To start off our 2023 with a bang, the kind folks over at Honda Philippines graciously lent us a 2023 Honda BR-V and even invited us to a small gathering to not only learn more about the car, but also to unwind. Our several days with the car bore witness to new adventures that were definitely made possible by its versatility in everyday life.

As a car enthusiast, I can’t help but be enamored by my dream sports cars. Machines that are purpose-built to go fast, make history, and be displayed in a museum afterward. These often give up almost everything else in pursuit of sweet victory. However, it must be said that these vehicles aren’t the ones you’d love to drive everyday – especially if you could only have one vehicle for everything. This is where a do-it-all automobile like the all-new 2023 Honda BR-V comes in. It’s proof that just because someone has moved on to a more practical stage in life, doesn’t mean things have to be boring.

The first thing I noticed about the Honda BR-V was its styling. It’s definitely a far more attractive vehicle than the previous iteration. This is partly thanks to the more minimalistic, grown-up design philosophy that Honda is going for with their new models. Even the Civic Type R, the most juvenile car of the bunch, received this treatment. It’s quite sharp and Civic-esque; which is a good thing, given how much I loved that car.

Looking at its stance doesn’t scream “I’m a minivan.” It can even pass off as an SUV to the uninitiated. It sports a chunky, muscular design paired with 207mm of ground clearance that proportionally matches its length. The vehicle’s stance arches rather handsomely, also thanks to the installed 17-inch alloys on this midrange V variant. The brand also kept it simple with the trims here. There aren’t any appalling chrome bits since all of them are tastefully placed in the right locations. At the rear, there aren’t any horrendous fake exhaust vents either. Sometimes less is more.

Moving inside the cabin, it’s also a nice place to be. It’s not nearly as snazzy as the HR-V or the Civic but you get the idea that everything’s been well thought-out here. The essentials such as the gauges and all the buttons can easily be seen and toggled. The seats are compact yet plush, and occupants won’t run short of power outlets in this vehicle. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support are a given in this day and age.

Yes, these comforts also apply to the second-row and even third-row occupants. All passengers in this vehicle are treated to a generous amount of legroom and comfortable accommodations. We were able to fit a reasonably-sized male adult in the third row without many, if any complaints at all. The A/C vents located in the second row also blew out cold air which didn’t leave the occupants wanting more – despite test units not having any tint.

How’s it like to drive? To find out, I took the car all the way to the beaches of Batangas. You can see a compilation of the trip here.

To sum it all up, the 2023 Honda BR-V feels smaller than it actually is. That’s impressive – since no one wants to feel like they’re driving a bus. It’s nimble, accelerates at a relatively decent pace, and doesn’t feel clunky in the corners. It felt natural on the twisty mountain roads of Tagaytay and could keep up with virtually anything (following traffic rules, of course.)

Its 1.5-liter DOHC i-VTEC power plant producing 121 PS and 145 Nm of torque is enough to propel the CVT and the rest of the car forward. Overtaking other vehicles on the highway didn’t feel like a dangerous endeavor at all.

Since testing out the vehicle was the primary goal, there was no semblance of light-footedness to be found. Despite mashing the accelerator, the vehicle still averaged a stellar 13 km/l, admittedly a bit away from the figures projected by the AAP but the furthest thing from an eco drive anyway. The suspension setup also took unpaved terrain quite remarkably. Our coffee didn’t spill, which is a testament to both how “well-fitting” the cupholders are, as well as the vehicle’s gentle ride.

We arrived home from our trip with smiles on our faces, a memory that won’t be going away anytime soon. Taking the 2023 Honda BR-V to KATHA LIFESTYLE STORE & CAFE Cubao for candlemaking on a weekday was another endeavor entirely. It tested my patience in traffic but the vehicle’s comforts kept my head cool all throughout.

Upon arrival, I was greeted by our dear friends from Honda Philippines and other familiar faces from various outlets in Philippine media. Since I was a bit late, the instructor had already begun discussing the production of candles. It was a beginner class that was very educational and fun, thanks to the warmth and quips from everyone else in the room. Upon finishing the formation of our base candles, we were told to design them however we wanted, in a way that fit our preferences and tastes. Everyone ended up with different toppings and visual aesthetics.

As we all sat down and had a pleasant lunch at the legendary Bellini’s Italian Restaurant, I began reflecting on the relevance of the 2023 Honda BR-V in all these activities. And that’s when it hit me. This little vehicle does quite a bit of everything. For the family man, it can be a people-hauler with seven spacious seats ready to go anywhere. For businesses, it can be a reliable partner and service transport.

For cargo haulers, it has a lot of room with the seats folded down flat. And for those who are still single and living a more carefree life, it’s a handsome SUV when you need it to be and an MPV when you don’t.

Much like the candles before and after we had tinkered with them, it’s an amazing base for whatever you want it to be – fitting into your life like a glove. It is whatever you desire it to be.

While the time I spent with the 2023 Honda BR-V was just enough to get to know it better, I could already visualize how convenient ownership would be like. Want to materialize that? Here’s the price list:

• 2023 BR-V 1.5 S MT: PHP 1,090,000
• 2023 BR-V 1.5 S CVT: PHP 1,150,000
• 2023 BR-V 1.5 V CVT: PHP 1,295,000 *model in testing
• 2023 BR-V 1.5 VX CVT Honda SENSING: PHP 1,390,000

Curious about the specs and variants? Check out the official site here.