive. Granted, it is reasonably well equipped. But if you are buying a seven-seater for no-frills, practical application, you might be happy ditching some of the niceties and going with the base Trend manual at R379,900.