2020 Honda Brio V Review | Philkotse Philippines

2020 Honda Brio Philippines Review: Crowd pleaser

Among the challenges when you’re working in Metro Manila is the lack of efficient public transportation as well as the ridiculous traffic situation.

As such, people in Metro Manila started looking for alternative ways on how to reach their destination comfortably and efficiently.

Car brands in the Philippines sort of saw the urgent need of providing an alternative mode of mobility for Filipino consumers. In response, local car brands started to offer subcompact hatchbacks or what we can call as small city cars.

The Honda Brio is arguably one of the best-looking subcompact hatchbacks

Subcompact hatchbacks are vehicles made for the urban jungle warriors. With their diminutive dimension, efficient engine, and attractive price tags, subcompact hatchbacks became one of the popular vehicles in the local market, specifically in Metro Manila.

Among the many subcompact hatchbacks in the market today, the Honda Brio is arguably one of the sought after model. It has a good looking exterior, a decent interior, and a reliable 1.2-liter gasoline engine, which makes it stand out from the competition.

But does the Brio ticks all the box for us to say that it’s a car for the urban jungle warriors? To answer that, Honda Cars Philippines gave us the keys to the 2020 Brio V variant.

2020 Honda Brio Philippines: Exterior Review

At first glance, the 2020 Honda Brio looks more appealing without question as compared to its predecessor. We were not sold on the old Brio’s exterior design because it looks like a bug that seems to be lost in space. The 2020 Brio’s design makes up for the less imposing look of its predecessor

It is now bolder, more aggressive, and more sure-footed, which can almost make anyone fall for its looks. In fact, we think that the current Brio is the best-looking subcompact hatchback in the market today. And we’re not even talking about the RS version of the Brio.

What we like most about the Brio’s fascia is the sweptback headlights, which gives the vehicle a confident stance. The black honeycomb shape grille complements to the Brio’s overall look, especially with the yellow exterior paint.

Also, the angular bumpers with foglights give muscle to the new Honda Brio. Overall, the front end of the 2020 Brio V variant shares similarities to its larger sibling, which is the Mobilio.

The current Honda Brio looks way better than its predecessor

The only thing that’s a bit off for us is the Brio V’s chrome accent on the grille. We wish that Honda fitted it with the same grille accent as seen on the Brio RS variant. The Japanese automaker could have also opted to put a matte black grille accent.

The Honda Brio sits on a set of 14-inch wheels

Moving on to its side, the Honda Brio exterior continues to be a good looking subcompact hatchback. The sharp character lines give the car enough swag. It also has a subtle roof spoiler that makes this hatchback look sporty.

The Brio is finished off with a set of 14-inch wheels. As a whole, the Brio’s side is simple yet distinctive. The design is not over the top but it isn’t lacking style points as well.

The Honda Brio is a crowd-pleaser

The rear, which gets a similar design cue from the Brio’s side, has a simple yet distinctive design. It has wraparound C-shaped taillights, as well as a bulky bumper that comes with an angular design.

You can also see the roof spoiler we’re talking about earlier, which gives this Brio a sporty appeal. The rear design of the Brio is kept simple but its simplicity is what makes it stand out.

Overall, 2020 Honda Brio exterior is a crowd-pleaser and it could almost make anyone fell for its looks. The best asset of this car is still its fascia, while the rear and the side complements to the Brio’s overall confident stance. Honda certainly made sure that the Brio will have a better look as compared to its predecessor.

2020 Honda Brio Philippines: Interior Review

Stepping inside the cabin, this Brio comes with a black interior theme along with splashes of silver and gloss black accents. The layout is straightforward and would easily make anyone comfortable once inside. What we like about this 2020 Honda Brio interior is that its dashboard shares similarities to other cars in Honda’s lineup. To be exact, the Brio’s dash looks similar and the same with the ones you see in the seven-seater BR-V.

Simple and straightforward interior layout

Honda did a great job on this aspect because you’re not short-handed even though you’re driving the smallest car in its model lineup.

