Honda has pulled the plug on its slow-selling midsize SUV, the BR-V, with the uptake of the more stringent BS6 emission norms. The BR-V was introduced in India in May 2016 as a rival to the Hyundai Creta and sought to carve a niche for itself with its crossover-like styling cues and seating for seven.
However, buyers found the BR-V too similar to its platform-mate, the Mobilio, and this MPV connect didn’t do it any favours in a market where SUVs are popular. Also, despite its practical cabin, the BR-V missed out on some essential features at the time of launch, and while Honda updated the model with more equipment, the SUV simply didn’t sell to potential.
Honda sold about 20,000 units of the BR-V in the 2017 financial year, though those numbers dried up to around 1,950 units in the outgoing financial year.
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While the BR-V did not do too well in India, it has been a popular choice for buyers in some international markets, with Honda having rolled out a facelift for the model last year.
Honda’s line-up in the Indian market now comprises the CR-V, Civic (both petrol-only models), Amaze, WR-V, Jazz and City — the last of which is due for a full-model change in the weeks to come. Honda is presently accepting bookings for the BS6-compliant WR-V, with the BS6-compliant Jazz expected to arrive soon.