[sajo]

Why the Brio :
Simple, wanted a Japanese automatic hatchback. Actually it was a replacement for a 12 year old Tata Indigo petrol, and we did yearn for something as slick and Japanesey as it could get. Didnt have a fixed budget, but anything over ~7L made me uneasy. Lesser the better.

The search for a small, easy to drive, preferably Japanese hatchback began a few months ago in the houshold , and shortlisted the following candidates :
- Brio MT/AT.
- Celerio AMT
- Alto AMT
- Micra AT
- Baleno AT
- Jazz MT/AT.

As a matter of family preference, the Grand i10 AT was left out, and did not even consider it for purchase.

My very first visit to Crystal Honda didnt yield anything , not even a test drive. The salespeople didnt seem overly eager to make a sale, and didnt bother following up other than the cursory call. Strange, because I kept hearing the opposite from people around here.
On the same day , the experience with Celerio AMT at My Car (Wakad, Pune) was completely the opposite. Extremely welcoming staff, no pushing of any extras , and they did really go the extra mile to show the current stock of Celerios , Altos they had. To top it , there was a 35k discount going on the Celerio ZXi (O) AMT. That brought the price to just under 6L for Pune , and it actually did seem VFM at that point. That, until I did a TD. Reasonably smooth and free revving engine , though the shifts on the 35k done VXI example were distinctly jerky. The car was reasonably spacious, the equipment list was decent , and it rode better than the Swift. Being a Maruti, I knew it would be easy to run and maintain , so inspite of the juddery gearbox , parked it in my mind, though at the back.

Micra CVT :
I TD'd the Nissan Micra XV CVT at Shiv Nissan. The showroom experience was quite positive, and the Micra came across a really soothing car to drive. Good space, great build quality, decent equipment list, and very comforting to potter around town. The 3 cyl engine wasnt very powerful, but that was not a deal breaker at all. The CVT is butter smooth, and shifts arent perceptible at all. To top it all, it is now India's cheapest proper AT hatch. I was seriously considering it, and would have, if it were not for Nissan's lack of India focus.

Baleno AT
I like the car overall , had a look in the dealer's yard (No TD), but the seriously long waiting period put me off.

Jazz CVT
There is nothing to dislike about in a Jazz. Great car, the TD at Deccan Honda went great , the car behaved as expected. However, at Rs 9.8L on road Pune, it is seriously expensive. I also believe price went up by a few Ks recently, so I am guessing it just crossed 10L on road in Pune. Those without budget constraints can go for it with their eyes closed though.

Brio MT
Peppy little car, no build quality issues that I found in the pre-facelift TD car. The Engine is refined, the clutch was grabby, and the transmission was notchier, but the size was perfect! Also, at the time of booking, at 7.61 L, it was the cheapest "AT" hatch available with safety features. Also, the upcoming facelift made the interiors a bit less quirky.
So all things considered, and the peace of mind that is expected to come with a Honda , decided to go ahead and book one.

Booked on 11th September, and then began the uncertain wait. I should add here, that I had a very good experience with Venkatesh , the sales team lead from Deccan Honda Satara Road. Not very pushy at all, honest to talk to and completely eager to do business.
The new one was launched on 4th October, and we made the payment the following weekend. The car was delivered to us, unregistered, on the auspicious day of "Dassara" , ie, 11th October 2016.
It is , apparently, the first Brio Facelift to be delivered in Pune. And the only one delivered that day.

Meet the Orchid White (Rs 4k option) Brio facelift :

[sajo]

So whats new in the "new" Brio ?

Not much, if you ask me. Dimensionally, it remains exactly the same as its predecessor. It remains 3610 mm long , one of the shortest cars in its segment.

What it has gained, is a new stubby mustache. Doesnt look very butch, but nothing to offend anyone either.

Old Brio nose : (Pic courtesy , Tbhp Official Brio Review)



Against the new one :



It also now gains a chrome chin and a rubber/plastic noseline above the black fiber strip. It is chrome all the way in the facelifted Amaze. Note the revised honeycomb pattern air dam as well.



The fog lamp housing gets a slotted in the new bumper design.



Rear remains unchanged (or with minimal changes, let me know if you spot them against the older Brio. ).

Old :



New one :



Honda became stingy with Indian customers, and skipped both the revised rear end of the international Brio facelift as well as a rear wiper.
This is how I expected it to look :



The hatch door continues to remain all glass. Its a very tough glass, but a glass nonetheless.



