Gadgets Magazine was invited to the exclusive preview of the new Honda Brio and Brio Amaze at the Tagaytay Highlands. These new models are Honda’s newest subcompacts that will be the smallest vehicles in their lineup.
Scheduled to be launched at the 5th Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS), brand execs are still keeping mum on the official pricing, but here’s what we know so far:
Both the Brio (hatchback) and Brio Amaze (sedan) will be powered by a 1.3-liter 4-cylinder i-VTEC engine that produces 100PS of power and 127.49Nm of torque. The powerplant shall be paired with either a 5-speed MT or (first-in-class) 5-speed AT.
The Brio will be equipped with 14″ alloy wheels, fog lamps, multi reflector headlights, a rear wiper and defogger, a rear spoiler, and shall have keyless entry.
Safety features will include dual SRS airbags, ABS, impact-mitigating headrests, Honda’s ACE body, as well as 3-point ELR seat belts with pre-tensioners and load limiters for front seats.
We were told that Brio will come with the Honda G5 Navigator as its head unit. It has a 7-inch capacitive screen and uses the DLNA protocol to stream content from compatible devices. The unit can also be used to surf the internet but will have to connect to an external hotspot as it doesn’t have an internal modem.
Honda president Toshio Kuwahara informed us that the Brio will be available in two trims.
The Brio Amaze is slightly bigger than its hatch brother, offering more cabin space as well as a 400-liter trunk.
It shall come with 14″ alloy wheels, fog lamps, multi reflector headlights, a rear window defogger, and keyless entry. The head unit of the Brio Amaze shall also have a 2-DIN head unit with a native GPS navigator, as well as DVD playback.
We were told that the Brio Amaze will come in 3 trims.
Both models have the same black dashboard, although differ in their instrument panel color and head unit. The Brio also has a sporty black interior, while the Brio Amaze’s door panels are in a lighter color.
We drove both cars up and down the testdrive route in Tagaytay Highlands and all we can say is that IT DRIVES LIKE A HONDA! If priced correctly, these babies will be the models to beat in the A segment category.