Owner Review: Even at 180km/h, still handles like a breeze - 2017 Honda BR-V 1.5 V Spec with Modulo Bodykit

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Basic information

2017 Honda BR-V 1.5 V Spec with Modulo Bodykit

Reasons why I bought this car

It was the year 2017 and my dad just had a Honda HR-V as his daily driver. My mom, on the other hand, wanted an update too from her 3-year-old black Perodua Alza. Besides that, she also wants her car to match the colour of the HR-V which was at the time painted with the Modern Steel Metallic colour, also known as silver. She said the black Perodua Alza didn’t suit her eyes seeing it everyday parking beside the HR-V. The Honda BR-V became the perfect practical 7-seater and a worthy update from her Alza.

Car selection process

• I had a budget of RM 60000 - RM 90000
• Models that I have considered include: Nissan X-trail , Proton Ertiga

We were waiting for an All-new Perodua Alza, not just a facelift, but a new generation model because it has been years since the current Alza was introduced. Fast forward to last quarter of 2017, there was no news whatsoever about a 2nd generation Alza and that made us look in the market from another manufacturer. We surveyed a lot of other cars including the Nissan X-Trail and Proton Ertiga because our main choosing point is a 7-seater car. 

User experience

• I have already done 55587 km.

I still remember the day we parked our black Alza right next to our new, fresh, straight from the factory Honda BR-V in the Modern Steel Metallic colour. It looked sharp, rough and really athletic compared to the Alza’s rounded and subtle edges. I was lucky to capture a pic of the BR-V and the Alza side by side which my parents forgot to do.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Spacious 7-seater with ample room for the third row and boot
• Powerful engine and acceleration (A step up from the Alza)
• Looks updated and stylish in the year 2017 and until now too! (The facelift BR-V looks even awesome). - S mode/gear thrills!

Cons

• Daytime Running Lights are a nice touch to the front fascia but LED Headlight would be a nice thing to have over the halogens
• The head unit is really dull, and only supports bluetooth and USB playback.
• No armrest makes the interior look cheap (We had to buy an aftermarket one)

Ratings

Total Score: 5
Performance: 5
Quality & Features: 4
Space: 5
Ride Comfort: 3
Fuel Economy: 4
Price & Cost: 4

Summary

The Honda BR-V is absolutely a car to consider and it really grabbed our attention when we looked in the market for a 7-seater car. In 2017, it was relatively new as the BR-V was a newly introduced model and had similar underpinnings with the Honda City, except the size and number of seats. Also, with the hassle-free experience my dad had with the HR-V, it made the BR-V a solid choice for us to consider and choose. Fuel consumption is really good as the BR-V has auto Eco mode and reduces fuel consumption adapting to the corresponding driving conditions. Warning though, the S mode, also known as sports mode, can be a bit tempting. Shifting into S mode lowers gears and revs up RPM resulting powerful acceleration at your disposal. Thank you Honda for producing the BR-V which our family has been living with for about 3 years now without no major problems.

Lastly, is there anything to add?

We received our Honda BR-V on the 2nd of November 2017, and the next day, we went straight for a long trip to Zenith Hotel, Kuantan. 
The engine break in period wasn’t a problem because we drove casually around the 100-120km/hr mark. But that didn’t stop my dad from shifting into S mode. Overtaking vehicles, was a breeze, I could say, but we had to adapt our ears to the high note of the revving engine. Back to 2020. Recently we had to rush from Malacca to Puchong and we noticed the speedometer needle showing 180km/hr. Wind noise was quite loud but surprisingly the BR-V handled very well at that high speed. 
Lastly, we had to go a tyre change a year ago, and with the new Continental UC6 rubber, my dad chose 205/60/16 which increased the width just a little. It now looks more proportionate because the old 195/60/16 factory tyres made the BR-V look like it had small feet.