Honda Brio 2016 Facelift India - An In-Depth Review

1. Honda Brio 2016 Facelift India Review - Introduction

The car doesn’t receive enough modifications to put viewers in awe looking from afar

It is a long wait for the customers and for the manufacturer, but such a long wait of 5 years is the time needed to introduce the new upgraded of the 2011 Brio hatchback – its 2016 facelift. The car for sure hasn’t got much of retouch to the vessel whose exterior design was carried over from its predecessor’s. It is the content - the true juicy part that gets our attention for all the effort going into making the comprehensive upgrade possible. Let us walk you through these changes with this in-depth report from our first test drive.

2. Honda Brio 2016 Facelift India Review - Exterior

The rear end’s tailgate is enlarged and much nicer, and incorporated with LED high mount stop light alongside the familiar spoiler

Ok! So what do we have here after the 5-year wait? The body outline undoubtedly doesn’t have any change, in other words, the new Brio continues to take on the old 2011 model’s sleek and petite style. Fog lamps have their own places on either side of the new lustrous coal black grille between the two redesigned headlights, meanwhile, the front bumper does get its new look with two bumps on both sides. The rear end’s tailgate is enlarged and looks much nicer, and incorporated with LED high mount stop light alongside the familiar spoiler. 

The fog lamps are put on both sides of the new lustrous coal black grille

3. Honda Brio 2016 Facelift India Review - Interior

The steering wheel is embellished with aluminium insert

There is definitely not much to talk about the exterior because all the hard work of refining has already been devoted to the interior, yes, this as a whole is the true game changer. To begin with, Black and beige colours continue to be the main theme for interiors. Of all the changes, the fascia emerges with a brand new appearance with silver accent and black theme at the higher variants. Steering wheel gets garnish aluminium strips, and the same can be said of the angular A/C vents which take the place of the circular ones, giving off an elegant touch to the cabin. The instrument panel, for its own part, gets bigger dials and a fresh double din infotainment system, which is obviously carried over from the BR-V. That said, it would be much nicer if a touchscreen infotainment one (integrating navigation function, Apple CarPlay or Android Auto) were included. 

The seating capacity remains the same, which can fit in five occupants neatly, if not a bit of squeezing for a third adult at the back row. Fabric for seat covering is of good quality – an improvement to that of the old model. Having good ergonomics, the two-seat row offer sufficient space for both legroom and headroom; the driver can adjust their seat height and has an unhindered view. Crucial features such as power folding mirrors with turn signals, remote keyless system, power windows and immobilizer are all found at the VX variants. The stereo goes with steering-wheel-mounted controls, Bluetooth dongle and AUX input.

A 3rd adult would cause a bit of a cramped feeling at the back seat row, but not so much of a nuisance

Meanwhile, the limited 175-litre luggage space accompanied by a high boot lip for loading can be a bit of disappointment for some prospective buyers who move around with a huge amount of baggage. The safety package comes with dual SRS airbags, Electronic Brakeforce Limitation EBL, Anti-lock Braking System ABS. Top VX variants exclusively get seatbelt pre-tensioner and load limiter.

4. Honda Brio 2016 Facelift India Review - Performance & Engine

Once again we will see the 4-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol motor which generates 88 bhp of peak power and 109Nm of peak torque, mated to a 5-speed manual transmission at this facelift of the Brio. Furthermore, a torque converter accompanied by automatic gearbox is on tap as well. In addition to that, Honda’s refined NVH will not give you any chance to complain out of noises and vibration while driving in the cities. Unfortunately enough, the manufacturer doesn’t offer the 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine on this basic hatchback.

Once again we will see the 4-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol motor which generates 87bhp and 109Nm of torque, mated to a 5-speed manual transmission at this facelift of the Brio

The engine shows great performance and sophistication at high r/min and can effortlessly hit 100kmph owing to the excellent mid-range. Driving on rough roads or potholed ones, the vehicle overall absorbs shocks pretty well even at high speeds. Being powered by petrol motor means there is barely any noise, making sure of a racket-free commute back and fro. Engine’s bottom end serves well running in the city traffic though feels somewhat flat when it reaches over 4000r/min. When it comes to reaction to the driver’s input, the steering wheel is not that responsive partially due to being an electric unit; still, it works properly and accurately. 

5. Honda Brio 2016 Facelift India Review - Color Options

Honda Brio 2016 Facelift is available with 4 color options including:

• Alabaster Silver
• Rallye Red
• Modern Steel Metallic
• White Orchid Pearl

All colour options of Honda Brio Facelift 2016

6. Honda Brio 2016 Facelift India Review - Prices and Variants

7. Honda Brio 2016 Facelift India Review - Detail Specs

8. Honda Brio 2016 Facelift India Review - Verdict

The car's painless-to-use character also contributes to the comfortable and safe feel for both driver and passengers

Ranging from Rs 4.69 lakh to Rs 6.82 lakh, the Brio’s chief competitors include the Tata Tiago, Maruti Swift Dzire, Renault KWID, and the Hyundai Grand i10, to name but a few. In terms of equipment, the Brio, as a matter of fact, ranks behind many cars of the same segment, judging from its lack of some essentials like touch screen for the infotainment system, parking sensors, push-button start feature; and as a result putting it at the lower end. But if all you need is just a decent vehicle to commute about, then with its dainty and lovely look, Honda Brio is a nice option and quite a practical one for families on the budget. 

9. Honda Brio 2016 Facelift India Review - Other images

A closer look to Honda Brio 2016 Facelift interior

Honda Brio 2016 Facelift seats

Honda Brio 2016 Facelift from different looks

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