Honda BR-V Elegance (2023) Review

In a crowded SUV market in South Africa, is the Honda BR-V Elegance a worthy contender? We review the Elegance CVT derivative to find out.

Look at any automaker in South Africa, and you'll see that their model range has one thing in common – SUVs. Buying trends have shifted massively over the last decade, seeing consumers shift away from sedans almost altogether. Only the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are still going strong in that segment.

Honda's SUV lineup is well-stocked, with an assortment of offerings that make up the majority of the range. The entry point is the WR-V, priced from R320 800 and tops out with the CR-V (priced from R601 100). The BR-V (priced from R389 900) and HR-V (priced from R479 900) make up the rest of the SUV family. 

The marketing objective is to keep the foot traffic inside of a Honda dealership from models with various price points, instead of looking elsewhere.

Getting to know the BR-V

Trend, Comfort and Elegance are the three derivatives, and each comes with its own complement of features.

There's only one (petrol) engine in the range: a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine with power figures of 89kW and 145Nm. The Trend model is only available with a six-speed manual gearbox, while the Comfort has the option of either a six-speed manual or a CVT transmission. The top-of-the-range Elegance is only offered with a CVT. 

The overall increase in exterior dimensions means more leg and shoulder room for second and third-row passengers. The rearmost seats have a 50/50 split, and the second row a 60/40 split, allowing for a variety of practical seating and cargo configurations. With all seats in position, seven occupants can be seated comfortably while still providing a very usable amount of luggage space (244-litres). The third-row seats can be folded down if required. 

Fabric seats are standard on all but the Elegance model, which – in keeping with its range-topping status, they feature synthetic leather seating and additional trim finishes to differentiate it from the other models in the range.

Safety and convenience features 

Standard features across the range include Vehicle Stability Assist, Hill Start Assist, Emergency Stop Signal, ABS braking, and dual front and side airbags. The Elegance derivative ups the ante with even more features like Collision Mitigation Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist System, Road Departure Mitigation, Auto High-Beam, Lane Watch Camera and Forward Collision Warning. 

A 7-inch touchscreen infotainment (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility), electric side mirrors, ISOFIX child seat anchors, all-round electric windows, and LCD instrument display (4.2-inch TFT display in the Elegance) also come as standard.

Summary 

After spending a week with the seven-seater, it has more SUV genetics like the plush interior finishes, raised seating position and overall better ground clearance of 207mm – compared to an outright people mover like a Toyota Rumion (180mm), for example.

The BR-V has plenty of good things going for it. There are ample USB ports, connectivity to the infotainment system is simple and most impressively, the little 1.5-litre engine has the shoulders to carry a load. Honda engines aren't known for their torque, but the powerplant pulls quite well. The added features in the Elegance model are nice-to-have and the interior finishes are really impressive. 

Honda claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 6.3 litres/100km for the CVT models, but we easily managed to beat that with a figure of 6.0 litres in everyday commuting with traffic. The handling is prompt, and there's not a heavy hint of body roll when switching lanes, thanks to the more robust tensile steel used to reduce weight and improve rigidity. Throttle control is the secret, though overtaking isn't something you'd want to try on multiple occasions.

A blemish on the report card is the audible 'droney' noise that the CVT transmission makes, especially when the revs start to climb. If Honda can remedy that with a normal automatic, or if you don't mind the sound, it's an out-and-out winner. 

Does it have any rivals? 

In  a market filled with SUVs, there are a lot of rivals to contend with. However, one particular rival to the BR-V stands out – the Hyundai Grand Creta, which is priced from R497 900. Honda has been very clever in how it has marketed the BR-V. Instead of going against the multitudes of options in the respective markets, they have focused all their efforts against a rival from Korea. 

For the sake of comparison, Hyundai's entry-level model is more expensive than Honda's top of the range BR-V. You'd have to go for the Creta or Venue to match the BR-V's price, even though they are not direct rivals.

Spec and pricing 

Trend Manual - R389 900 

Comfort Manual - R419 900 

Comfort CVT - R444 900 

Elegance CVT - R469 900 

All models come standard with a five-year or 200 000km mechanical warranty, inclusive of three-year roadside assistance. The Comfort and Elegance derivatives ship standard with a four-year or 60 000km service plan and is optional on the Trend.

If you're in the market for a BR-V, check out what Gumtree's online classifieds has to offer with a wide selection of models.