Honda has launched this new budget city car in emerging markets as a rival for the Hyundai i10 and Suzuki Alto.
The five-door hatchback, called Brio, was first seen as a concept at the Delhi motor show in January 2010 and was shown in final production form at the Thailand show last November. Honda has now confirmed it will be equipped with an 89bhp 1.2-litre i-VTEC petrol engine sourced from the base Jazz that can be mated to either a five-speed manual or CVT transmission.
See pics of the new Honda Brio
The engine is of EuroIV emissions standard and delivers combined economy of 56.4mpg. The five-door hatch is smaller than Honda’s current baby, the Jazz, at 3.6m long and 1.68m wide.
Thailand is the first market to get the Brio and it will cost £8200. It will be equipped with two airbags and an Electronic Brake Distribution system as standard in Thailand and a version adapted for the Indian market will follow later in the year. Honda hopes to sell 40,000 Brio units per year in Thailand.
Honda has no plans to bring the Brio to Europe, let alone the UK. It is understood to have been built to a cost, and makes do without many of the airbag features that would be necessary for European crash tests.
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