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Love thy auto box

Unlike luxury cars, small cars with automatic transmission are still a niche segment in India. And understandably so, because for small car buyers, the two main priorities are fuel efficiency and ownership cost, neither of which they get with an automatic.

A year after the Brio was launched, Honda has come up with its automatic version. Welcome cutie

Unlike luxury cars, small cars with automatic transmission are still a niche segment in India. And understandably so, because for small car buyers, the two main priorities are fuel efficiency and ownership cost, neither of which they get with an automatic. We do have small automatic options?notably Maruti Suzuki A-Star, Hyundai i10, Hyundai i20?but the numbers they sell are quite small. Although an auto box means driving convenience, they have never been able to attract cost-conscious Indian buyers.

The newest addition to the bandwagon is a cutie by Honda, the Brio, almost a year after it was launched in India. The Brio is a delightful city car; its dimensions ensure it is a breeze to operate in the tight urban environment. With the automatic, you are ensured of even more convenience. The car comes with a five-speed automatic transmission?a first in the segment. The auto box has a performs decent and its well-spaced-out gear ratios mean the box works well for both spirited acceleration as well as leisurely drive. The gearbox features as many as seven positions. Besides the regular ones like P (park), R (reverse), N (neutral) and D (drive), the Brio has an additional three gear positions in the form of D3, 2 and 1. In the D3 mode, the car only shifts until the third gear, this mode is useful when you need rapid acceleration at highway speeds or general driving and up-hill or down-hill driving; it starts off in first gear, and shifts to second and third depending on vehicle speed and accelerator pedal position. In the 2 mode, the car stays in second gear; this mode can be used for better traction on loose or slippery surfaces. In the 1 mode, the car stays in first gear; this mode works well for steep downhill driving.

The gearbox is similar to the one used in the City; only the gear ratios are slightly different and are more suited for the smaller car. Honda Brio AT is powered by a four-cylinder 1.2-litre i-VTEC engine, which delivers a maximum output of 88PS@6000rpm and a maximum torque of 109Nm@4500rpm.

Most buy an automatic for daily office commutes. For this, you don?t only need a good auto box but also a good driving position and ease of operation. The Brio AT doesn?t disappoint on any of these aspects. The driving position is good, controls are easy to operate and manoeuvrability is decent. The small turning radius of just 4.7 metre means the Brio AT is quite easy to manoeuvre in congested city environment and parking is a boon. On the highway, drive is relatively stress-free; at relaxed speeds, with almost minimal vibes from the engine and suspension, one can drive for miles on end without feeling tired. One does tend to miss the footrest for the left foot, though.

But an auto box also means that the car uses up relatively more fuel than its manual counterpart. According to Honda test data, the Brio AT returns a fuel economy of 16.5 kmpl, which is good for a car this size.

More convenience would also mean you will need to pay slightly more for the AT version, and though Honda hasn?t announced its price, expect to pay at least R25,000 more than the manual version. This, in our opinion, is a small price to pay for a much relaxed driving. Overall, the Brio AT is an attempt by Honda to make the ?loves you back car? love you more.

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First published on: 13-10-2012 at 02:23 IST
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