CarWale Buying Guide: Honda Mobilio

Introduction

The Honda Brio is a practical runabout that offers youthful quirk and manoeuvrability easier than that of a shopping cart. Unfortunately, the Brio never really caught on and Honda had to resort to experimenting with different body styles based on the hatchback. What eventually followed were the Amaze and the Mobilio and it’s the latter that has left us all really impressed here at CarWale, thanks to its practical cabin and a powerful yet fuel efficient diesel engine.

Why I'd buy it

The Mobilio is all about function over form and weirdly enough, it’s why I would buy it. Honda may market this car as a mid-size MPV but the way I see it, the Mobilio mimics a typical station wagon, with its low stance, huge rear overhang and a long footprint. As a result, the cabin of the Mobilio is an immensely practical place to be in. Having used it as a makeshift moving van, the cabin managed to swallow far more than what I expected, especially with the second and third row of seats folded down. Big suitcases, stacks of boxes, carry bags and more could be jammed in here with little regard for Tetris-like arrangement.

For what it is, the Mobilio drives surprisingly well too. I’d even like to call it a good handler given that the steering has more feel to it than the one in the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and direction changes are better controlled too.

Finally, it’s the strong diesel motor that does the trick for me. This 1.5-litre i-DTEC engine is not only highly fuel efficient but a good performer too.

Why I'd avoid it

While there’s a lot to like in the Mobilio, there are a few things I’d like to nit-pick. For starters, there’s the old-school layout of the dashboard and the lack of that feel-good factor. Also, I’m still wondering why Honda chose to opt for a touchscreen infotainment system that takes an absolute age to come to life.

I would also like to point out that Honda’s 1.5-litre i-DTEC unit isn’t the most refined of small capacity diesel engines. And by no means it’s a reason big enough to avoid the Mobilio; the typical diesel drone is evident pretty much the entire time you’re behind the wheel of the Mobilio.

My favourite version

The Mobilio isn’t particularly feature-rich for its size which means the safest bet would be to go for the top-of-the-line V spec version – something I’d do if I were to buy this car. In this spec, the Mobilio gets ABS, dual airbags, touchscreen infotainment system, rear camera, alloy wheels and steering mounted audio controls. That being said, none of the versions get climate control or parking sensors – features that we have come to expect in a car of this segment.