[vb-saan]

If Honda needs to have an MPV to compete with the likes of the Ertiga, it has to be on the Brio platform. A Jazz based MPV (Freed) is already there in the SE Asia market, and if that comes to India it could meet the same fate as the Jazz – a higher price tag and hence not deemed as VFM. And outside the Brio/Amaze, all other small cars from Honda are still petrol only.

Personally I am no fan of 7 seats packed into a pint sized car, but look like the market favours that direction, especially with the success of Ertiga.

[apachelongbow]

Does the MPV market as lucarative as the SUV one? I believe the success of the Ertiga is that it is a 80% shrunk xerox copy (external looks) of the Innova at 60% the price.
Mini Xylo doesnt seem too visible on the roads, and Xylos are mainly taxicabs.
Honda should seriously get a diesel CRV and a couple of SUV to increase sales, instead of creating a tiny mpv from a tiny Brio.

[scopriobharath]

I feel this would be priced from 10-13 lacs ex showroom. Innova is expected to move more upmarket and create a void in the current price bracket. I am sure the price will not be exactly on par with ertiga. If probably Hyundai launched an MPV, it could be priced on par with Ertiga.

I see only one problem here. Honda WILL charge a premium for the brand itself. If Ertiga can do an 8 lacs ex showroom, Honda will do a 10 lac ex showroom. Even if Honda can price the top model within 13 lacs, loading it similar to the current Gen Innova, It will fly out of the showrooms. there are far more Toyota Taxis in india, compared to Honda taxis.

- I hope they dont give a huge glass rear hatch door like brio, but give a conventional rear hatch door.

[rohit0103]

wouldn't it be easier for them to launch Jade in India?

The Honda Jade will be powered by 1.8 and 2.0 four-cylinder petrol engines, a hybrid might join the line-up later.
Specs : 4645/1775/1500, wheelbase is 2760.

http://www.carnewschina.com/2013/05/...-in-september/

Though specs indicate it would be competitor for Innova (for length and width) than Ertiga, which is more car like ..
more suitable for Chinese, height-wise..

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by rohit0103

wouldn't it be easier for them to launch Jade in India?

We have a thread running on this...
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/intern...ver-honda.html

[srishiva]

For the Jade, ground clearance would be a problem in India. If they can correct that, its indeed a very good vehicle.

[AyAn!]

Looks like the Brio platform is going to be Honda's money spinner in the Asia Pacific region. This is going to go the Swift/DZire/Ertiga way.

Originally Posted by rohit0103

wouldn't it be easier for them to launch Jade in India?

Originally Posted by srishiva

For the Jade, ground clearance would be a problem in India. If they can correct that, its indeed a very good vehicle.

I think the Brio based MPV makes more sense because it fits into the whole scheme of things for Honda for this particular region in terms of R&D, rather than getting an all new vehicle which has other ambitions in markets considerably different from ours.

[fx45]

My last round of visiting automotive sites before heading to bed, and here is what i found!

THE FIRST OFFICIAL SKETCH OF THE BRIO MPV! revealed in Indonesia. Looks nice!

Seems only ACI got it as of now, here's a link >>

http://www.autocarindia.com/News/350...nveiled.aspx/1

[bullrun87]

Selling three similar looking vehicles just does'nt seem right to me. I believe honda should have based this on the jazz platform. Although if honda plonks that sweet oil burner in there this could pose serious competition to the ertiga.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by bullrun87

Selling three similar looking vehicles just does'nt seem right to me. I believe honda should have based this on the jazz platform. Although if honda plonks that sweet oil burner in there this could pose serious competition to the ertiga.

Agreed, but atleast they are from similar price levels. I just hate the whole design language concept from the likes of VW. Although the cars look good individually, there is not much to distinguish between a Vento / Jetta / Passat.

The Honda 1.5 is a lot more drivable than the FIAT 1.3 VGT. They can surely give Ertiga a tough fight if its priced as aggressively as the Brio twins.

