Comfy, safe and fun to drive

I have been fortunate enough to get a chance to test drive sedans, SUVs and pick-ups, among others. So, when the opportunity came, on another stormy day to test the All-New Honda Mobilio, it was with an eager heart that I said yes.

After all, when Honda Cars Philippines Inc. recently launched the all-new Mobilio, it boasted that this is its first seven-seater Multi-purpose Utility Vehicle (MUV).

At the launch, Honda revealed that it developed Mobilio as a response to the needs of people looking for an affordable vehicle that could take them and their loved ones to places — in comfort and safely. 

 “And with a clear grasp of the local culture, we believe that the All-New Mobilio fits the needs and expectations of the Filipino family in a vehicle. We are thrilled to be able to finally introduce it locally and see more smiles on the road in an All-New Mobilio,” said HCPI president and general manager, Toshio Kuwahara at the launch.

I got to the Honda office at BGC and picked up the Mobilio. Not having much time to tinker with the unit — I hopped into the driver’s seat, fixed it to what is most comfortable for me, started the engine and got going.

I always have the most fun as a driver when I am able to figure out all the knobs and switches in the cockpit at a moment’s notice. For me, this means that the easier it is to  get a feel for a vehicle, the easier it is to drive. And so it was with the Mobilio. Stormy clouds were hovering above and a strong downpour was about to break, so I didn’t have much time to figure out what started what. But in the Mobilio, easy was as easy goes.

MUST BE EASY

When I stopped for a short break and an early dinner at a resto on Jupiter St. in Makati, I finally got a good look at the Mobilio.

The first thing I noticed is that it looks like a “mom mobile” and station wagon. In my mind’s eye, I could imagine a mom picking up kids from school and taking them to their extracurricular activites — in ease and comfort. Of course, I also imagined how much fun my doggy companions Vodka and Dimitri would have taking a ride in this family MUV. 

The front or face of this MUV has a typical Honda family look, with bulbous headlamps and a big chrome bar at the center. The bumper is sleek and truly cool. In the Honda brochure, I read that the Mobilio sits on the same platform as the Honda Brio and Amaze but has an extended wheelbase.

Looking up, I noticed that the roof tapers slightly toward the end. And there is a D-pillar that gives it a sort of sedan look, which is good and makes the Mobilio look less bulky. I also aprreciated the fact that the rear windowsill has a dip, which gives it a bigger glass area. The Mobilio looks great from the rear with the hatch, which gives this MUV a look of class.

I stopped staring at the Mobilio, and headed for a warm dinner. Famished, I also used the time to wait for the heavy downpour to let up and the traffic to die down.

Dinner over, it was time to get back to the Mobilio.

WHAT’S INSIDE MATTERS

Before getting into the driver’s seat, I checked out what it feels like to sit in the the passenger seats. Honda says that the Mobilio design was based on the “Progressive Private Jetliner” concept, which offers modern and young styling, advanced technology, a spacious cabin, flexible seats and comfortable sedan-like ride that feels like sitting in a private jet.

Comfy, I said to myself, and roomy, too. I looked to the rear space and imagine how kids could load it with their school bags and so much more.

I got back into the driver’s seat and looked at the cockpit, which  features concentrated high-functional controls with silver trim to enhance driver satisfaction. The triple analog 3D meters easily show crucial information the driver needs at any given time and present it in a striking appearance. To supplement this, white and blue illuminated outlines are incorporated to give an advanced feel of the cockpit.

It does not eascape my notice that the cockpit is also equipped with a seven-inch touch screen audio unit with built-in navigation system powered by Garmin. The audio unit includes easy to operate features such as Emergency Hotline Button for sudden roadside needs, Bluetooth audio and hands-free telephone (HFT), CD/DVD drive, as well as USB and AUX ports.

Other musts which are standard to the safety of any Honda vehicle are the driver and passenger SRS airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Seat Belt Reminder, ISOFIX and Immobilizer.

TECH SPECS

The Mobilio’s dimensions were carefully studied and researched on to fit the needs of the market, such as length that would fit the average size of parking spaces in households and in shopping malls, a 5.2m turning radius for easy maneuverability and driving around the city, and a 189-mm ground clearance that provides a comfortable ride even on rough roads.

With the all-new Mobilio, Honda also reintroduces one of its sporty grades: the RS. RS is Honda’s sporty grade for everyday sport as it balances day-to-day utility with sportiness. The RS grade is among other Honda sport grades, Type R and Si. Honda’s RS or Road Sailing design is integrated in the top-of the-line variant.

The All-New Mobilio RS flaunts seven exclusively designed exterior parts, namely the front grille, front bumper, 15-inch alloy wheels, side sill garnish, tailgate spoiler, rear bumper with exhaust pipe finisher, and the RS emblem. With the RS design, a sportier and sophisticated character is presented in Honda’s first multi-purpose utility vehicle.

Under the hood is Honda’s 1.5 liter i-VTEC engine that delivers maximum power output of 120 ps at 6600 rpm and 145 NM of torque at 4600 rpm. The 1.5 liter i-VTEC engine is mated to either five-speed Manual Transmission or the new Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) developed under the Earth Dreams Technology to keep the balance between power and fuel efficiency.

And I must add here that, yes, the All-New Mobilio is an affordable MUV with prices like 1.5 E MT at P807,000; 1.5 V CVT at P877,000; 1.5 RS Navi CVT at P967,000 and the 1.5 RS Navi CVT (White Orchid Pearl) at P987,000.

Honda has also added its Modulo packages for drivers who like to personalize their vehicles. The Utility Package 1 includes genuine Modulo door visor, trunk tray, body cover, seat back utility box and seat back holder. Meanwhile, the Utility Package 2 includes genuine door visor, cargo storage, seat back holder, angle adjustment kit, tablet holder and step side garnish. The special Modulo packages are sold separately.

It was getting late, and I had plans to wake up at the break of dawn to take the Mobilio on a drive out of town the next day. Traffic had died down and the rain was now merely a drizzle.

After starting the Mobilio’s engine, I felt this MUV purr down EDSA. Excitement again filled my bones — any ride or drive on the Mobilio is sure to be as fun as it is safe and comfy.

Drive on.