New Honda BR-V launched in South Africa – Pricing and features

Honda has launched the new BR-V in South Africa which combines the looks of an SUV with the space and utility offered by an MPV, said the company.

The new Honda receives a complete interior and exterior redesign, a full suite of advanced driver assist systems, and updated underpinnings.

The BR-V is now available at a starting price of R379,900 in three individual trim levels – Trend, Comfort, and Elegance.

Standard features

The new BR-V boasts a generational redesign in the form of a stylish new grille and all-round LED lights with daytime running lights, and its footprint is now 35mm longer and 45mm wider than its predecessor, translating to more interior space for the three rows of seats.

Roof rails are also equipped as standard, as are alloy wheels measuring 16 inches on the Trend and Comfort and 17 inches on the top-end Elegance.

In the features department, the second-generation BR-V range gets a 7-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a height-adjustable driver seat, manual airconditioning with rear-seat vents, hill start assist, vehicle stability assist, power outlets for all three rows, and four airbags.

The armrests, door panels, and dashboard are also wrapped in a “leather-like material” to create a more upmarket feel than before, said Honda.

One step up from the Trend, the Comfort gains a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, keyless entry and start, front armrests, foglights, and two additional airbags as standard.

On the flagship Elegance, buyers can further expect a 4.2-inch multi-information driver’s display, automatic headlight operation, synthetic leather upholstery, walk-away auto locking, two more speakers for a total of six, and the Honda Sensing driver assistance package.

The latter includes adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, road departure mitigation, and a forward collision warning system.

In terms of luggage space, the MPV offers 244 litres with all seven seats erected, 691 litres in five-seater mode, and 1,164 litres with only the front seats up.

Power

Powering the new BR-V line-up is a 1.5-litre, naturally-aspirated petrol motor with 89kW and 145Nm on tap.

Depending on the model, the power unit mates with a six-speed manual or CVT gearbox, returning combined fuel consumption figures of between 6.3-6.8l/100km.

With its 42-litre tank, this results in a maximum driving range of up to 618km for the manuals and 667km for the CVT.

Price

The South African pricing and model line-up for the new Honda BR-V are as follows:

• Honda BR-V 1.5 Trend – R379,900
• Honda BR-V 1.5 Comfort – R409,900
• Honda BR-V 1.5 Comfort Auto – R434,900
• Honda BR-V 1.5 Elegance Auto – R459,900

Each purchase is accompanied by a 5-year/200,000km warranty, a 4-year/60,000km service plan, and 3-year/unlimited kilometre AA roadside assistance.

Honda BR-V