The Japanese carmaker, Honda, has finally entered into the country's growing compact MPV segment by introducing its much-anticipated Honda Mobilio at the 2014 Indian Auto Expo. The vehicle was first unveiled at the 2013 Indonesian Motor Show, where it received an overwhelming response from the prospective buyers. It will be made available in both petrol and diesel guise. Based on the versatile Brio platform, the MPV will compete against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, Nissan Evalia and Chevrolet Enjoy.
The front facade of the Mobilio looks more muscular than the Amaze. It gets the thick horizontal slat chrome grille and round fog lamps. The vehicle gets an aggressive hood and its fog lamps come fitted in a matte black casing. The headlamps and other elements resembles Honda's compact sedan. The side profile is what distinguish it with its smaller siblings, as the prominent line of the second row positioned slightly lower and flows to the D-pillar. The Mobilio MPV features a large 15-inch wheels. It gets a larger 2650mm of wheelbase which is around 245mm longer than Amaze and the aerodynamic lines move towards the rear and finally end below the tail lamps. The rear is what completely distinguish it from the Amaze, as it gets a new set of taillamps cluster and wraparound appearance of the rear windscreen.
Honda Mobilio shares most of the interior components and styling with its sibling sedan. The vehicle features a dual-tone interior with good quality materials and top notch fit & finish. It gets the same three-spoke steering wheel, twin dials, music system and air conditioner. The second row is spacious and can accommodate three adults comfortably. Its large windows ensures a roomy feel. Moreover, the second row seats can slide back to offer more comfortable seating and can be pulled up to a certain extent. Like others, its third row offers a seat for two people. The vehicle offers a decent boot space while third row seats upright; it can carry a daily luggage bags and even a big suitcase with a couple of small bags.
Honda Mobilio carries over the same 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine producing 117bhp and the popular 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine that develops 98bhp of top power. When compared to its closest competitor Ertiga, it scores more on every department.
Source : CarDekho - Honda Mobilio detailed review - New Honda Mobilio MPV unveiled at 2014 Auto Expo