The carmaker says, "we have a presence in the SUV market worldwide, and we intend to bring what's best for India." They recognize the shift in taste in India toward SUV cars - which is a highly popular segment currently in India.
The announcement did not reveal much, but the company assured us that it would be worth waiting for! Honda's push for hybrid and green mobility hints at many things.
What to expect from the India-specific SUV?
As per the sneak peek released by Honda, the new SUV features sharper LED lights, a sculpted nose with splendid design elements on the front, an enlarged bumper, and a large front grille. The sides and back of the car have been kept a secret, and we assume the major designs will be making an appearance there.
According to the sources, the newly-launched India-specific SUV will offer an optional 12-14 touchscreen digital driver's display and infotainment system. The SUV is expected to be a 7-seater car and a hybrid powertrain, engine updated to petrol-electric for enhanced performance and efficiency.
The makers also seem to add some ADAS features, including - Adaptive cruise control, an Anti-lock braking system, Glare-free high beam and pixel light, Automatic parking, Automotive night vision, an Automotive navigation system, Blind spot detection system, Crosswind stabilization, Collision avoidance system, Lane centering, Intelligent speed adaptation, Lane departure warning system, Surround-view system, Lane change assistance system and Tire pressure monitoring to the upcoming SUV for an enhanced comfortable drive.
Honda has launched fully hybrid SUV models internationally; the same can be expected in India; however, they refuse to give further details on this as "we're looking at what needs to be done," says Takuya Tsumura, Chief Executive Officer and President at Honda cars India. Takuya Tsumura also lightly hinted that several SUV models could be launched next year; everyone needs to wait and watch.
Let's talk about Honda as an automobile manufacturer in India and global markets. It has an established strong presence considering the sedan segment, where the company offers a mid-size model - City, and a sub-compact model - Amaze. They have had a long history associated with the City, with 8.5 lakhs units sold of the total sales in the last 25 years. Tsumura adds, "City and Amaze have proven to be strong brands, and we expect to do the same with the SUV." Honda plans to launch the SUV and continue to add to the lineup just like they continued for City and Amaze.
Honda's manufacturing and launch situation has been deeply affected by the Covid; as Tsumura said, "we are struggling with a shortage of parts." However, as things have cleared up, the speed is expected to pick up the pace. With the Tapukara plant, Rajasthan's new manufacturing hub for Honda, the automaker plans to make India a distinguished export base.
Talking about the price, we don't know how much the SUV will be marked as per the price at launch. With what we know, we can assume that the price will be high, considering the segment and premium features indicated by Honda in the SUV. We have a positive feeling about this launch, and we hope the Indian market gets what it deserves when it comes to cars in the SUV segment.
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