I have driven the GLI Auto from Lahore to Shogran and back with a total of 4 passengers (including myself, the driver). Bought the BR-V early September, done almost 2k KMs in it, including a trip to Islamabad and back to Lahore with 6 people and luggage. Have owned an Accord for a number of years, driven and kept different family cars over the years...Lancer 2005, Vti Oriel 2003 all the way back to the Indus Corolla and 95 civic. Driven the Vezel on the motorway etc. So my opinion is shaped by the different cars I have owned, driven and kept extensively to varying degrees.
Very subjective for some, the matter of which is better. It comes down to what you want, simply put. Some benefits of each over the other are quite apparent, but I'll share why me and the family went for the Honda....quite convincingly...over the option of a Gli Auto.
These are our reasons, not necessarily universally accepted facts:
7 Seats! We travel to and from Islamabad frequently. Usual to have people over for the holidays, my brother comes over with the kids from Islamabad as well. I live with my parents and my wife. The option of going to the cinema, mall, restaurant or any spot in one car is valuable to us.
Luggage space! The car has massive space if there is no one sitting in the back row. The fact that the entire backdoor goes up allows you to transport even a 5.5 kv generator if need be...tall lamps, small tables, televisions....stuff that you rarely need to carry...but we liked having that option as in the past it was a pain carrying things like my guitar etc. When full (7 people), the car has roof rails where a luggage compartment can be installed! If you could use some extra space for passengers, that is quite a feature to have in a family car.
Separate and very effective AC vents for the back of the car. The Air Conditioning in the front and back is beyond comparison according to my experience.
Transmission. CVT is the future, though I don't enjoy the lack of clear shifting points, but the 4 gears on the GLI are simply...not efficient.
Power, the GLi makes too less on paper, and even less when trying to overtake. Fill it up with people and it needs to push itself even in the Salt Range on the motorway. The BR-V although no sports car itself, quite adequately lumbers along even with 6 people (haven't driven extensively with 7 as yet). The S and the L gear points enables it to take on downhill and uphill tasks relatively calmly.
Seats...simple and no comparison with the luxurious sofas found in the accord/bluebird but definitely better sculpted drivers seat in the BR-V as I feel less tired after a motorway drive in it compared to my experience in the GLi. The BR-V's rear seats can recline! On longer trips that definitely made the experience more comfortable for the passengers. Even the back most row reclines, albeit only by 20 degrees but I liked the attention to detail there.
We prefer the crossover look, even though the new Corolla shape in black is rather attractive in my opinion.
Value for money! Simply put, a 7 seater, with separate AC vents, well thought out functional crossover in the budget of around 2300k was a slam-dunk deal for us. Prior to the BR-V, a crossover the likes of Rush, Terios, Vezel were simply not available at that price point if BRAND NEW 0 meter (as they say). Add two additional seats in the back...and boom....there comes our wallet.
Own money! The GLi had an own roughly 10% its price!!! NO WAY were we going to spend so much extra, the BR-V is not carrying much of an own. So the price difference between the two narrows even further if you consider the on-road price.
Ultimately, go for the car you really really really like deep inside your heart. Looks matter, you'll be looking at it day in and out, function matters, you'll be using it regularly for your daily tasks!
