Not the newest 7-seater but close to 4,000 Malaysians bought a Honda BR-V last year, why?

You would think that newer is better, and conventional wisdom suggests that consumers will avoid an ageing model to buy the latest model on the market. That’s usually true but there are some models that buck the trend, mostly because these cars appeal to a very pragmatic group users and for them, new equals unproven.

The above describes buyers of the Honda BR-V, which has been on the market since 2017 and little has changed throughout its model life.

Even though an all-new model has already been announced for Indonesia, the ageing but budget-friendly 7-seater is still seeing decent sales, albeit not as much as before. 

The BR-V no longer controls the B-segment 7-seater market like it once did, having ceded its leading position to the Mitsubishi Xpander. But you will be surprised to know that the ageing BR-V is still doing brisk sales, moving close to 4,000 units last year, despite FMCO restrictions.

So what kind of people will want to buy an ageing BR-V instead of the newer Mitsubishi Xpander, or better still, why not wait for the all-new 2022 Honda BR-V?

The sort of people who can’t accept the Xpander’s 4-speed automatic transmission and 105 PS output, and need a 7-seater urgently.

The BR-V still offers the best powertrain combination in its class – 120 PS and a fuel efficient, smooth shifting CVT.

Sure nobody buys a 7-seater and ask about 0-100 km/h time, but if you are going to load up the car with 7 adults, power matters. It doesn’t have to be blisteringly fast, but it needs to be brisk enough.

If you have to know, the Honda BR-V scoots from 0-100 km/h in just over 12 seconds, that’s 3 seconds quicker than the Mitsubishi Xpander (15.0 seconds) and Perodua Aruz (15.7 seconds), as tested by WapCar’s Racelogic timing gear.

The BR-V’s ideal 200 mm ground clearance allows it to climb kerbs with ease and offers an added level of resistance to urban flash floods (within reasons, it’s a car, not a boat), but is at the same time, not too high up that it makes getting in / out difficult. 

Also, don’t underestimate the appeal of the Honda brand and its wide after-sales support (135 service centres), which in turn helps its resale value.

A 5-year old used Honda BR-V can still sell for between RM 50k to RM 60k, not bad for a car that costs between RM 86k to RM 93k when new.

Also read: Used Honda BR-V for under RM 60k – Why buy an Alza? How much to maintain and repair?

Space and comfort is also not lacking, within context of course. When it was just launched, the Honda BR-V was notably more comfortable than B-segment sedans on sale then.

How? Atsushi Arisaka, Large Project Leader for the Honda BR-V explained that the BR-V’s longer wheelbase and wider track grants the car a greater degree of compliance against poorer road conditions.

The suspension travel and damping has also been tuned to cope with our local road conditions.

The point is, the BR-V doesn’t fare too poorly in ride comfort and handling.

Just don’t be too critical of its cabin materials – it’s made to a budget to keep prices low, but it’s also very resistant to abuses by toddlers, and our harsh sun.

Space is the BR-V’s forte, even in the third-row. Unless you have an above average height, it’s fairly acceptable to sit behind for journeys lasting an hour or two.

With the third row seats down, the boot swallows 539 litres of cargo - more than even the most spacious sedan priced under RM 100,000.

What makes the BR-V special is its flat folding middle and last row seats, allowing you pack a lot more Ikea flat packages inside than many other more expensive two-row seat SUVs.

The current facelifted BR-V benefits from an upgraded 7-inch touch screen infotainment with 6 speakers, tilt and telescopic steering wheel (rare for this segment), automatic air-conditioning, and engine push-start button.

Of course, the incoming second generation Honda BR-V will be a lot better in every way, but it’s also many months away, expected only in late-2022, if not early-2023.

For those who can’t wait that long, you can’t go wrong with the current generation BR-V.

Checks with Honda dealers also revealed that there are still some 2021 manufacturing year Honda BR-Vs, and there are now being offered with a RM 7k discount.