We reported earlier that Honda will launch a compact SUV based on Brio platform in spite of Vezel crossover SUV in the Indian car market. If media reports are to be believed, Honda Cars India has already started the development of the entry-level small car and compact SUV. Mr. Yoshiyuki Matsumoto, president and CEO of Honda Motor India, has confirmed that the development of the compact SUV and small car has already started.
The small car is codenamed ‘World A Entry Car’ and it will be sold in the developing nations including Indonesia and Africa. This model is likely to be priced around Rs. 4 lakh and is expected to be positioned below the Brio hatchback. The small SUV is based on the Brio platform which already underpins three cars- Amaze compact sedan, Brio hatch and Mobilio MPV. Codenamed 2XP, the all new compact SUV will compete against the likes of Ford EcoSport and the upcoming Volkswagen Taigun. The development work of these compact cars will be done at Honda’s R&D centre in India to increase localization.
The new Honda Brio SUV will share its engine configuration with the Mobilio MPV. This model will be powered by the 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol and fuel efficient 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel mill. The new cars are likely to hit the Indian car market in 2016-17. The small hatchback is expected to be powered by the 1.2-litre i-VTEC engine and will compete against the likes of Datsun Go, Maruti Celerio and others.
Source: ET
