Reference Auto

Whenever a car major launches a sedan version of its hatchback, it usually rolls out an upgraded variant of the latter also with Honda doing the same by coming up with new variants of the Brio after bringing in the Amaze (the Brio sedan) and this move (of offering a litany of hatchback variants) could pay off for the Japanese can maker.

The new Brio comes with some upgrades, including driver’s seat height adjuster along with rear windshield defogger, which is an additional safety feature.

Honda has recently developed a deep understanding of the Indian market and made these changes after incorporating feedback from its customers, which is a very wise thing to do.

The new Honda Brio will be offered in six variants — E MT, EX MT, S MT, V MT, VX MT and VX AT — the prices of which range from Rs 4.12 lakh to Rs 6.12 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

While the E MT would cost Rs 4.12 lakh, the EX MT would come for Rs 4.28 lakh, the S MT for Rs 4.6 lakh, the V MT for Rs 5.06 lakh and the VX MT would be priced at Rs 5.34 lakh. The top variant, the VX AT, would come for Rs 6.12 lakh.

Propelled by a four-cylinder 1.2-litre i-VTEC engine, the new Brio offers an amazing fuel economy of 19.4 km to a litre for the manual transmission and 16.5 km to a litre for the automatic transmission, according to the company said.

The new features will come only in the S MT, V MT, VX MT and VX AT versions. The Brio i-VTEC mill produces 88 PS@6,000 rpm and torque of 109 Nm@4,500 rpm.

“The Brio is a significant car for Honda in India as it has added more than 32,000 customers during the last fiscal. It is our endeavour to study customers’ needs and introduce features to boost the overall ownership experience,” said Jnaneswar Sen, senior vice-president (marketing and sales) of Honda Cars India.

Honda has worked to pack a punch in the new Brio, which combines the best of the car maker’s technologies so as to bring about agile and effortless driving. Honda also offers the best of fuel efficiency, interior space along with safety. The target customer is the one who is seeking a car, which is economically priced, safe and comfortable.

The new Brio is offered with the ‘Honda Care Maintenance Package’, which has free periodic maintenance service up to 40,000 km or two years, whichever is earlier. But customers would have to shell out Rs 9,996 to avail this scheme.

So, with a slew of upgraded variants and not much changes in price, the high-performing Brio could see its new variants make deep inroads into the Indian market.