In the small car melting pot marked by price wars , international players and their speculated models , there is a car-maker who , even despite a large base of aficionados , has not been able to make a mark in India’s all-important hatchback segment. At least not until now. Honda’s Jazz could not make the Indian buyers dance to its tune and the hitherto unshakeable City is facing immense competition from the likes of the Volkswagen Vento and new Hyundai Verna. It was imperative , therefore , that Honda's revisit to the hatch segment should be 'spirited' and 'vigorous' both in order to keep the till ringing and to make their presence felt in that segment. This , by the way , also happens to be the meaning of 'Brio'.

What Car?
Honda have developed the Brio hatchback specifically for Thailand and India. Although the Indian launch was originally scheduled for May 2011 , the recent catastrophe in Japan resulted in the programme getting delayed until the end of the year. Therefore , we decided to undertake a short trip to Thailand to get you the first world exclusive drive report of this much-awaited car. This is the Thai eco-car version – a cost-effective and fuel-efficient vehicle. Honda have used lightweight material to bring down the overall weight of the car , which has improved its power-to-weight ratio while making it very fuel-efficient. The Thai Brio is offered in two variants: S and V.

How Does It Look?
Although its small front grille with chrome inserts does resemble the Jazz and , to a certain extent , even the Civic , this new small car from Honda has fresh styling. The triangle seems to be the basic design theme , because it features a ‘double triangle’ form. It is 3 , 610 mm long , 1 , 680 mm wide and 1 , 485 mm high with a wheelbase of 2 , 345 mm and weighs about 950 kg. In India the Brio might be a little heavier , but that will not drastically affect its performance or its efficiency.

Instead of adding height to increase interior space , Honda lowered and widened the Brio to carve out more room , yet maintain its compact size. The centre pillar is placed further towards the front of the vehicle , so that ingress and egress are easier from the rear seats. Triangular tail-lights have circular red brake lights and the large all-glass boot makes the rear design distinct from other small cars sold in India. It also improves all-round visibility and would be a boon for Indian drivers , who have perforce to park their cars in tight spots.

What To Expect Inside
As in the Jazz , expect smart use of interior space and ample storage area. Honda designers have eliminated everything that occupies space without serving a purpose. The dashboard sports two colours (black and dark brown) and the glove box lid is in beige. Its layout is very basic , almost tilting towards 'bland'. It has basic knobs for the air-conditioning system , a two DIN audio system , USB and AUX , with front dual speakers (V version only) to keep the driver and occupants entertained. One visible cost-saving measure is one-piece head-rest integrated front seats.

The chunky steering gets our thumbs up on account of its sporty look. There are plenty of cubbyholes , cup holders and a place for mobile phones and other knick-knack. The instrument console follows the three-pod design , wherein the speedometer in the centre has a top speed of 180 kph. On its left is the tachometer and on the right the information pod with ECO light (that illuminates during fuel-efficient band) , warning for seat-belts , airbags , lights , door ajar , parking brake and ABS.

The Brio offers 175 litres of boot space , which is at par with the Chevy Beat and Maruti Alto , though the Hyundai Santro enjoys an advantage in this respect.

Under The Bonnet
The Thai Brio is equipped with Honda’s E20-friendly engine that meets Euro 4 standards. Under the bonnet is a 1.2-litre , four-cylinder i-VTEC engine , which also powers the Jazz in India. It even produces the same power and torque output of 90 PS and 110 Nm respectively. However , the question here is not 'how much' but 'how' and the following section will answer that. A five-speed manual transmission is available in both S and V versions; only the Brio V comes with a continuous variable transmission (CVT).

Other interesting features are electronic power steering (EPS) , collapsible rear seats , adjustable steering wheel , ECO indicator lamp , air-conditioning system , reminder alarms (for the hand-brake , key , headlights and seat-belts) , child lock system , WAVE key , immobiliser system and third LED stop light.

On The Go
It might be an entry-level car , but Honda have not compromised on the fun-to-drive quality of this car. Being 100 kg lighter than the current Jazz , the Brio obviously has power-to-weight advantage over the bigger hatch. The Brio's low roof and wide track improve its handling both in the straight line and round corners. The new CVT is good for city driving , but we doubt if it will be introduced in India. In the manual option , the gears are taller than in the Jazz. It is a welcome change for it makes for better driveability. The new Honda has a good mid-range and stronger bottom-end power , making it an engaging drive.

The sporty steering offers decent feedback and the ride quality is equally decent. The MacPherson strut front suspension and H-type torsion beam rear suspension have the typical Honda set-up , which is on the sporty side. A short wheelbase complements the short body , providing exceptional manoeuvrability and has a minimum turning radius of 4.5 metres.

Summing It Up
The Honda Brio can cause a stir in India’s burgeoning small car market , as it is a well packaged car that comes with Honda’s seal of reliability. It can surely help the Japanese auto major boost sales in India , provided Honda get the price right. But will they? Well , let's wait and watch.

UPDATED - Read more about the Brio HERE

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