Honda Malaysia plans for 2023: 4 new models incoming, BR-V discontinued...

It has been confirmed that the Honda BR-V will be discontinued as Honda shifts its strategy to compete in the compact SUV segment.

We're pretty sure there are a lot of Honda BR-V fans waiting for the arrival of the next-generation compact 7-seater, but there's some bad news for those who are eagerly anticipating, as Honda Malaysia will not introduce that model here.

With launches in neighbouring countries like Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand all lining up like a game of Dominoes, of course many Malaysians could assume that we would be next in line to get the popular 2nd-gen 7-seater.

But at Honda's recent media night, they sadly announced that they will discontinue the BR-V lineup locally, and have even removed it from their official website.

Honda Malaysia did not give an official answer to why they are stopping the sale of the popular 7-seater in Malaysia, but it's safe to assume that with good choices in the same category like the Perodua Alza, Toyota Veloz and Mitsubishi Xpander cramping the segment, Honda Malaysia probably thought it's best to leave it to them.

Instead, Honda Malaysia will shift its strategy to compete in the compact SUV segment by fighting the Perodua Ativa with its brand new model, the 2nd-Gen Honda WR-V. This is a good move by Honda Malaysia, as they'll be one of the first ones to offer a different choice in the segment.

With dimensions of 4,060mm (long), 1,780mm (wide), and 1,608mm (tall), the latest compact SUV from Honda is slightly shorter and lower but wider compared to the Perodua Ativa.

The funky crossover is powered by a 1.5-litre DOHC i-VTEC engine that produces 121ps at 6,600rpm and 145Nm of torque at 4,300rpm, mated to a CVT transmission.

Apart from the introduction of the Honda WR-V in 2023, Honda Malaysia also plans to launch three other new vehicles this year, including the FL5 Honda Civic Type R. Joining the Type R this year will be the 6th-gen Honda CR-V which has been seen testing locally recently and the facelift Honda City which was unveiled recently in India. 

Sad that the new-gen Honda BR-V won't be coming? Let us know your thoughts in the comment.