Then, out of the blue, I get a call at the office from the better-half, asking me why we have never thought of the BR-V.
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In 2016, we made the decision to move ahead from our much-loved Skoda Rapid MPI manual petrol. It was not that we were dissatisfied with this excellent vehicle. On the contrary, if we could have reconciled with the one grave defect in this otherwise splendid ride, we would not have had thoughts of a change. The one defect of the Rapid was the abysmally low ground-clearance. Truth be told, every time we went over a speed-hump or a bit of rough road, the scraping of the under body brought my heart to my mouth. It was almost as much agony to me as it must have been to the car.
So, having decided that we wanted to change, what choices did we have in the latter part of 2016; I was firm that we would get an SUV or a crossover, though the better-half had other ideas! I was finally able to convince her that an SUV was the way forward. So that was one battle I had won, though I knew that that victory would come at a price. However, having made this momentous decision, we narrowed down the choices to:
- Renault Duster.
- Mahindra Scorpio.
- Maruti Suzuki S-Cross.
- Nissan Terrano.
Of these, the Duster and the Terrano were written off because the wife didn’t like their shape! (I told you the earlier victory came at a price. I was pretty sold on the Terrano actually). Then we checked the Scorpio and it seemed that this would be our best choice. It ticked most of the boxes, so we decided that we would start the process. Then, out of the blue, I get a call at the office from the better-half, asking me why we have never thought of the BR-V. I said I knew about the CR-V but had no idea what a BR-V was; and she tells me she is driving behind one at the moment, and she likes it.
Well, I was savvy enough to realize that this was an order! So I contacted Honda and asked for a TD. Wonderfully obliging, they brought one over only two days later and, at first sight, I didn’t like the shape at all! But I was in the minority here; all three ladies in my little household loved it! And so, the day dawned and our “Titanium” Honda BR-V VX i-DTEC (diesel manual) arrived home.
Over the time I have had this vehicle, I have driven roughly 65k km and I have had an occasion to revise my opinion about it. As I said, originally I did not like the shape, and also I was not certain how difficult it would be to drive around in the city; Hyderabad city traffic is not very conducive to a long vehicle. But I need not have worried: although the wheel-base is long, the car is very compactly built and can maneuver through the city quite easily. A few days and I was comfortable, had got the dimensions of the ride mapped out in my mind and could handle it through bumper-to-bumper traffic quite easily. So the city was taken care of; but what about the highways and off-road.
I’ve been a die-hard conservationist and birder for most of my chequered career and off-roading is a given for people of our ilk! My Rapid complained most vigorously when coaxed onto even an unpaved road, so I was anxious to see how this one measured up. I need not have worried; although this car is not touted as a rugged multi-tasker, she was more than equal to many of the obstacles I threw at her. She has taken me through the dried-up bed of a sandy stream, gone through thorn-bushes as though born for the task, driven through a ploughed-up field as though it was no more than a minor irritant and many other adventures as though she had been made for precisely these kinds of terrain. I regret I do not have all that many photographs of the places I have been with her, but the few that I have may show how capable a vehicle she is.
And so, how do we rate the experience of owning this vehicle. First the pros:
- High 210mm ground clearance is a boon.
- 6/7 seating capacity is a plus if we are planning family outings.
- The 1498cc engine, churning out 117.3bhp@6000rpm is big-hearted enough to perform most capably both in city and highway roads.
- Small enough to be easily manoeuvreable in city traffic.
- Although Honda is not known for fuel efficiency, I regularly get 17+kmpl in a mix ofcity and highway drives.
- Driving comfort: the three-way adjustable driver’s seat is extremely comfortable. The cabin is spacious and even the third-row passengers feel the effects of the roof-mounted rear aircon vents.
- Having some boot space even with the third row seats down is a huge plus. In some of the other 7-seater vehicles, there is hardly any boot space to speak of with the third row in use.
We wouldn’t be complete without listing down a few of the cons:
- I could have wished that the centre armrest was a bit more comfortable. The stock one is a pain.
- The headlamps could have been better. The throw of the beam was not really satisfactory. I had these adjusted and got an aftermarket LED bar added.
- The cabin lights are about as effective as an anaemic glow-worm.
- The third-row seats are not comfortable for an adult on long rides. Though they are admirable for someone who wants a short power-nap.
- After 5 years, the second row seats have started to rattle and squeak a bit. Although this is probably due to the springs, it makes it a little noisy inside the cabin, especially on long rides on bumpy roads.
None of the failings however, can take away from the fact that this is an admirable vehicle to have. We have had this now for over 5 years and, even though it is now time to think of a change, it is not going to be easy to part with this doughty old warrior. True, it doesn’t have the frills of the new breed of cars (read ICE, ventilated seats, sunroof, multiple airbags), it is still a very comfortable and reassuring ride. A great pity that the BR-V is no longer in production in India.
Keyword: 5 years and 65000 kms with a Honda BR-V diesel MT