Age of Mobilio: Sneak peek at Honda’s sub-P1M MPV

The Mobilio shares the friendly look of the Brio, with bug-eyed headlamps flanking a small grille.

MANILA, Philippines–Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) is running faster than the company’s Formula One team these days. Not content at having launched the country’s best MPV, the all-new Odyssey, HCPI has launched a second, cheaper minivan that aims squarely at the heart of the market, where the Toyota Innova reigns supreme.

What it is: The Mobilio is a seven-seat vehicle billed as Honda’s multipurpose utility vehicle. Honda aims to surpass other MPVs with better value and more features, as well as a sportier design and driving feel.

Design: Honda’s design target was a “Progressive Private Jetliner” with modern styling, spacious cabin and comfortable sedan-like ride. The front looks similar to the new Honda Brio, and indeed the two reportedly share a platform. It is certainly not a boxy MPV.

The Mobilio shares the friendly look of the Brio, with bug-eyed headlamps flanking a small grille. The side features tall glass that follows a lightning bolt beltline, similar to that on the previous Odyssey. The lightning bolt design allows the second and third row to have larger windows.

The rear pillar is partially blacked out to achieve a floating roof effect. A roof spoiler and a hatch that opens all the way to the bottom of the bumper are the main styling points at the rear.

Mobilio measures 4,386 millimeters long, 1,683 mm wide, and 1,603 mm tall—quite small compared to the 4,830 mm x 1,820 mm Odyssey. It’s also smaller than the Innova, which measures 4,585 mm long and 1,775 mm wide.

It does have a long wheelbase relative to its overall length, at 2,652 mm, compared to the Odyssey’s 2,900 mm and Innova’s 2,750 mm.

At the center is a 7-inch touchscreen audio unit with navigation provided by one of the best systems, Garmin.

Honda unabashedly brands the top Mobilio variant as an RS, which stands for “road sailing.” RS is a sporting variant in line with the Si and Type R branding.

The Mobilio RS gets a different front grille and bumper, different rear bumper, distinct 15-inch alloys, side sill garnish, rear spoiler and tailpipe finisher.

Engine and transmission: Mobilio is powered by a 1.5-liter iVTEC engine. The inline-four-cylinder engine produces  118.36 HP and 145 Nm. Transmission choices are a five-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission.

A CVT eliminates shift shock and can help keep the engine at its most efficient speed, benefiting both performance and fuel efficiency.

Interior: Honda promises “prime comfort” for the Mobilio, following its “Man Maximum, Machine  Minimum” standard. The second row bench seat can split 60:40, and can recline, fold and tumble, as well as slide forward 90 mm for easier access to the third row. The third row splits 50:50 and can fold and tumble to increase cargo area.

In front of the driver are triple analog meters with white and blue illumination. Silver trim enhances the cabin appearance. At the center is a 7-inch touchscreen audio unit with navigation provided by one of the best systems, Garmin.

A roof spoiler and a hatch that opens all the way to the bottom of the bumper are the main styling points at the rear.

The head unit features Bluetooth audio and phone connectivity, CD/DVD drive for the older folks, and USB and Aux ports. A bigger 2-DIN unit with similar connectivity features is in the V variant.

Safety features: The Mobilio comes with antilock braking (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), seatbelt reminder, Isofix child seat mounting and dual SRS airbags.

Pricing and colors: With the Odyssey occupying the premium end of the market at about P2.3 million, the Mobilio slots in way below, with a base price of around P800,000, and all models below P1 million. The variants are: 1.5 E MT, P807,000; 1.5 V CVT, P877,000; 1.5 RS Navi CVT, P967,000; and 1.5 RS Navi CVT, white orchid pearl, P987,000.

The all-new Mobilio is offered in five colors: alabaster silver metallic (all variants), taffeta white (V CVT and E MT), crystal black pearl (RS Navi CVT and V CVT), sunset orange (exclusive to RS Navi CVT only), and white orchid pearl (exclusive to RS Navi CVT only).

Utility Modulo packages are available. Utility package 1 includes Modulo door visor, trunk tray, body cover, seat back utility box, and seat back holder. Utility package 2 includes genuine door visor, cargo storage, seat back holder, angle adjustment kit, table holder and step side garnish.

With the Mobilio, Honda Philippines provides what could be the ultimate dream car for the Filipino consumer: a safer, sportier seven-seater family vehicle that’s still relatively  affordable.

Here’s the full press release from Honda.