The Brio also has good forward visibility. However, you have to take note that the interior is filled with hard plastics, which is expected with cars at this price point. It also comes with a three-spoke urethane steering wheel with audio controls.

Rear leg- and head-roomare enough for up to two individuals

In terms of seating capacity, the Honda Brio 2020 can comfortably accommodate four individuals including the driver. You can fit up to five people inside it but it will be a tight squeeze at the rear, not unless the fifth passenger is a toddler.

Rear legroom and headroom are enough for up to two individuals who stand 5’ 5” up to 5’ 8”. In case you’re wondering, the Brio comes with fabric seats.

Brio's cargo space

Cargo space when the rear seat is not folded is okay and you can easily fit a piece of medium-sized luggage at the back. It can also fit three to four overnight bags, two large gym bags, or a case of empty beers.

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2020 Honda Brio Philippines: Technology Review

The Brio’s 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system comes with Bluetooth pairing. It’s easy to connect your phone to the Brio’s infotainment system, and the touchscreen is responsive at every touch.

The touchscreen infotainment system also comes with decent display icons. On the other hand, the sound quality of the Brio’s four speakers is good but not noteworthy, which is fine since this car is not meant to come with that feature anyway.

It's easy to connect your phone to its infotainment system

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2020 Honda Brio Philippines: Safety Review

This Brio comes with safety features such as anti-lock braking system, driver and passenger airbags, and immobilizer. Of note, it also comes with speed-sensing door locks, which is a useful feature for those who have a habit of forgetting to lock the car’s doors while on the road. It is also equipped with front disc brakes, and drums at the rear.

2020 Honda Brio Philippines: Engine and Performance

Under the hood, the Brio V is powered by a 1.2-liter gasoline engine that delivers 89 hp and 110 Nm of torque. It is connected to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The Brio’s engine is capable when we drove it around the city. The 1.2-liter engine is adequate and gives enough power to tackle the urban jungle. The normal drive mode of the Brio could make your drives a bit less exciting but in turn more fuel-efficient.

Brio's 1.2-litergives enough power to tackle the urban jungle

When you engage it to “D”, the Brio is relaxed and shifts at around the 2,000rpm mark, which is natural when you want to maximize your fuel. On the other hand, the Brio comes to life when you put it in “S” or sport mode. It shifts at a higher rpm, around 3,000, and power delivery is more accurate and on tap when you step on the accelerator. This gives you confidence whenever you need to overtake slower vehicles.

Look at that fascia

The Brio’s steering is light and responsive as it points to the direction you want to go. The light steering feel of this vehicle is also an advantage in tackling the tight streets of Metro Manila. It can also absorb the urban jungle’s dilapidated roads within reason.

The Brio can also drive through steep incline streets without a problem, which gives you an idea that this subcompact can take on the roads going to Tagaytay or even Baguio.

However, the Brio could have better sound insulation as outside noise can significantly be heard while you’re inside the cabin. But, then again, you have to consider the price point of this car. In terms of fuel economy, this Brio registered 8 km/l while driving at an average speed of 30 km/h around the city. On the other hand, the Brio’s fuel eco posted 14.2 km/l while driving at an average speed of 50 km/h in EDSA.

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2020 Honda Brio Philippines Review: Conclusion

The 2020 Honda Brio is one of the best subcompact hatchbacks in the local market today. Priced at Php 658,000, this mid-spec Brio V variant is the bang for the buck among all the Brio variants. Why so? Well, the exterior design of this variant is already stylish and it is already integrated with essential interior features. It also has the same engine that’s fitted to the RS variant, priced at Php 730,000.

>>> Related: Which Honda Brio variant should you buy?

The Honda Brio is a car for the urban jungle warriors

Overall, the Brio’s size and engine power suit well for Metro Manila roads and traffic conditions. This Brio can also be a weekend road trip car as that you can take up to the mountains or the music festivals up north. As such, the Brio ticks all the boxes for it to be a car for the urban jungle warriors.

2020 Honda Brio Philippines: Price and Variants

Honda Brio Price Philippines

>>> View all Honda Brio for sale in the Philippines

2020 Honda Brio Philippines: Specsheet

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