2016 Honda Brio facelift to be launched in India by end of this year: Report

Japanese car-maker Honda unveiled a facelifted version of the Brio at Indonesia International Motor Show April 7. Latest reports indicate the facelift will arrive in India by the end of the year, most probably in the festive season.

A report in Overdrive says the Brio facelift is in the pipeline for India. Brio is the most affordable car of Honda Cars India launched in 2011. The entry-level hatchback continues to be without any change on the exterior for almost five years. In 2015, Honda launched the VX trim with all-black upholstery and a touscreen audio-visual unit.

The 2016 Brio facelift is a nip-and-tuck. The front fascia features a redesigned bumper that is more aggressive. The new grille has been draped in black in line with overall sporty touches. The side profile and the rear remain largely unchanged, except a thick chrome bar between tail lamps. The 14-inch alloy wheels in new design are also part of the new Brio.

One of the major criticisms on the Brio is the aged dashboard. The new version comes with an all new dashboard inspired from the BR-V SUV which is modern and contemporary. Additional features in the new Brio are a new audio system, a steering-mounted audio button, side under-spoilers, LED high-mount stop lamps, projector headlamps and ABS for the RS version. The RS variant also gets a 6.2-inch touchscreen infotainment unit

The facelift will be sold with the same i-VTEC 1.2-litre engine as the older version, which produces maximum power of 89bhp at 6,000 rpm and maximum torque of 110Nm at 4,800rpm. The Brio is available with either five-speed manual or CVT transmission.