BR-V's lacklustre sales may leave Honda with no other option but launch the HR-V.
In October last year, Honda Cars India President and CEO Yoichiro Ueno said that the company would think about bringing the Honda HR-V to India if it sees a demand for that model. Now, in an interview with The Economic Times, Mr. Ueno has said that Indian customers have "requests for and enquiries" for the Honda HR-V.
The latest development suggests that Honda Cars India may have started seeing the potential for the Honda HR-V in the market. Hyundai has already proved with the Hyundai Creta that premium compact SUVs can achieve great success in a price-sensitive market like India too. Seeing the Hyundai Creta's sales surpass 1.5 lakh in less than two years from launch, and with customers asking for the Honda HR-V now, the Japanese automaker may start looking seriously into this matter.
The second generation Honda HR-V, originally introduced as the Honda Vezel in 2013, is based on a modified version of the platform that underpins the third generation Honda Fit (Honda Jazz). Honda already sells the Honda Jazz, Honda City and Honda WR-V based on this platform in India, and so, localising the Honda HR-V in the country shouldn't face many hurdles. The Indian-spec version could get its power from the 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol and 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engines and share equipment with the Honda City.
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Along with the Hyundai Creta, the Honda HR-V, if launched, will rival with the upcoming Mahindra S201. Production of the sub-compact SUV could be alongside the Jazz, City and WR-V in Tapukara, Rajasthan.
[Source: The Economic Times]