The LED stop light in the top variant is a new addition.



It comes attached to this whopping big spoiler. I would have preferred something subtler.



Closer look :

[sajo]

The side profile remains unchanged. Again , all pics of the old brio courtesy the official Tbhp review.

Old one :



Compared to the new one :




The indicators moved themselves from the sides and integrated themselves neatly into the wing mirrors.

Even the alloys remain the same , shod with 175/65 R14 Goodyear rubber, mostly in the interest of fuel economy.

Prefacelift :



Post :



The Boot , or rather the lack of it. It is seriously tiny. Combine that with the high loading lip, and it affects its utility quite a bit.



To put things in perspective, I just outstretched my hand to cover the loading area, its nearly as small as my palm.




Interiors

This is actually the biggest change in the Brio, one that can actually swing many people sitting on the fence earlier in li'l Honda's favour.

Old :



New, refreshingly new :



You get a choice of two interior color combination , a beige+black combo for the lower variants , and the all black shown here in the VX. This is the variant you should be going for, because the safety kit, 2 Airbags and ABS , is not offered in any other version. At launch time, it did come as an option even for the S variant.

A closer look :



The basic HU. It comes with FM and Bluetooth and USB and..err..thats it. Not even a CD player, considering it might attract some buyers of advancing age who still like their music on discs.



Blue Teeth , not able to test this as it causes my phone to hang:



New to me , is this concept of a manual AC , but with sort of display driven controls, like you would find on a vehicle with automatic climate control. It is almost as if Honda wanted to trick us into believing its an ACC.



You can adjust the fan speed, the cooling/heating (do we even need that?) levels , the fan modes to suit your preferences. It also comes with a button marked as "Max Cool" , which is boon if your car is left out in the sun. Note the much maligned sliding recirculation switch.
The AC performance itself is quite good, and will give you no reason to complain at all. It is not as efficient in rapidly cooling things as my Swift's ACC , but good nonetheless.

The area above the dash now gets a different texture. The glove compartment itself is small too, but at par with the segment. It is not cooled.





Some basic controls on the steering wheel. No phone option here. Why Honda ?



USB and the power outlet, and some space to keep your phone. Note the cubbyhole above it, for misc knicknacks, but is not deep enough to hold a large phone.

[sajo]

The facelift comes with clearly laid out dials , unlike the ones inset within pods for the earlier model. This makes it looks less funky , but makes no difference to the utility.



Cool blue backlighting, which I am unable to capture effectively. It looks much better in real life.




The display itself is very basic, with an Odometer, a clock, a single tripmeter (why Honda?) and an instantaneous FE gauge. The fuel gauge now finds a proper dial instead of in the digital display now. For automatics, it also shows the shifter position.







Someone at Honda forgot to put some stuff here. The blank buttons are an eyesore. Cubbyhole above it useful for keeping parking receipts. Not very deep so cannot keep toll change here.



The front power window console is conventional in appearance and does not have a lock switch. The doors dont autolock once the car is in motion as well.






The doors close with a seriously smooth and soft click. Solid thunk lovers, look elsewhere.

The steering feels excellent and meaty to hold.



The Shifter is ergonomically perfect and is of high quality.



It, however isnt backlit , and at night you will find yourself staring at this :



Shifter does not foul with bottles kept in the cupholder. This one is small, but have tried with a slightly larger one as well.

The power window switch isnt backlit either. Not even a single one. Honda wishes you happy groping in the dark.



The seats are height adjustable, and so is the steering. It is easy to find the perfect driving position for short-medium height drivers like me and my family members.

Attachment 1569173

When I compare the seats to my Swift, which has class leading front seats with excellent support, the Brio's seats feel a tiny bit firm, a tiny bit lacking in the thigh support, and a tiny bit not-yet-there on the lower back support either. Note to self : Check for availability of padded seat covers.
Also, I seriously wish Honda gave the AT variant driver's seat some form of an armrest. The nearest competitor, the Micra CVT does have this on offer, and it makes a world of difference.

The absence of a clutch does not guarantee presence of a dead pedal, at par for this segment.

Attachment 1569174

[sajo]

Heart of the Matter

The 1.2L iVtec engine remains unchanged. Our car is equipped with the 5-Speed torque converter automatic. Also unchanged, contrary to popular expectations. It also has an extra cog , compared to the competition , the Grand i10 AT.



