So you guys should know about the upcoming 2019 Honda BR-V facelift, it’s already leaked by several local news outlet. No pictures yet, but the leaks described something about keyless entry, revised front and rear design, bigger wheels, and praise God, no more door molding. Well, I have seen the picture, but not going to put it here, I have to protect my source. Anyway, I’m satisfied with it… Satisfied, but not ecstatic.

Honda design has always followed a creed, understated elegance. Never too flashy, never too out there and the facelifted BR-V followed suit. On the Prestige trim, from the front, there’s a new daytime running light, looks like LED, quite bright, but got to be careful with DRL term, Honda used it quite loosely. The huge chrome moustache has been toned down with a black grille stealing the focus, but the chrome treatment is still a prominent feature on the lower end trim. Again, the refresh follows the understated elegance. It’s definitely not Mitsubishi Expander/Nissan Livina duo LOOK AT MY UNIQUE TWO-TIER HEAD LAMP look.

The stop gap refresh Honda Indonesia pulled last year was off to a cold start. Personally, I don’t like it. Honda added side molding/bumper on the doors of the BR-V. According to my source because “according to research”, people wanted a more rugged look for the BR-V. Well, that research is wrong. Many SUVs with better off-roading pedigree doesn’t even have that big of a door molding it just makes the car very pretentious looking. Just looked at serious off-roading vehicles, the Jeeps, the Land Rovers, those gargantuan American trucks, NONE have a tacky looking door molding.

Engine wise, it still carries the L15A, Naturally Aspirated 1500cc i-VTEC engine, the old trusty workhorse. No issue there, but I was hoping for for the P10 engine, the turbocharged 1000cc i-VTEC engine. Yes it’s a three cylinder, but with 129PS at 5500 RPM and 200 Nm of torque at 2250 RPM, it’s more than adequate to scuttle the BR-V easily. My reasoning is simply to bring the BR-V inline with CR-V (turbo engine option), and to simply keep Honda at the forefront of engineering.

I do like the 2019 BR-V refresh look. It’s not going to rock my world or anything, but if any, my beliefs in Honda products is second to none… And since in the budget I can choose either Mobilio or BR-V, most likely I’ll go for the BR-V.