Flyweight feud: Suzuki S-Presso AGS vs. Honda Brio V CVT

The S-Presso is one of the more popular compact hatchbacks offered by the local arm of the Japanese automotive brand Suzuki. It ticks the right boxes for many car buyers thanks to its impressive ground clearance and surprisingly generous cabin.

Giving it a warm welcome is the segment staple known for its fun-to-drive character and sporty demeanor — the Honda Brio.

Today, we’re taking a look at how these two nameplates stack up against each other to find out which of the two would best suit your budget, style, and motoring needs. Join us in this flyweight feud.

Weigh-in

The Suzuki S-Presso measures 3,565 millimeters (mm) long, 1,520mm wide, and 1,657mm tall. It has a wheelbase of 2,380mm and a minimum ground clearance of 180mm.

Meanwhile, the Honda Brio has an overall length of 3,811mm, an overall width of 1,628mm, and an overall height of 1,482mm. Its wheelbase stretches to 2,405mm while it clears the ground by 137mm.

At a glance, the Suzuki S-Presso is taller than its opponent with a higher ground clearance, which makes it a better pick for those plying roads laden with potholes and expect to go through mildly flooded areas.

However, the low-lying stance of the Honda Brio gives it better balance, especially during fast-paced driving situations. It’s also longer and wider, contributing to its stability while on the road.

Exterior

The Auto Gear Shift (AGS) variant of the Suzuki S-Presso wears exterior appointments befitting its character. At the fore, it wears a five-slot grille — reminiscent of the iconic fascia worn by the Jimny. The said feature is flanked by halogen multi-reflector headlamps. Below is a decent-sized vent for cooling the relatively compact components under the hatchback’s hood.

Its side profile is highlighted by sport utility vehicle-inspired claddings under its doors as well as blacked-out B-pillars. It gets a body-colored door handle and side mirrors as well as fender-mounted side mirrors.

The Suzuki S-Presso rides on 14-inch alloy wheels.

At the back, the mini rig wears a small roof-mounted spoiler, a pair of C-shaped taillamps with integrated turn signals, a manual and key-operated tailgate, and reflectors on the bottom part of the rear end. There’s also a large black rear bumper, which gives the Suzuki S-Presso a more rugged look.

On the other hand, the front-end Honda Brio V CVT gets a honeycomb grille adorned by a chrome badge at the center. It is bordered by two halogen headlamps that provide decent lighting at night. Like the aforementioned Suzuki S-Presso, the mid-variant hot hatch does not have fog lamps.

I like the strips of rubber under the Honda Brio’s chin as it makes the car look like it sits close to the ground.

The flanks of the Honda Brio has noticeably sloping windows that slowly drop forward to create a sharp look. I’ve noticed that the dipping frame also works for the advantage of the driver as it opens up a better viewing angle for the person sitting behind the wheel.

The Honda Brio has a plain-looking flank — which is not a bad thing — and has body-colored pillars, door handles, and side mirrors. It rides on 14-inch alloy wheels.

Its rear flaunts a roof-mounted spoiler with an integrated taillamp, two bulb-type taillights, chrome scripts, a chrome badge, and a provision for a tow hook.

Overall the styles and appeal offered by both the Suzuki S-Presso AGS and Honda Brio V CVT resemble both ends od the spectrum. The former offers a can-do, go-anywhere look while the latter boasts a sporty, fast-looking body.

That said, we will call this round a tie.

Interior

Inside, the Suzuki S-Presso gets decent features, especially when you consider its price.

The front passengers are greeted with semi-bucket fabric seats with good cushioning and bolsters. What I loved about them is that they allow the driver to take a more upright position instead of having to lean back with one’s bum sitting low. This allows for a better view of the road ahead and evokes a commanding experience that befits the hatchback’s character.

It also packs an instrument panel and infotainment system combined in a single cluster, which takes up the middle portion of the dashboard. That means the driver is free of any distractions when steering the wheel, but the downside is that checking relevant driving details will require one to take a quick glance sideways.

The seven-inch infotainment screen has Apple Carplay and Android Auto and has a user-friendly user interface.

Hard plastics are present almost everywhere in the cabin. While some may see it as an obvious move to bring the cost of the Suzuki S-Presso down, others — like myself — find that it makes cleaning and maintaining the cabin of the car simple and easy.

As for the Honda Brio, it also comes with a variety of interior appointments that make it a well-balanced space for commuters. I also loved the seats of the hatchback, which come with design patterns that bring back nostalgic 90’s vibes. The semi-bucket seats are equally bolstered and can keep drivers snugly in place.

It has an analog instrument cluster with a small digital screen and a seven-inch infotainment system — also with Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

Also striking is the black headliner of the Honda Brio V CVT. The said color makes the interior look clean while also preserving the minimalist aesthetics of the car’s cabin.

Like the Suzuki S-Presso AGS, the Honda Brio V CVT also comes with hard plastics aplenty. These appointments lean towards durability, which makes the vehicle a good daily driver as these components tend to look good even after several years.

Engine

Powering the Suzuki S-Presso AGS is a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder, gasoline engine mated to the brand’s AGS with a manual mode.

Ample power is felt across the rev range and the behavior of the transmission is similar to a manual gearbox, so expect a bit of lag when automatic shifting occurs. There’s also a bit of shift shock in between gear transitions.

On paper, the Suzuki S-Presso AGS makes as much as 65 horsepower (hp) with 89 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque.

The Honda Brio V CVT gets a 1.2-liter, four-cylinder gasoline, mill mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Power is there but what steals the show is how smooth the powertrain setup drives. The four-cylinder powerplant feels more refined and offers a fun-to-drive feel, especially on higher speeds.

It makes 88hp and 110Nm of pulling power.

For this round, the winner is the Honda Brio V CVT.

Safety

The Suzuki S-Presso AGS comes with a host of safety features such as an anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic stability program, hill hold control, and parking sensors.

Not to be outdone, the Honda V CVT comes with ABS with electronic brake-force distribution, rear parking sensors, and the brand’s G-Force Control body structure.

With the Suzuki S-Presso offering more safety technologies, we give this round to the burly hatchback.

Variants and pricing

Suzuki S-Presso

• S-Presso GL MT: P620,000
• S-Presso GL AGS: P660,000

Honda Brio

• Honda Brio S MT: P735,000
• Brio V CVT: P827,000
• Brio RS CVT: P853,000
• Brio RS Black Top CVT: P863,000

Verdict

The two nameplates are neck and neck in this battle with even points in the scorecards. That said, choosing between the Suzuki S-Presso or the Honda Brio V CVT will be a matter of preference.

Photos from Juan Paulo Papa

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