Honda Cars India is reportedly working on two SUVs for the domestic market. One is a compact SUV that is said to rival the likes of Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Mahindra XUV300, Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger and others. The sub-four-metre SUV is believed to act as a replacement for the WR-V crossover, which, in turn, was based on the Jazz premium hatchback.
The Japanese auto major will likely bring in the compact SUV first by the middle of next year while the midsize SUV, internally codenamed 3RA, could arrive in the early stages of 2024. It will directly compete against Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, MG Astor, Nissan Kicks and others in the highly competitive segment and it may have an overall length of around 4.3 metres.
Honda currently has the fifth-generation City and Amaze compact sedan as two of its best-selling models in the country. The former received a hybrid variant earlier this year and it has been a good seller as well. The upcoming five-seater will boast of the brand’s new electronic architecture and screen system, and thus a large-sized touchscreen infotainment system can be expected to be employed.
It could have several commonalities with the latest City too as platform and powertrain sharing may help in achieving economies of scale. With the midsize SUV buyers still preferring diesel engines, it could come as an advantage for Honda as the frugal 1.5-litre four-cylinder i-DTEC oil-burner is already available in its stable.
Honda could take things a notch higher by bringing in the City Hybrid’s e:HEV system into the mix to firmly take on the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder (both will be retailed with mild and strong hybrid powertrains). The midsize SUV could feature a localised version of the City Hybrid’s powertrain to carry competitive pricing.
We do expect the upcoming model to be heavily influenced by the latest crop of Honda SUVs sold globally in terms of design. In addition, six- and seven-seater versions of the midsize SUV could be considered for launch in the near future, considering the popularity of the segment in recent years.
