[MYB]

Mod Note: The Official Honda Mobilio Review has been taken live at this link. Please continue the discussion over on the review thread.

Motorbeam carried this report on Brio MPV.

http://www.motorbeam.com/cars/honda-...in-april-2013/

Mods: Searched and couldn't find a thread on Brio MPV. Please merge if a thread exists.

[Motored Mindset]

The little Brio surely seems to be taking the fight to Maruti Suzuki in emerging markets. What Honda needs to be concerned about is an ubiquitous Brio fascia on three of it's sub-10 Lakh models growing long in the tooth far quicker.

Personally, I the Freed MPV with its sharp lines and angled headlamps is quite a looker and would have been the ideal car to sell in India (image attached - copyright of respective owners). Honda should remember, in light of the Evalia launch that the MPV would not sell in large numbers with sliding rear doors. I wonder whether Honda would be able to produce enough of their 1.5 diesel engines at their Rajasthan plant, now that the engine will be plonked in the Amaze, Brio hatchback, Honda City and this new Brio-based MPV.

The Brio MPV has a very soft fascia that would give the impression that it is smaller than it is (picture attached - copyright of respective owners).

[wanderernomad]

How does it differ from the Jazz on the dimensions? Wont Jazz be a better seller with a diesel?

[paliontile]

Originally Posted by wanderernomad

How does it differ from the Jazz on the dimensions? Wont Jazz be a better seller with a diesel?

I guess they want this new MPV to share parts with a more successful model than the Jazz - Brio, to minimize cost of production.

As for the "sliding rear door doesn't work for Indians" theory - i don't think its fair to peg Evalia's failure on that reason. Most urban commuters rarely ever roll down their rear windows owing to the pollution on our roads. While in the US i have realized the convenience of sliding automatic doors. Also our so-called mini MPV's aren't really equipped to seat 3 in the middle row - no more than a hatchback. Am sure there will be lots of buyers for a monocoque mini MPV, with sliding rear doors and middle row captain seats.

[Motored Mindset]

Originally Posted by paliontile

As for the "sliding rear door doesn't work for Indians" theory - i don't think its fair to peg Evalia's failure on that reason.

I personally quite like the utility offered by sliding doors especially the button operated electric ones on certain variants of the Honda Odyssey or the Toyota Sienna. The utility offered by these doors in tight parking spaces is appreciated too.

But you have to remember that in India, sliding doors are reminiscent of the bare-bones Maruti Omni that has been around since the 1980's and aesthetically, the slit in the body of the vehicle is unappealing. The butterfly windows of the Evalia were criticised in the Official TBHP Review as well. To make the Brio MPV a regular four door would give it a car-like more upmarket feel rather than the impression of a utilitarian goods carrier/people mover.

[MYB]

Originally Posted by Motored Mindset

The Brio MPV has a very soft fascia that would give the impression that it is smaller than it is

I second you on that. But if you see the pic in the report of motorbeam, the front looks a little bulged up, which looks good IMHO. Should be a good competition to the other MPVs around.

PS: Picture taken from Motorbeam.

[zenren]

Brio dashboard might be utilitarian but its too bland. I agree that the quality might be better than Swift platform but it certainly loses out on the looks. Given they are planning to share this platform across multiple vehicles, I think they should seriously consider providing a better looking dash than what is present in Brio. It might be acceptable for a 4-5L hatch but certainly unacceptable for a sedan/MPV at 7-8L.

To me, dash is the only part of the car that the driver see 90% of the time while he drives. So looks of the dash is much more important to me than how the tail light or the boot lid looks. If the rear profile looks ugly, its the driver of the car behind me who has to put up with it, not me.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by wanderernomad

How does it differ from the Jazz on the dimensions? Wont Jazz be a better seller with a diesel?

- Current generation Jazz is on the way out.

- Jazz is much more expensive to build.

- Brio / Amaze have already been engineered to accommodate a diesel!

Originally Posted by paliontile

I guess they want this new MPV to share parts with a more successful model than the Jazz - Brio

The Jazz is quite a successful model internationally. It's total sales are higher than that of the Brio.

[9thsphinx]

No harm in sliding doors if they can bring down the Brio MPV price with that, right? Honda needs to price their cars right - none of those Jazz mistakes are to be repeated again!

A relative bought the Evalia XL and I couldn't find fault with those doors. As a matter of fact, I found it more convenient to get in and out of. But it could also be because at one point in time I loved our no-nonsense OMNI

[aim120]

The rear will look really bad ,if the MPV will have the same tail lights as Brio.

But if they want to position this as competitor to Ertiga its should have a much longer wheelbase,the new next generation jazz has a even longer wheelbase then the current one making it a more suitable to design a MPV from Jazz platform ,I mean we already have the Honda Freed and Fit shuttle .
But if Honda stay with their words and launch the New Jazz i don't see how they can accommodate so many models in a narrow price range.

[sparsh]

Honda has got the idea spot on of using its existing platform to build newer variants. The key for Honda will be get the localisation content, pricing, positioning, interiors, the goodies right. Once they nail this, it will give a tough competition to Ertiga, Innova. If they can price the diesel variant between 8.5 to 10 Lakhs, I think they will be in business.

[Ironhide]

Originally Posted by sparsh

Honda has got the idea spot on of using its existing platform to build newer variants. The key for Honda will be get the localisation content, pricing, positioning, interiors, the goodies right. Once they nail this, it will give a tough competition to Ertiga, Innova. If they can price the diesel variant between 8.5 to 10 Lakhs, I think they will be in business.

That pretty much sums it up. Honda has got to get a few things right to beat Ertiga , namely:-

1. Pricing - at par/better than Ertiga.
2. Engine, preferably a responsive Diesel with specs rivaling those of the 1.3 MJD VGT.
3. Fuel Economy in both variants. 1.3 MJD will be the benchmark here.
4. Space (that shouldn't be such a problem here knowing the good use of space they seem to have made in Amaze)
5. Volumes ( if the l-o-n-g waiting periods for Ertiga are are anything to go by, Honda should've taken a cue by now).
6. Ground clearance (If you've got to seat 7 people , with luggage , and then some , you've GOT TO cater for scraping)
7. Handling. But since it's on a Brio platform, handling should be car-like, hopefully.
8. NVH for the diesel.
9. Goodies - integrated Double Din stereo, Steering Mounted Controls , Fogs, rear wash & wipe are pretty standard across the range nowadays.
10. Looks. In India it's gotta look good too(Though Amaze does amaze in that department)
11. Last, but not the least, safety. ABS & airbags as standard (a la City) across all variants will be a good move.

Phew ! That's quite a wishlist ! It'll be up to Honda to prove whether they are up to the task. Ertiga is doing decent numbers, economic slowdown notwithstanding. Honda's MPV has to get these right to at least start begin competing in this rapidly expanding segment. I hope the the designers are paying attention.

Cheers !

[ampere]

I thought a next generation Jazz based MPV was also planned for 2014/15.

http://www.autocarindia.com/News/301...in-201415.aspx

[scopriobharath]

If this vehicle looks like anything like what is shown in the pictures, I will definetly buy it. It looks better than Ertiga in my humble opinion. I love this vehicle.

[esteem_lover]

I preferred the Jazz, honestly, if Honda cannot get this car priced competitively, then it is just the same old Jazzy story.