Report - Honda readies SUV for India, launch in "one to two years"

29/01/2014 - 16:24 Honda Jazz, Honda Mobilio, Honda, Auto Expo 2014 Karthik H

Honda is developing a smaller SUV for India and it will be launched within a year or two, reveals the company's president and CEO, Hirnori Kanayama.

Honda Mobilio front-end at the Twin Ring Motegi — The Honda Mobilio, built on the Brio platform, will be launched in the next fiscal.

In an interview posted in Economic Times, Kanayama maintains that even though the company hasn't identified a segment for this SUV, it would definitely be positioned lower than the CR-V. Though Kanayama made no mention of the crossover concept that Honda has confirmed for the Auto Expo, it is quite obvious that it would have to be a forerunner to the production car.

He also says that the Mobilio and the Jazz will be launched in India in the next financial year, as we had confirmed.

Kanayama says that Honda will look to expand its dealership reach to touch 110 cities before the end of March this year, with tier-II and tier-III cities being the target.

2014 Honda Jazz 1.3L — The 2014 Honda Jazz, launched in Japan last September, will be shown at the Auto Expo.

Despite growing in a high trajectory in India, Kanayama says that he doesn't get signs of a recovery in India. Honda India's sales from December 2012 to December 2013 stood at 1,11,145 units.

Kanayama also commented on the ongoing negotiations between India and the European Union for a Free Trade Agreement saying that it is ultimately the Indian government's decision. However, he called out saying that Honda, and by extension Japanese companies, need fair circumstances to compete and that he expects fair treatment.

[Source - Auto.Economictimes.Indiatimes]