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BR-V REVIEW

The demand for SUVs in India has been on a rise over the past few years thanks mainly to the introduction of small/compact SUVs. The Hyundai Creta‘s success is proof enough that there is an insatiable demand for budget-friendly crossovers. Honda is almost done readying its Creta-rival, the BR-V, and is all set to drive in the small SUV in the second quarter of 2016. Initially, Honda had plans to bring in the HR-V to India, but these plans were scrapped after a study revealed that they will be unable to keep the costs down enough to stay competitive. Hence, they took the decision to use the Brio’s versatile platform instead and came up with the BR-V. Before we come up with a comprehensive 2016 Honda BR-V test drive review, here’s an overview of the new small SUV from Honda.


 

Specifications

As we mentioned earlier, the BR-V is underpinned by the Brio’s platform which is also utilised by the Amaze and Mobilio. The BR-V is 4,456 mm long  which helps in accommodating three rows of seats. It measures 1,666 mm in height and has a ground clearance of 201 mm. Under the hood will be the same set of engines as the Honda City – a 1.5 litre i-VTEC petrol which produces 120 PS of peak power and 145 Nm of peak torque and a 1.5 litre i-DTEC diesel producing 100 PS of peak power and 200 Nm of peak torque. Transmission duties will be handled by a 6-speed manual or a CVT. The latter will only be available mated to the petrol motor

Engine Options
1.5-liter i-VTEC Petrol –  118bhp and 145 Nm
1.5-litre i-DTEC Diesel – 98.6bhp and 200Nm 
Transmission – New 6-speed Manual and CVT under Honda’s “Earth Dreams Technology”
Honda BR-V Dimensions 
Length – 4,456mm
Width – 1,735mm
Height – 1,666mm
Wheelbase – 2,660mm
Ground Clearance – 201mm
Honda BR-V Safety Features
Dual Front SRS airbags
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD)
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA)
Front 3-Point Load Limiters with Pretensioner ELR Seat Belt and ISOFIX
Honda BR-V Key Features
• Big roof rails for all grades
• High ground clearance
• New 16-inch alloy wheels
• LED connected tail light design in C-character
• Class-leading cabin space
• Additional kneeroom and headroom
• Multi-Information Display
• Rear air conditioner (between the first and second row seats)

Hyundai Creta Review

Summary

Hyundai Creta, a SUV has 10 versions available in India. Hyundai Creta has 3 Petrol cars and 7 Diesel cars. Other popular cars in the similar price range of Hyundai Creta are Ford Figo Aspire, ICML Extreme and Maruti Suzuki New Swift DZire. Hyundai Creta comes in 7 colours, namely, Mystic Blue, Pearl Beige, Phantom Black, Polar White, Red Passion, Sleek Silver, Star Dust.

The Creta is Hyundai’s response to the Renault Duster and the Nissan Terrano. This is one segment that had seen a tremendous growth and was one of the first five-seater SUV under Rs 15 lakhs. Hyundai’s Creta has been designed with several bits shared with its elder sibling, the Santa Fe. What Hyundai has done is, offered with the Creta loads of features, space and an array of engine and transmission options. With high-level of localization (90%), the Creta is manufactured at the Hyundai’s Chennai-based plant, and exported to global markets.

Further to this, read Hyundai Creta Road Test details by our expert.

Price

The various fuel trims in Hyundai Creta are priced differently. The Diesel trims are priced between Rs. 9,56,940/- to Rs. 13,80,156/-. The Petrol trims of Hyundai Creta start at Rs. 8,69,461/-.

Exterior

Hyundai’s Creta is the new five-seater SUV that has been launched in 2015. This SUV is based on Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture 2.0, which is a lot more subtle than the previous generation design. The Creta is the ix25 that has been modified for Indian car market. This SUV has a large front grille with multiple horizontal chrome slats and the headlamps have the LED strip in them. The front of the Creta is inspired from the Santa Fe.  The Creta comes with six colour options that are Red Passion, Phantom Black, Sleek Silver, Stardust, Mystic Blue and Pearl Beige colour options.

The side profile of the Creta makes it look sporty with the roof rails, black rocker area and even the large 17-inch diamond cut alloy wheels. The other variants of the Creta come with 16-inch wheels. The Creta follows the SUV design language of Hyundai and so one can see a lot of similarity between the Creta, Tucson and even the Santa Fe.