[GrammarNazi]

Originally Posted by bullrun87

Selling three similar looking vehicles just does'nt seem right to me. I believe honda should have based this on the jazz platform. Although if honda plonks that sweet oil burner in there this could pose serious competition to the ertiga.

But if it helps them keep costs low which they plan to pass on to the consumer, nothing better than that!

The 1.5 iDtec with a VGT must surely be able to give 120bhp output with a negligible reduction in mileage (or maybe a considerable reduction, given the weight increase).

My worry is that, with all this massive investment in a new engine, eventually the prices will remain high. Whereas if the industry continues with Fiats 1.3 mjd, maybe they can negotiate and get the engine procurement price reduced (coz the royalties can be negotiated) and at could drastically bring down costs for the already bleeding auto-industry. So my point is, that the industry negotiates with Fiat to reduce the price of the engine, else they approach Honda to procure the iDtec. The $$ they offer would give Honda quite the capital they'd need for building their new factory AND developing new products around the iDtec.

[JayPrashanth]

Link to News Section

Japanese car maker Honda, has just released the sketch of the Brio-based MPV. Dubbed the LMPV, with the L standing for low, the Brio-based MPV will make its official debut at the 2013 Indonesian International Motor Show, scheduled to be held in September. The Honda Brio-based MPV is the third product to be spun off the Brio platform, after the hatchback and the Amaze compact sedan.



Code-named the 2NH, the Brio based MPV will first make its debut in the Indonesian car market, which is said to favour MPVs. Currently, MPVs such as the Toyota Innova and Avanza, the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the Mazda VX-1, populate the Indonesian car market. The Brio based MPV is expected to take on the Ertiga and the VX-1 in the Indonesian car market, before finding its way into other car markets including India.

From the sketch, the Brio-based MPV showcases a form factor with a wedged window line, quite unlike what other MPVs such as the Innova and Ertiga feature. Apart from this design highlight, the MPV does seem to be much more butch looking than the cutesy Brio, what with the chunky wheel arches and prominent air intakes on the bumpers. However, it remains to be seen if these striking design elements make it to the production version of the MPV.

The Brio-based MPV will be a 7 seater, and Honda's man-maximum-machine-minimum philosophy is expected to come to the fore in order to liberate copious room on the inside. The Brio-based MPV could share its engines with other Honda cars. The 1.5 liter i-VTEC petrol motor has been confirmed for the MPV while India is expected to get the 1.5 liter i-DTEC turbo diesel motor as a staple offering.

The usage of the 1.5 liter i-VTEC motor on the Brio MPV also seems to suggest that the car could measure over 4 meters in length. If the latest Honda MPV indeed measures over 4 meters in length, the car will be the largest model on the Brio platform. Honda is expected to launch the Brio-based MPV in the Indian car market sometime in the middle of 2014. Expect the car to rub shoulders with the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga in terms of price and positioning.

A high level of localization, in order to keep costs low is very likely. Honda's other plans for next year include the 2014 next generation Jazz hatchback and the all new City sedan. Notably, all new compact car launches from Honda in India will come with diesel power, and this is quite a departure for a brand which until recently relied on an all-petrol car line up.

[rajshenoy]

The rear looks very aggressive. But the front is too bland. No doubt that Honda can package the interior space so well just like Amaze. So i wont be surprised if they come up with 7 seats+ best in class boot space for a MUV in this price range.

But just wondering how far can they stretch brio platform. Interiors might look too plain for 10+ lakhs. But then people are buying duster anyway isnt it

[MaxTorque]

Looks like next 2-3 years are action packed for Honda in Indian market. The Brio MPV looks aggressive, the only similarity between hatchback and MPV front is the headlight. The rear end resembles to BMW X1 (at least for me). Anyways waiting to see how Honda is going to accommodates 7 seats inside.

[vinair]

Agree, the rear looks aggressive than the front! Hope Honda does some magic to the front looks on the production version!

Going with the Amaze interiors, this new MPV should be really spacious and might give a 'true' challenge to the now over hyped, overestimated, Ertiga!!