Mitsubishi Xpander vs Honda BR-V - The better pick

If you are looking for an affordable family car that is flexible enough to haul more people and have enough cargo space, then seven-seater subcompact SUVs are a great car choice. Slightly larger than the five-seater B-segment crossovers, these MPVs promise to be practical and utilitarian.

At the moment, the 7-seater subcompact crossover/ MPV market is being dominated by the Honda BR-V. But with new players joining in on the fun like the Mitsubishi Xpander, the competition is about to heat up. Disregarding the recent hoopla of recalls due to defective fuel pump—which is already being addressed at the moment, the Xpander is a perfect competitor to take down the BR-V.

Below, we’d look at a side-by-side comparison of the flagship models of the two vehicles to see how each vehicle stack up against the other.

Mitsubishi Xpander vs Honda BR-V: Dimensions

When it comes to size, the Xpander is more robust compared to the BR-V. It’s longer by 22 mm; wider by 15 mm, and taller by 34mm. And with almost the same ground clearance, the interior cabin would definitely feel roomier and would have ample leg space. Let’s face it, nobody wants to be seated in the cramp third row for long drives unless absolutely necessary. So the third-row seats come naturally folded to provide more cargo space.

For the BR-V, the process is more tedious— the backrest has to be folded down, pull a lever to flip the seat forward, then hook it to the second-row headrest to keep it secure. The Xpander’s process is easier and more streamlined, where the third (and second) row neatly folds flat. Simply pull the tab to either set or stow the seats. That's easy.

Mitsubishi Xpander vs Honda BR-V: Exterior

The Xpander is like the mini-version of the Montero Sport. The front fascia is dominated by the second generation Dynamic Shield concept with bumper embedded taillights to minimize glare for oncoming traffic and pedestrians, a very practical yet stylish design choice.

On the other hand, the HR-V sports a new front and rear bumper design highlighted by chrome front grille and chrome trims on the side sill protector and door handles to round up the look. The additional black over-fenders, side skirts, front and rear bumper covers, and roof rails— which the Xpander doesn’t have, gives the BR-V the complete crossover look. The BR-V comes in six color options while the Xpander has five.

Mitsubishi Xpander vs Honda BR-V: Interior 

The best interior features for Xpander is how it maximizes the use of space for organizing luggage so your vehicle doesn’t look cluttered. There’s 12V power outlet on the third-row area and on the lower tray of the center console which has a shutter type lid to hide your phone, under the seat tray storage on the front passenger seat for storing shoes, laptops, or other gadgets; back pockets on the driver seat; cup holders; and side pockets on the third row.

For the BR-V, its strongest asset is its style. It has a more modern feel by doing away with knobs and opting more on push-button controls and two-tone leather-wrapped seats and trims to avoid that plasticky feel.

Mitsubishi Xpander vs Honda BR-V: Engine specs

Honda BR-V’s 1.5-Liter SOHC i-VTEC 4-cylinder, 16-valve Euro 4 compliant engine clearly can provide more power and torque than that of the Xpander’s 1.5-Liter 4A91 in-line 4 DOHC 16-valve with MIVEC by 15 hp of output and 4 Nm of torque. The fuel economy of the Mitsubishi Xpander is rated at 23 kmpl while the BR-V is at 24.5 kmpl. Not only is the BR-V’s engine more powerful and torquier, but it is also more fuel-efficient.

Besides the engine, both vehicles share the same Macpherson Strut front suspension and Torsion beam rear suspension. Both vehicles also ride on a set of 16-inch alloy wheels. Though the Xpander’s rims come in two-tone and are wrapped in 205/55 R16 rubber while the BR-V has 195/60 R16 tires.

Mitsubishi Xpander vs Honda BR-V: Safety 

Flagship variants for the Xpander and BR-V have the following active and passive safety and driver-assist technologies:

Looking at the safety features, both vehicles are adequately equipped and so much more. The driver assists systems are there to help in navigating, steering, and stopping to lessen driver fatigue and lower the risk of accidents. In this case, however, the Xpander inched the Honda BR-V in terms of safety. The only advantage of the BR-V that the Xpander doesn’t have is its reverse camera. Besides the aforementioned safety specs, the Xpander specs sheet also has a Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE) body that protects occupants by minimizing cabin deformation while dispersing the force of impact away from the cabin in case of a collision.

Mitsubishi Xpander vs Honda BR-V: Price list

In terms of pricing, both Mitsubishi and Honda offerings share the same price range with the Xpander only a few thousand more expensive for the top trim but the base model of the Xpander is more affordable. Given the design, safety, specs, and engine, the price point is at the sweet spot for a family car where you want more than just a sedan. But when your budget could not afford a mid-size SUV,  both the Xpander and BR-V give you bang for your bucks. These are versatile vehicles that can endure the everyday grind in the metro and can haul the family and cargo for a weekend adventure out of town.

Verdict

If you want style and more fuel economy, BR-V is a good choice. If you prefer more space and safety features, go for the Xpander.

Based on a side by side comparison on the offerings of Mitsubishi and Honda’s seven-seat subcompact crossover, the Xpander has a good potential to take down the BR-V. if the Mitsubishi can pacify the bad rep it has been receiving lately from customers complaining about their Xpander stalling or unable to start due to faulty fuel pumps, then we can say that it is a good candidate for a utilitarian, practical vehicle.

Also read: Mitsubishi Xpander: Which is better, manual or automatic?