Farewell Honda BR-V - discontinued after 6 years, Honda exits 7-seater segments
Arvind · Mar 20, 2023 10:00 AM
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After just 6 years, we bid farewell to the much-loved and successful Honda BR-V 7-seater MPV which will be discontinued in favour of the upcoming Honda WR-V in Q3 of this year.
At a recent media event, Executive Coordinator Mr Yujiro Sugino explained, “Basically, we see more potential in the SUV segment below the Honda HR-V, and that is why we chose to bring in the WR-V. It’s mainly due to prioritisation and that’s why we decided to discontinue the BR-V.”
With the culling of the Honda BR-V and Odyssey before it, Honda Malaysia also exits the 7-seater segment entirely and puts an end to longstanding speculation regarding the launch of the second-generation BR-V in Malaysia.
Though hugely popular when it was first launched, the BR-V discontinuation was mainly due to two main factors, the first being pricing. Inflationary pressures have contributed to a substantial rise in BR-V prices when launched in neighbouring Thailand and Indonesia, leading to estimated prices that would surpass RM 100k if it was launched in Malaysia.
The second-generation Honda BR-V has seen prices increases in both Thailand and Indonesia
The 2022 Honda BR-V is currently priced at RM 90.7k (E variant) and RM 97.7k (V variant), a stark increase from prices when first introduced in 2017, which ranged between RM 85k - RM 92.8k.
The final nail in the coffin is the newer competition that wasn’t there before. Priced between RM 62k and RM 75k, the Perodua Alza has a clear price advantage and already dominates the small 7-seater MPV market, alongside, the Mitsubishi Xpander has also managed to draw buyers away from the BR-V.
Though Honda Malaysia did not say when exactly the Honda BR-V will be discontinued, it is likely the BR-V will soldier on in the coming months, just prior to the launch of the Honda WR-V, slated in Q3 of this year.
Separately, Honda Malaysia rounded off a successful year in 2022, managing total sales 80,290 vehicles. Moving forward in 2023, Honda Malaysia targets total sales of 80,000 units, equating to 12.3 percent of Malaysia’s Total Industry Volume (TIV), up from 11.1 percent TIV in 2022.
Arvind can't remember a time when he didn't wheel around a HotWheels car. This love evolved into an interest in Tamiya and RC cars and finally the real deal 1:1 scale stuff. Passion finally lead to formal training in Mechanical Engineering. Instead of the bigger picture, he obsesses with the final drive ratio and spring rates of cars and spends the weekends wondering why a Perodua Myvi is so fast.
