[meetgds]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

So what exactly is the WR-V then? It's a good car based on the spacious and practical Jazz platform.

True, the WR-V is already there and then there's the BR-V. I don't see where another SUV (mini or not ) can possible sit, assuming that an Amaze based SUV can't transform into a top of the line model.

[SJM1214]

The year 1998 was Honda's 50th Anniversary when they launched Honda City in India. Found this interesting piece of information from an old(FEB 1999) Automobile magazine.

[volkman10]

Honda plans for 'Exclusive' edition launches - WR-V, Amaze and Jazz launches tomorrow.




Link

[adimicra]

With no new car launches planned in the next 12 months or so, Honda India is going to face a really tough time ahead. The CRV and CIvic are not going to bring in volumes anyways. What's surprising is that both Honda and Toyota are absent in the highest growing segments - the compact and the mid-size SUV segments. I was waiting for the HRV for a really long time, but have given up hopes. Either Honda does not care about India or Honda India is full of dumb management.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by adimicra

With no new car launches planned in the next 12 months or so, Honda India is going to face a really tough time ahead. The CRV and CIvic are not going to bring in volumes anyways. What's surprising is that both Honda and Toyota are absent in the highest growing segments - the compact and the mid-size SUV segments. I was waiting for the HRV for a really long time, but have given up hopes. Either Honda does not care about India or Honda India is full of dumb management.

I feel the other way – that Honda is getting its Mojo back. When Honda was considered as a premium brand in India, it had the City as the entry point (and later the excellent 2nd generation Jazz) and the 8th gen Civic sitting above that. It all got changed when the Civic got discontinued and Honda tried it mass market luck with Brio and its spin offs, and the once-entry-point City was up in the chain (with negligible presence of Accord/CRV). But with the new Civic (that too with a diesel engine) I feel Honda has the material to revive the segment and give themselves a much-needed uplift. And they are also clearing some of the deadwood (read Brio).

[pavi]

Honda Cars India Records 16% Sales Growth In February 2019

Honda has achieved 16 per cent domestic sales growth in February 2019 guided by the consistent sales of Amaze, City and WR-V. Honda Cars India has revealed the monthly sales figures for February 2019. In the second month of the year, the Japanese manufacturer has managed to accomplish a total of 13,527 units last month when compared to 11,650 units in the corresponding month last year.

Source

[Motard_Blr]

I can across this interesting article about Honda's decline in the UK but I think that it is relevant to Honda India and elsewhere.

I have to agree with the article. I too have felt that Honda has changed from an engineering-led company that made technologically superior products until the '90s to bland appliance-like cars that are on par with Toyota, today. Competitors have caught up and even surpassed Honda in technology and their cars are just as good in design.

‘Ugly designs and F1 failure are taking their toll on Honda’

Honda is a shadow of its former self, but Swindon deserves better, says Mike Rutherford

Honda shocked a bruised and battered Britain last week – first by saying its Swindon factory will shut, then stating that the controversial closure isn’t Brexit-related. Instead, the company insists there are huge economies of scale and other obvious benefits in removing production lines from the UK and Turkey, prior to Japan, North America and China becoming its preferred global centres for car building.

But there are other awkward, often-ignored reasons behind Honda’s devastating decision to shut up shop in Swindon. First, let’s be honest, Western Europe isn’t the best, most convenient or cheapest part of the world to bolt together basic cars for the global masses. Eastern Europe, Asia and parts of North America (particularly Mexico) usually make more sense.

And, continuing the brutally honest theme, Honda is a shadow of its former gloriously quirky self. It’s lost its way, gone out of fashion, put off a lot of potential car buyers. For all this we can, in part, blame ugly styling (a new design chief is desperately needed) mated to daft prices (up to £23,620 for a 1.0-litre Civic is insane).

But also taking their toll are Honda’s serial failures in Formula 1, where too many of its engineers are spending too many billions of dollars trying – and repeatedly failing – to recapture the company’s F1 glory days of three decades ago. Just like GAP, Next and Timberland, Honda was big, strong and important in an eighties UK, but somehow looks and feels small, weak and inconsequential in the late 2010s.
This company would’ve, could’ve, probably should’ve been allowed to become the legal parent of the wayward child once known as MG Rover. It had a healthy collaborative relationship with the troubled British firm which, much to Honda’s distress, somehow fell into the hands of BMW. Shame; Honda lost out as an adoptive parent.

Equally important, the proudest of all Japanese firms lost face. True, it politely continued to make a few cars in Swindon, playing third fiddle to Sunderland’s Nissan and Toyota of Burnaston. But its UK love affair was over. In fact, the writing was on the wall at the end of last year when, in the Who’s Who in the Motor Industry bible, entries for Honda United Kingdom Manufacturing Ltd and Honda Motor Europe Ltd were conspicuously absent.

Honda allowed me to drive or travel in its electric and autonomous cars in Japan two or three decades ago when it was a leader in the field. But even the likes of Nissan and Renault have beaten it in the showrooms at what was once its own EV game. Another slap in the face comes courtesy of Hyundai and Kia, who now design and build cars that are as good as, if not better than, Honda’s. In the mid-nineties, when the Japanese firm was on a roll and busily churning out Swindon-made cars, the South Koreans were almost irrelevant. Now, Hyundai outsells Honda nearly two to one in Britain, and Kia does the same.

