All-new 2022 Honda BR-V to make world debut next week?

Honda’s Indonesian distributor PT Honda Prospect Motor has announced that it will be hosting a (virtual) world premiere of a new model on 3-May 2021.

Apart from a single teaser shot, Honda didn’t say anything else about the new model.

Adjusting the photo’s brightness reveals a little bit more details. The headlamps are certainly reflector-type LEDs, and judging by the slightly flared fenders and chunkier grille, hood line and front bumper, it’s most likely an SUV-like vehicle.

Looking at Honda Indonesia’s product line-up, models that are due for replacement are the Honda Brio, Honda Mobilio, Honda BR-V, and Honda HR-V.

The Honda HR-V has already made its world debut in Japan last month so we can rule that out.

Also read: Prices announced for all-new 2021 Honda HR-V in Japan, smaller car, higher price

The A-segment Perodua Axia-class Honda Brio had just received a minor update last month, adding a new Brio RS Urbanite Edition, so we can rule that out as well.

This leaves only the Honda Mobilio and Honda BR-V. Both are related models, the former a more traditional MPV while the latter is a SUV-esque 7-seater based on the Mobilio. Some sources in Indonesia have suggested that the two models could be combined into one.

The current generation Honda BR-V made its world premiere at the August 2015 Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show in Jakarta, before going on sale there in January 2016.

Seeing that the outgoing BR-V made its world debut in Jakarta, it’s logical to expect that the next generation BR-V will make its world debut there again.

The Honda BR-V is the third model to be developed by Honda’s R&D team in South East Asia, after the Honda Brio Amaze and the Honda Mobilio.

These projects were a joint effort by the Bangkok-based Honda R&D Asia Pacific Co., Ltd and the Jakarta-based PT Honda R&D Indonesia.

The Honda BR-V was last updated in April 2019. The facelift model was launched in Malaysia in June 2020, after lengthy delays related to obtaining the necessary price approval from the government, as well as complications caused by the first round of MCO.

Also read: Ratings: 2020 Honda BR-V 1.5L V - Near-excellent score in Space and Practicality, 162 pts overall

Currently, the Honda BR-V is priced at RM 86,726 for the 1.5E and RM 93,420 for the1.5V (prices valid until 30-June 2021).

Sales of the BR-V has been tepid ever since the Perodua Aruz was launched in January 2019. Given its quasi-national car status, the tax-deducted Perodua Aruz is priced a lot lower (RM 68,526 to RM 73,226) than the Honda BR-V, despite the latter’s locally-assembled origin.

But never mind about Malaysia, even in Indonesia - the main market for the BR-V - the Honda is in urgent need of a replacement as the Mitsubishi Xpander and Xpander Cross have made huge inroads there, taking away a lot of the ageing BR-V's sales.