Report - Acura mulling Vezel-based compact crossover to challenge BMW's X1
After confirming luxury brand Acura's debut in India at the upcoming Auto Expo 2014, we can now reveal that Acura is working on a crossover SUV based on the Honda Vezel.
The Honda Vezel made its world debut at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show and is sold only in Japan at present, though plans to introduce it to Europe and the US span through 2014. The Vezel has proven to be extremely popular in Japan.
Acura's version of the Vezel will be based on the Acura SUV-X concept that was displayed at the 2013 Shanghai Motor Show. Even though Honda brands the SUV-X concept as a global concept, it primarily targets the Chinese market. Local production and sales in China is planned for 2016.
It is still uncertain if the Acura SUV-X would find its way to the U.S. or even to India. In the US, Acura's entry-level offering is the RDX (not to be confused with the explosive), which is based on the CR-V. The Vezel-based SUV-X would slot right below the RDX to compete with the BMW X1 and Audi Q3, both of which are recent introductions in the U.S.
Honda officials have said that the Vezel would not make it to India any time soon, as the company found it tough to price it correctly.
[Source - Autonews]