Swindon can only work with what it’s got: the cosmetically challenged Civic. It deserves better. McLaren, Aston Martin and others should look at utilising at least some of the site and workforce. Despite Dyson’s iffy decision to build its EVs in Singapore, it must do the same.

[volkman10]

Honda India will stay away from small cars and go Premium in the Indian Market.

Expect a C/SUV above the WR-V. Link (Honda readying two new SUVs for India - A Creta rival & a sub-4m SUV)

SUVs are definitely a consideration. We see a product missing in the line-up

Maruti is a giant, a leader of the Indian automobile market. Hyundai is like a second-volume seller. Then, worldwide, there are the German 3 — Mercedes, BMW, Audi. They are luxury brands. But in case of Honda, we are not luxury, we are not mass. We want to be one step above modern mass. We are a premium carmaker.

Source:

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Honda India will stay away from small cars and go Premium in the Indian Market.

Wow, what a realization! They should say “We are not mass, we tried to be mass market with Brio, Mobilio etc., and it did not work”. They can try and say that they are above the likes of, say Hyundai, the fact is they have quite a bit of catch-up to do.
Unless the so called premium carmaker soon figure out Who Am I, they will end up saying “we are nothing”.

I hope the Civic works well for brand Honda.

[Superleggera]

Originally Posted by vb-san

I hope the Civic works well for brand Honda.

I too wish for the same, but very unlikely based on the pricing. Those who traveled around the world would know that Civic is one of the basics sedans else where and the asking price in India is way too high with the engine options they have.

The new City is supposed to be launched soon. People have already commented that the outgoing City is 60 to 70% of the Civic and when the new City comes it will be 70 to 80% of the Civic . I don't see any takers for this good car in such a volume that would change Honda's fortunes.

Honda, if you are listening , the only "premium" factor that comes in your car these days are the price. This comes from a person who currently owns a 2016 City and 2015 Amaze and have owned 2 Acuras.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by Superleggera

I too wish for the same, but very unlikely based on the pricing. Those who traveled around the world would know that Civic is one of the basics sedans else where and the asking price in India is way too high with the engine options they have.

The new City is supposed to be launched soon. People have already commented that the outgoing City is 60 to 70% of the Civic and when the new City comes it will be 70 to 80% of the Civic . I don't see any takers for this good car in such a volume that would change Honda's fortunes.

Honda, if you are listening , the only "premium" factor that comes in your car these days are the price. This comes from a person who currently owns a 2016 City and 2015 Amaze and have owned 2 Acuras.

Actually disagree with that post.

City is not 70-80% of Civic. Neither was. The build quality of Civic is of much higher standard than that of City. Even the 8th Gen Civic had excellent fit and finish all around. I, despite trying hard, couldn't point to an area with a bad workmanship, build, fit or finish of the car. The weight of doors, hood, solidity of panels are another area to compare. And we are not yet talking about the 1.5 vs 1.8 Ltr engine. Diesel engine could have been definitely better.

Plus comes the safety. The Indian version of City has not been conclusively tested. Please guide me if it has been. The Civic Sedan is a global model and it was way back tested & awarded 5 *. I don't think that it would have changed. The NHTSA has also awarded the 2018 Civic full marks.

Src: https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2018/H...4%252520DR/FWD

Attaching some detailed pictures of the new Civic clicked by a friend. Definitely looks a premium car, way ahead of the City. The only grouse is that if they had had the Petrol + MT option, they could have priced it lower and delighted the MT enthusiasts as well. Other than that, the grille could have been designed better and not made to look like a lift off from the Amaze's bin.

Regards,
Saket

[itwasntme]

Liked all colours except for the white. Red looks best. Alloys are love it or hate it (I don't like them.). Rear seat not hugely spacious and roof-line too low. Dashboard could have been given more accents or colours to make it more lively.

But overall premium Honda looks and ideal for someone upgrading from C segment! I feel Honda doesn't want a repeat of the earlier low mileage curse over the old Civic, and hence no manual petrol this time. Makes sense to an extent.

[volkman10]

Honda Amaze, Jazz, WR-V, City To Get BSVI Petrol-Diesel Engines.

Honda will start upgrading its cars for stricter BSVI emission norms starting Jan 2020.

- Amaze, Jazz and City to get BSVI-compliant 1.5-litre diesel engine.

- Petrol engines to be updated too; will cover entire model lineup.

- Expect cars with BSVI engines to cost more than the current prices.

Link

[adimicra]

Last year, there was a mention of Honda India launching a couple of SUVs, probably on the AMaze platform. I haven't heard any updates for a long time.

I would love Honda to launch a mid-size premium SUV as that will be an ideal upgrade for me. For some reasons, Honda did not bring the HRV to India. If they can bring the CRV and Civic, whats the issue with HRV? Anyone including Honda understands that there is a much bigger potential in the SUVs compared to Sedans at the C+/D segment price range. Whether one likes it or not, SUVs/Cross-overs are the future. If Honda does not realize this soon enough, they will once again suffer like when they were late than everyone else during the diesel boom in Indian passenger cars..

[pavi]

Honda Cars India Sales Rose By 27% in March, Thanks To New Launches.

Source