Honda BR-V Active Sport Crossover Preview – 2015 Thailand International Motor Expo

By Steve & Tamami Laser

The production version of Honda’s new Asian market BR-V has been introduced at the 2015 Thailand International Motor Expo in Bangkok. As expected, the new model looks similar to the BR-V concept revealed in August at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show.

MTX2015_011Honda’s new BR-V, dubbed an active sport crossover vehicle, is being exhibited under the concept “Ignite Your Drive” at the Thailand show, which runs from December 2 through 13.

MTX2015_001The BR-V looks sporty with styling cues including a large chrome grille, dropped beltline, projector headlights with LED positioning lights, LED taillights in a C-shape design, and 16-inch alloy wheels.

Honda says BR-V is powered by a 1.5-liter SOHC, 4-cylinder, 16-valve i-VTEC engine that delivers 117 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and maximum torque of 146 N-m at 4,700 rpm. A new Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) developed under Honda’s “Earth Dreams Technology” is said to deliver “powerful driving performance and fuel efficiency.”

MTX2015_004The interior offers two seating styles: seven seats in three rows with multi-adjustable functions, and five seats in a two-row configuration with large utility space. It’s equipped with automatic air conditioning and rear-passenger air vents between front and second rows to help distribute airflow throughout the cabin.

MTX2015_008Standard safety systems for BR-V include dual SRS airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), and Hill Start Assist (HAS).

Honda says that to provide products that respond to the needs of customers around the world, it has been focusing on strengthening R&D in each region to create more self-reliant operations. Based on its capability to develop regional models, Honda R&D Asia Pacific Co., Ltd. (HRAP) in Thailand developed the new BR-V for the Asian market as its third production model.

BRV1It appears that BR-V is based on the Honda Mobilio, also developed by HRAP. The Mobilio (not related to the Japanese market Mobilio) is a seven-passenger MPV that’s already on sale in the Asian region.

Could the BR-V come to America? We don’t think there’s room for this model since Honda already has its bases covered here with the Pilot, CR-V and HR-V. However, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to add a third row to the CR-V, if needed, to compete with the likes of the seven-passenger Nissan Rogue plus an upcoming new entry from Subaru.

News source and photos courtesy of Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Asian Honda Motor Co., Ltd., and Thailand Motor Expo

Story (commentary) © 2015 CarNichiWa.com