Honda has revealed sketches of its Brio based MPV in Indonesia. The Japanese automaker plans to introduce the vehicle as an LMPV (Low Multi-Purpose Vehicle) and will feature a lower roofline on an elongated wheelbase. The car will make its international debut at this year’s Indonesian Moto Show and is expected to be on sale in India by mid-2014.
Dubbed the 2NH, the car follows a more aggressive design style as compared to the other cars built on the same platform. The seven seater’s sketch features sharp crease on the door panels and sharp wedge shaped window lines.
The front of the car resembles, the Amaze and the Brio while the rear sports a spoiler and split tail lamps. The front and rear bumpers too highlight the aggressive styling with sharp features. It is not certain whether all of these design cues will be implemented to the production model, but the low roofline will most likely make it to the final product.
The power plants for the car will possibly feature the 1.5-litre turbo diesel that powers the Amaze. The petrol variant though may be powered by either the 1.2-litre motor found in the Brio and the Amaze or an updated version of the 1.5-litre petrol powering the Honda City. Though, it must be noted that a 1.5-litre engine will mean that the car might not fit the sub-four meter constraint which will increase its price bracket in India.
It is possible that the car might be introduced with a slightly shorter wheelbase to fit it into the lower tax bracket and hence may get the 1.2-litre petrol engine in an increased state of tune. When introduced the MPV is expected to give the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the Chevrolet Enjoy tough competition as the MPV segment in India is one that is attracting a number of customers due to its enhanced practicality.
