New seven-seat Honda SUV revealed

Honda has staged the world debut of an all-new seven-seat crossover dubbed the BR-V in Indonesia, but the tiny three-row SUV is aimed primarily at emerging Asian markets.

Instead, in the absence of the long-gone MDX, Honda Australia is keen to get its hands on a larger seven-seat SUV to position alongside the Odyssey people-mover, and its answer will be a three-row version of the next-generation CR-V due within two years, as we reported exclusively in June.

The seven-seater based on the CR-V will not only rival large SUVs like the top-selling Toyota Kluger, Ford Territory, Holden Captiva 7, Hyundai Santa Fe and Nissan Pathfinder, but three-row mid-sizers like the Nissan X-TRAIL and Mitsubishi Outlander.

Based on the Brio city-car sold in markets such as Indonesia and India, the BR-V seen here for the first time is much smaller than the mid-size CR-V and even the small HR-V, and is therefore not on Honda Australia's radar.

"It's a nice little SUV but there's no plan for Australia," said Honda Australia director Stephen Collins. "The BR-V is mainly for emerging markets in Asia," he confirmed.

First official teaser sketches of the BR-V were released in late June and few fresh details and only a single image accompanied its reveal at yesterday's GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show opening in Tangerang.

Although the car shown was dubbed as a prototype, the BR-V is now available to order in Indonesia, where it will enter production for the local market and other countries at PT Honda Prospect Motor's Karawang factory in January 2016.

"Honda started business in Indonesia in 1971, and the importance of this country for Honda's auto business has been increasing year by year," said Honda Motor Co's COO of Regional Operation (Asia and Oceania), Noriaki Abe, during the BR-V's presentation.

"With the all-new seven-seat BR-V and the rest of the Honda line-up, we will continue to offer exciting products and the joy of driving to our customers in Indonesia."

Powering its front wheels with a 90kW/145Nm 1.5 litre i-VTEC four-cylinder petrol engine, the BR-V was developed by Honda R&D Asia Pacific in Thailand and will be available in Asian markets with six-speed manual and CVT automatic transmissions.

Honda says standard features will include VSA stability control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, hill-start assist, twin front airbags, 16-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, C-shaped LED tail-lights, Multi-Information Display and second-row air-conditioning.

It claims the BR-V, which stands for 'Bold Runabout Vehicle', offers a "class-leading spacious and comfortable cabin with additional knee room and head room".