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BOLD BR-V BIG ON SPACE! Honda’s family crossover

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Honda’s BR-V is ready to battle it out with the Suzuki Vitara and Ford EcoSport in the crossover segment.
Honda’s BR-V is ready to battle it out with the Suzuki Vitara and Ford EcoSport in the crossover segment.

What has space for seven people, is luxurious, has decent build quality, is reliable and costs below R300 000?

The answer is the new Honda BR-V, which we just road tested in the top-of-the-line Elegance version.

Honda launched the BR-V here in October and although the carmaker calls it a crossover vehicle, it is just a beefed-up station wagon. However, this isn’t bad as the BR-V is unlike anything else in its market. It is more spacious, and its biggest selling point is that it can offer seating for up to seven passengers!

The convenience of the folding middle and rear seating rows also provides great usefulness, allowing BR-V owners to re-arrange the vehicle interior in different ways, depending on the seating capacity and luggage space required. Therefore, if you don’t need the third rows of seats, they fold away to increase boot space.

Just because the BR-V is a station wagon in disguise doesn’t mean it is bland. Honda gave it a bold appearance that is raised off the ground with the rugged appeal expected of an SUV.

Distinctive design elements include front and rear bumper, and roof rails, while the striking front grille and chromed cross bar catch the eye too.

Our test car was well-equipped with luxury features such as leather seats, climate control and remote keyless entry. The four-speaker sound system has USB and Bluetooth connections as standard, which also link to smartphones.

As a family vehicle, the BR-V is a safe choice too with all the must-have safety items such as ABS and multiple airbags as well as a number of other features to improve peace of mind.

Under the bonnet is Honda’s tried and tested 1,5-litre petrol engine that is fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox, which does a decent job of powering the BR-V.

It’s a really comfortable vehicle and has good road manners too, while its raised suspension improves stability over rougher driving surfaces.

While the engine does feel lively, and is a bit noisy at times, it’s a good match for the BR-V since it pushes the vehicle without straining. However, when the car is fully loaded with six people, the performance is reduced and you must work the gears a bit to keep things running and driving smoothly.

Honda claimed it has an average fuel consumption of 6,3-litres every 100km but during our road test, it averaged around 7,0-litres every 100km and it will be thirstier if heavily loaded.

Like most Hondas, the BR-V is difficult to fault and it is actually a very sensible choice as a family vehicle. Though the Elegance model is impressive, the entry-level Trend version is probably a more sensible buy as it is almost R40 000 cheaper than the expensive Elegance.

FACTBOX

Model: Honda BR-V Elegance

Price: R272 900

Engine: 1,5-litre petrol

Power: 88kW @ 6 000r/min

Torque: 145Nm @ 4 600r/min

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