The bay looks very busy :



Only half the engine bay gets insulation. Seriously, Honda ? How much did it save, 500 rupees ? Why not include it in the MRP and cover the entire hood ?



Came factory fitted with Amaron batteries, glad to see that. Many components look to be from Japanese origin suppliers (no, not referring to the battery).




Driving experience

Crank up the engine , and you will be Amaze'd (Brio'd?) with the refinement the little 1.2L unit shows at idle. Taking it home from the dealer's place , both me and my dad ended up cranking it when it was already running.

Slot it into "D" , and there is a fair bit of "AT-Creep" , the tendency of an automatic car to keep rolling forward without accelerator input. Disconcerting aat first, but a boon in traffic once you get used to it.

Shifts from 1st to 2nd are noticeable. They are not jerky like an on AMT, but you will know that the shift has happened. Beyond that though, you are hardly going to notice save for the slight change in the engine note.

Setting off from a dead stop with "normal" throttle inputs would see the shifts happening at around ~2k RPM. The motor is audible at this level, but not irritating at all.

Out on the highway, the gears are not MT quick to respond , but drive it sedately and plan your moves ahead, and you wont be disappointed. This is thanks to the excellent power to weight ration in the segment.

The 5th gear seems especially tall, since at 80kmph , the engine will turn over at a lazy-ish 1800 rpm. Slightly over 2000 rpm when you hit the ton. And immediately realise that though it can easily reach 3 digit speeds, it is not a very comforting in a light weight small car. So you use the rather well modulated brakes to slow down , and enjoy the smooth drive at 80kmph.

The ride comfort is very good , much better than my Swift. Potholes are dismissed with a muted thump.

The steering is lightweight, one of the lightest steerings I have seen on any car I have driven so far, yet precise. For in city driving and parking in tight spaces, this is brilliant with a capital B.

I had a short drive in a twisty stretch in Pune's outskirts , and found that the car was seriously chuckable when it came to the steering. There is very little body roll , and the engine note gets buzzy upwards of 3k RPM, almost as if its begging you to floor it. The AT transmission discourages you from doing anything of that sort though. It prefers to upshift, rather than let you have some fun. On gradients, the gearbox sometimes sounded confused, going from 2-3-4 and then ping-ponging between 2-3 often. Typical of a small engined AT car.

[sajo]

Summary , should you buy the Brio ?

- Yes. But only if you have a very specific set of requirements like me and my family's, like a small footprint, refinement , easy maneuverability, peace of mind and a proper Automatic. It still remains cheaper than the i10 AT, and only slightly more than the Micra CVT, which makes it the second cheapest automatic car on offer in India.
- On road cost with Honda Assure and the pearl orchid white option for the AT variant is 8.00L in Pune. NOT value for money. The facelift received an almost 40k Rupee price bump with not even a single additional feature over the outgoing model.
- New price tag takes it within spitting distance of competition, the i10 AT, and perhaps the Baleno Delta AT as well.
- Some evidences of cost cutting are glaring.
- For something being touted as a driver's car , the steering feel could have been made heavier.
- Boon for senior people to drive, like my parents. They will love the easy driving stance, dimensions and refinement.
- Short 6 month/10k service interval is a pain. I am sure for a city car like this, not many drivers are going to reach the 10k figure every 6 months.
- Only 2 free services, out of which just 1 is an oil change. C'mon Honda, even Maruti offers upto a year of free servicing on all its model.
- Overall though , me and my family were fully aware of the purchase choice that we were making and are happy with it.

I will post more updates on the car, the service costs, and other aspects as we progress into the ownership period.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[zoom_vroom]

Congrats on your new Brio. I too got the VX(MT) facelifted Brio delivered yesterday. The car really is cute and so easy to drive and manage in traffic. And above all inspite of all those shortcomings in still believe its a perfect small car which has ample seating room and refined engine. The gears are a bit notchy but the overall experience in the car is soothing.

[sumeethaldankar]

Congrats on the car. The Brio is a good package and a very good city car. In my view the only thing it lacks is the multi display fancy dashboard console which it's rivals sport these days.

Originally Posted by sajo

Summary , should you buy the Brio ?
- Short 6 month/10k service interval is a pain. I am sure for a city car like this, not many drivers are going to reach the 10k figure every 6 months.
Attachment 1569275

Don't be surprised if they call every 3 months for service, that's Honda for you.