Interior

The Hyundai Creta’s interiors have been designed from a blank sheet. The Creta looks a lot more premium and contemporary when compared to the competition. The compact SUV feels luxurious and this makes it stand out against the competition.

The Creta has several first-in class features like keyless entry, push start and stop, in-dash music system with bluetooth connectivity, satellite navigation, reverse parking camera, steering mounted audio controls, follow me home headlamps, leather pack, supervision cluster, driver information system, power windows and rear AC vents.

The Creta is a five-seater SUV with an almost flat centre tunnel so that three people can sit. The boot is large enough to carry luggage for five on a weekend.

Engine & Transmission

Hyundai is offering the Creta with three engine options. One is a 1.6-litre petrol engine that churns about 121bhp of power at 6400rpm and the maximum torque output is 151Nm at 4850rpm. The other two diesel engines available are the 1.4-litre diesel engine, which is the second-generation U engine. This oil burner churns out 90bhp of power at 4000rpm, while the torque is 220Nm at 1500rpm. The last engine is the most powerful one. This is a 1.6-litre diesel engine that produces 126bhp of power and 259Nm of maximum torque. All the engines are bolted on to a six-speed manual transmission, while the 1.6-litre diesel even comes with a six-speed automatic transmission as well. All are front-wheel driven variants and there is no all-wheel drive variant.

Performance & Handling

On paper, Hyundai Creta is the most powerful SUV in its segment be it in petrol or even diesel. The Creta has sufficient power to be driven in city or even on the open road. This five-seater SUV has good ride quality and even the handling is ideal for daily driving. The steering wheel is light and easy to maneuverer in city or even on the highways. The Creta has decent handling but it cannot be compared to its European competitors.

Braking System

The Hyundai Creta has ABS with EBD as a standard feature across all the varaints. The SUV has good enough brakes. The other features on the Creta are hill-assist control and vehicle stability control. This assist in braking and are very useful features especially on wet roads.

Mileage

The 1396 cc Diesel - powered variant delivers a fuel economy of 22 kmpl in city and 24 kmpl on highways, while the Petrol variant offers a mileage of 16 kmpl on urban roads and 18 kmpl and freeways, respectively.

Safety Features

The Hyundai Creta comes with ABS with EBD as a standard safety feature. It even has multiple airbags (two at the front, side and even curtain ones). The Creta has vehicle stability control, then there is hill descent and ESP on the top-of-the-line variant. The mid-level variants have reverse parking seniors and higher ones even get the camera.

Verdict

The Hyundai Creta has turned the tables around in this segment. The SUV look sporty, premium, it is powerful and it is offered with an array of powertrain options.

Competition

The Mahindra Scorpio, Renault Duster and even the Nissan Terrano,and upcoming Honda BR-V are competition to the Hyundai Creta, with regards to similar pricing and SUV stance.

Pros

1. Stylish
2. Engine options
3. Automatic option on diesel
4. Features
5. A lot of variants        

Cons

1. Light set-up for suspension

Creta 1.6 SX (O) Technical Specs

Dimensions & Weight
Length	4270 mm
Width	1780 mm
Height	1630 mm
Wheelbase	2590 mm
Ground Clearance	183 mm

Capacity
Doors	5 Doors
Seating Capacity	5 Person
No of Seating Rows	2 Rows
Fuel Tank Capacity	60 litres

Engine & Transmission
Engine Type	U2 VGT CRDi
Valve/Cylinder (Configuration)	4, DOHC
Displacement	1582 cc
Mileage (ARAI)	19.67 kmpl
Turbocharger/Supercharger	Turbocharged
Drivetrain	Front Wheel Drive
Dual Clutch	No
Sport Mode	No
Alternate Fuel	Not Applicable
Cylinders	4, Inline
Fuel Type	Diesel
Max Power (bhp@rpm)	126 bhp @ 4000 RPM
Max Torque (Nm@rpm)	265 Nm @ 1900 RPM
Turbocharger Type	Variable Geometry
No of gears	6 Gears
Transmission Type	Manual
Manual Shifting for Automatic	No
Driving Modes	No
Engine Start-Stop Function	No

Suspensions, Brakes, Steering & Tyres
Suspension Front	Mc Pherson Strut Type with Coil Spring
Suspension Rear	Coupled Torsion Beam Axle
Front Brake Type	Disc
Rear Brake Type	Drum
Steering Type	Power assisted (Electric)
Wheels	Alloy Wheels
Spare Wheel	Steel
Front Tyres	215 / 60 R17
Rear Tyres	215 / 60 R17

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