Honda has launched the all-new 2022 BR-V. Philippine debut soon?

The Philippine market loves its seven-seaters. Whether it's an MPV, an SUV, or a crossover, if it has an extra row of seats, Pinoys will buy it more often than not. That's exactly the case for the Honda BR-V. First launched here in 2016, the first-generation BR-V quickly became one of the company's best-sellers in the country. It was also a sales success in neighboring countries such as Thailand and Indonesia.

With its success established, Honda developed a second-generation model. It was first previewed as the N7X concept and was shown in Indonesia back in May of this year. While it didn't say BR-V on the plate, the N7X essentially served as the sneak peek of the production BR-V. The prototype's designed appeared bolder and more mature than the soon to be outgoing first-gen BR-V.

Months after the concept was displayed, Honda has finally pulled the covers of the road-going second-gen BR-V. What you see here is what you can mostly expect to be in local showrooms in the future. For now, there is no Philippine launch date set, but the Indonesia-spec model shows what the redesigned MPV can offer.

When it comes to the exterior, little changed from the concept to production. It almost seems that the showroom version is simply the concept with less LED lights and smaller wheels. That's no bad thing by all means. It just shows how faithful Honda is to their concept models.

At the front, it gets a much larger and bolder grille along with more prominent headlights. Honda cleaned up the sides of the new BR-V with straighter character lines. However, it also loses the distinctive window kink at the rear doors. As for the rear, it's identical to the N7X concept, right down to the tail lights. The tailgate does retain the low license plate mounting point from the previous generation. And for those worried about heading to flood-prone areas, the new BR-V has 220 mm of ground clearance, much higher than before.

Inside, the MPV gets a totally redesigned dashboard and instrument panel. It also gets a much clearer 4.2-inch multi-information display in the cluster. For added comfort, the BR-V now comes with arm rests for both first and second-row passengers. A 7.0-inch touchscreen then takes center stage on the dashboard. As this is an MPV/Crossover, it has loads of storage pockets and bins. It even has eight cupholders, along with charging ports at the front and the back. Also, the third-row seats now fold flat, maximizing cargo area efficiency.

For the Indonesia-spec models at least, the BR-V is powered by a 1.5-liter, i-VTEC engine. It has dual overhead cams (DOHC) and is Euro IV Compliant. Power is rated at 121 hp and 145 Nm of torque, much like the Honda City sedan and hatchback. Gearbox options include a six-speed manual or CVT (continuously variable transmission).

The Indonesian version even comes standard with Honda Sensing, the company's active safety package. Aside from the usual anti-lock brakes and stability control, it has other features that can help prevent an accident in the first place. It includes Lane Departure Warning, Collision Mitigation Brake System, Lane Keeping Assist System, Road Departure Mitigation, Auto-High Beam, and even Adaptive Cruise Control. It should be interesting to see if the local versions will have those features standard, at least for the higher trim levels.

With that, it might not be long before the local launch of the all-new Honda BR-V. But for now, the current model is still for sale with lots available in the used car market. Automart.PH occasionally has BR-V units ready for your viewing. You can also check out the other Hondas and used cars we have in stock. Simply head to our website and browse away.