Car Comparison: Honda Brio Amaze Vs Kia Soluto

It’s funny how we Filipinos love cars but detest traffic. Almost anyone can appreciate a good vehicle but not everyone has the patience to brave EDSA at rush hour. Well, thank the heavens for city cars. If the name doesn’t give it away, the size will. They’re easy to drive, easy to park, and most importantly, easy to own. What more can you ask for? Today we’re pitting two flyweights against each other to find out the best city car between the two. On one hand, we have a subcompact sedan that offers sleek and sophisticated styling while the other, offers impeccable space and ride quality. Interested? Here’s how the 1.3 E MT Honda Brio Amaze and the 1.4 LX MT Kia Soluto looks like as they stand toe to toe. Dimensions Right off the bat, the 1.4 LX MT Kia Soluto dominates the 1.3 E MT Honda Brio Amaze with its longer frame and wider body giving the South Korean subcompact sedan a befitting platform for the brand’s tiger-nose grille. It’s longer dimension also bestows the Kia Soluto with better trunk space for hauling groceries. Oddly enough, the Honda Brio Amaze towers over the Kia Soluto with a taller roof, giving it better head room.

Exterior

The base variant Honda Brio Amaze sports a sleek look laden with the best equipment in this segment. You’ll find halogen multi-reflector headlights coupled with fender mounted turn signals and Honda’s micro antenna sitting at the top. You'll find a chrome finished grille complemented with a honeycomb backdrop. Likewise, the taillamp at the back also sports chrome accents, giving the Honda Brio Amaze the sophisticated premium look lacking amongst vehicles at this price point. Likewise, Kia Soluto’s base variant aims to match the Japanese subcompact sedan’s looks with wow factors unique to the brand. From the iconic tiger-nose grille to the faux-air intakes sitting close to the lower grille, the Kia Soluto represents the brand’s simple and functional design language. You’d also find a pole-type antenna sitting atop the Soluto’s roof finished by rear combination lamps at the back.

Interior

Inside the cabin of the 1.3 E MT Honda Brio Amaze, you’ll be greeted with decent amenities like a 1-DIN audio system with Auxiliary-in and USB connectivity. It’s also outfitted with four bottle holders and two cup holders for your convenience. Its interior exudes a beige and black tone offering a warm atmosphere that won’t easily stain. For Kia’s 1.4 LX MT Soluto, the interior is laden with a similar beige hue with a two-tone grey undertone. And while there’s plastic all over, the layout of its cabin is clean and neat. Surprisingly, the base variant comes with a seven-inch touchscreen system with AM/FM radio, MP3, USB, Auxiliary-in with six speakers with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which makes Kia’s offering the best in the segment.

Engine

Honda’s Brio Amaze, even at its base trim level shows off its lineage offering Honda’s 1.3-liter i-VTEC inline-4 gasoline engine, capable of putting down 100 horses. The SOHC i-VTEC 16-valve offers a smooth drive paired with a five-speed manual transmission that shifts easily enough that even beginners will find the Honda Brio Amaze a fun ride. On the other hand, Kia Soluto’s Kappa 1.4 Dual-CVVT engine offers decent power at 95 horses. Shifting through its five-speed manual transmission is relatively smooth nut requires to be shifted out of the lower gears quite too soon.

Safety

In terms of safety, both city cars offer front airbags and anti-lock brake systems. The Honda Brio Amaze is outfitted with Honda’s G-Force Control (G-CON) technology while the Kia Soluto leaves you at the mercy of your driving skills missing a few boxes in this category.

Price

The Honda Brio Amaze is currently offered in three variants locally with increasing comfort and safety features as you go up the trim ladder. Meanwhile, Kia Soluto comes in four trim levels with similarly impressive features offered in its range-toppers.

Conclusion

The 1.3 E MT Honda Brio Amaze and the 1.4 LX MT Kia Soluto offers the essential features of a city car. The Honda Brio Amaze offers better safety features while the Kia Soluto teases with a better infotainment system. Choosing between the two boils down on one's preference and experience as we see the Honda Brio Amaze better suited for new drivers while the Kia Soluto may be a better option for those with more road experience.    

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