[naikameya]

Originally Posted by sumeethaldankar

Congrats on the car. The Brio is a good package and a very good city car. In my view the only thing it lacks is the multi display fancy dashboard console which it's rivals sport these days.


Don't be surprised if they call every 3 months for service, that's Honda for you.

That is a very annoying bit about Honda. I have a old Jazz, so whenever they call I have to explain them that the 3 month thing is part of the dealer AMC not Honda. Also I ask them to look into the owners manual and point out if there is any mention of 3 month service for any part.

[NiInJa]

Congrats on the new Brio. Its an amazing car and will definitely 'love you back'
Just wasn't aware the Brio AT is so expensive now !
Compared to the older Brio, hope the Amaron battery is leak proof because the older ones were not. Mine has leaked and caused a lot of rust around it.

As a Brio owner, can suggest one thing, do train your parents on how to take the spare wheel out along with the jack (which is housed in a frustrating little thingy behind the bumper) Its a real pain with everything dark in the boot (I and my dad had terrible experience). Luckily the alloy wheels will be lighter compared to steel rims.
Regarding the service intervals, barring Automatic Transmission's service, I can tell you the engine and other things need not be serviced that strictly once you are out of free service coupons. You can cheat on a few hundreds or a thousand kilometers or two. It depends a lot on how and where you drive though.

[sajo]

Originally Posted by zoom_vroom

Congrats on your new Brio. I too got the VX(MT) facelifted Brio delivered yesterday. The car really is cute and so easy to drive and manage in traffic. And above all inspite of all those shortcomings in still believe its a perfect small car which has ample seating room and refined engine. The gears are a bit notchy but the overall experience in the car is soothing.

Congrats on your car zoom_vroom! Please post pics and a report too! Can you let us know if you had opted for the extras , and if you are okay with sharing it, the final on road price ?

Originally Posted by sumeethaldankar

Congrats on the car. The Brio is a good package and a very good city car. In my view the only thing it lacks is the multi display fancy dashboard console which it's rivals sport these days.

I believe Brio will never match any other rivals in equipment levels.

Originally Posted by NiInJa

Congrats on the new Brio. Its an amazing car and will definitely 'love you back'
Just wasn't aware the Brio AT is so expensive now !

Thanks Ninja.. I definitely hope the Brio serves us well. And yes, it is quite expensive now, for what you get. Thats the reason it will never be a "segment beater" in sales. Its hard to justify that kind of premium for just the refinement and quality, especially since competition is not that bad either.

Originally Posted by NiInJa

Compared to the older Brio, hope the Amaron battery is leak proof because the older ones were not. Mine has leaked and caused a lot of rust around it.

Ohh, thats a concern then! Thanks man , will definitely keep an eye out for leaks.

I am back to using the Swift and its so hard to drive it now in cumbersome Hinjewadi traffic!

[TheARUN]

Congratulations on the Brio. It looks great in that resplendent white colour.

I think the AMT is slowly losing its USP and people are slowly realising that it is not as smooth as an Automatic. Once you have experienced an automatic gear box, an AMT would always feel like a compromise

The Brio is a very stylish car and Honda could have done better to keep the price in check. As a design package it is second to none, its truly unique and does justice to the term Hatch-back

Though the boot is small, there is a review in the Travelogue section where a Bhpian has done a South India tour with family and luggage in his red Brio. It sure is a versatile car

Thank you for the review, its almost like an official Team Bhp review. That is the attention to detail you have bestowed upon the review

[sajo]

Originally Posted by TheARUN

Congratulations on the Brio. It looks great in that resplendent white colour.

I think the AMT is slowly losing its USP and people are slowly realising that it is not as smooth as an Automatic. Once you have experienced an automatic gear box, an AMT would always feel like a compromise

Thanks Arun. Even I was looking at AMTs initially given my budget, but the refinement offered by a proper 4cyl Japanese mill , and the smoothness shifting of an actual "automatic" made me realise it would be okay to spend a bit (it was a "bit" when I started my research) more and buy something which is less of a compromise as you rightly worded it.

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by sajo

It, however isnt backlit , and at night you will find yourself staring at this :

The power window switch isnt backlit either. Not even a single one. Honda wishes you happy groping in the dark.

Join the club. My solution to this problem:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...hting-kit.html

If you are willing to cut wires and void warranty, cheaper alternatives are available.