[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

I wish Honda could develop an AT box for the Jazz diesel. We understand that the i20 diesel AT was not so popular due to their pricing. But, the market is slowly warming up to automatics.

There was no i20 diesel Automatic. The i20 Automatic was 1.4L Petrol.

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

There was no i20 diesel Automatic. The i20 Automatic was 1.4L Petrol.

You are right. I got confused. So, there has been no diesel AT this side of 10L. The Jazz could make a head start here.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

I wish Honda could develop an AT box for the Jazz diesel. We understand that the i20 diesel AT was not so popular due to their pricing. But, the market is slowly warming up to automatics.

As Viddy pointed out that AT was only mated with i20 petrol engine, that could be the reason why Maruti made Ritz AT only with the VXi variant but they could have given AT in diesel as a segment first but the process again would shoot up.

Anurag.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Products

About the Mobilio

• Mobilio will be launched in Q2
• Pilot production going on at Greater Noida
• Both Petrol and Diesel variants will be offered
• 90% localised
• Main Attractions will be

About the Jazz

Honda Jazz will come in later this year in diesel and petrol

- Will come with an automatic variant

You mentioned AT in Jazz but not in Mobilio. Do we assume that the Mobilio will not have any automatics? Not even in the petrol engine? Needless to say a diesel AT will be perfect but I don't see that happening in the near future. This is one serious differentiator that the Hyundai could potentially create for its own MUV I guess - since they're the only ones who've even bothered to offer D/AT in the Verna segment.

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by Axe77

You mentioned AT in Jazz but not in Mobilio. Do we assume that the Mobilio will not have any automatics? Not even in the petrol engine? Needless to say a diesel AT will be perfect but I don't see that happening in the near future. This is one serious differentiator that the Hyundai could potentially create for its own MUV I guess - since they're the only ones who've even bothered to offer D/AT in the Verna segment.

That question was not asked. Hence I cannot give you a clear answer on that

[D4D]

Originally Posted by ajmat

We attended a Round Table chaired by Mr Jnaneswar Sen, Senior Vice President Marketing and Sales, Honda Cars India.

Key Points

Products

About the Mobilio

• Mobilio will be launched in Q2
• Pilot production going on at Greater Noida
• Both Petrol and Diesel variants will be offered
• 90% localised
• Main Attractions will be

- Internal space should make it a segment leader - He refused to comment more on actual dimensions since vehicle needs to undergo homologation.
- Space for 7 passengers
- Styling
- Fuel economy
- It will be longer than the Ertiga

About the Jazz

Honda Jazz will come in later this year in diesel and petrol
- Still deciding on model variants
- Still deciding on production location
- Will come with an automatic variant
- Will be competitively priced - Honda wants volume. 72% localised
- I got the feeling they might miss the festive season and launch soon after that. Reasons being Mobilio takes priority and the new plant has not reached full capacity as yet.

Will the Amaze be revamped with equipment to counter the Xcent?

No - Honda will focus on durability, quality, reliability, fuel efficiency and space
You can add accessories but you cannot add space!

Edit - not in my notes but I just remembered - A prime reason for the D segment shrinking is due to the emergence of the XUV500 and the Fortuner

->Mobilio looks a very promising vehicle for people on a budget. Good news that it will be bigger than the Ertiga an hopefuly bridges the gap between Ertiga and Innova

->I hope the Jazz is well priced. If they price it well, Maruti and Hyundai will be sweating(swift and i20), and it just kills the unaccepted cars like liva, verito vibe.

->Amaze doesn't need anything extra IMHO. It's well equipped for it's price and Honda want to keep a gulf between City and Amaze

->Vezel doesn't look like a sub-4 metre car in pictures. If it's built on the City platform, why not sell it? Platform costs will go down (so will part sharing costs ,if applicable) and the market will accept it. Remember: Duster was not sub-4 metre

->Was there any talk of using a VGT for City's engine?

->Honda better get a diesel for accord, else they're going unarmed for a gun fight.

[S.MJet]

Thanks for the report.

Surely Honda has its target clearly defined & rightly so. Volume segments will expand their market coverage which IMO is a better strategy.

Originally Posted by ajmat

A lot of manufacturers are looking at how the Celerio AMT will perform, as this could restructure the whole market Honda had an AMT Jazz, but they were not reliable in the long term

When they say AMT was not reliable, was it due to driving conditions or the way it was implemented in Jazz or the technology itself, if so any insight on improvement in the technology which has given Maruti/TATA the confidence to go ahead with.

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by S.MJet

When they say AMT was not reliable, was it due to driving conditions or the way it was implemented in Jazz or the technology itself, if so any insight on improvement in the technology which has given Maruti/TATA the confidence to go ahead with.

Actually, I stated that Jazz AMT's were not reliable based on data from various european websites where is was available.

[StarScream]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Honda are focusing on volume as a strategy and also to please their dealers

I am a Honda fan and I'm sure they are over the moon with the numbers their current portfolio of products is doing but this dumbing down of their model range has left me cold.

I always respected Honda for their cutting-edge technology and superior products but with this volume strategy that is no longer the case.

I really wished the 2014 City would feature a direct injection petrol engine and would improve upon previous generations in design. I was a little disappointed with what finally appeared. Same old engine tech (albeit with a new CVT transmission), very similar design to the previous generation and a general Hyundai-like focus on features and gizmos rather than substance. To my surprise, I found the mix that I was looking for in the Vento TSI - old design and not as many features but a thoroughly modern engine/transmission combo.

I feel VW is at a stage where Honda was a few years ago and they will also learn to make cars that get them volume but at the cost of tech and build quality. This Indianisation of products is inevitable but sad.

[akshay87kumar]

I had registered for a sales call on the website of Honda Mobilio. Got a customary call today, and the person on the call was more interested in a sort of survey for the Mobilio, than finding what I was really interested in. Towards the end, I inquired about the launch of Jazz, and the person replied June/July. No clue on the price point though.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by ajmat

We attended a Round Table chaired by Mr Jnaneswar Sen, Senior Vice President Marketing and Sales, Honda Cars India...

Thanks for the report!

Originally Posted by ajmat

...Will the Amaze be revamped with equipment to counter the Xcent?

No - Honda will focus on durability, quality, reliability, fuel efficiency and space
You can add accessories but you cannot add space!......

Dzire has been ruling the segment being the least spacious! Even after introducing the spacious Amaze! Did he still buy the argument that space is everything for the customers in the segment? I for one would NOT even touch the Amaze unless they are ready to do a complete interior make over. I neither suggest this car to any of my friends due to it's budget feel.

And neither Dzire / Vibe / Xcent is bad on any of the other parameters he mentioned!

Originally Posted by moralfibre

You are right. I got confused. So, there has been no diesel AT this side of 10L. The Jazz could make a head start here.

I think it's TATA who will bring in the segment first diesel AT in hatchback / compact sedan arena.

[desdemona]

Originally Posted by StarScream

I feel VW is at a stage where Honda was a few years ago and they will also learn to make cars that get them volume but at the cost of tech and build quality. This Indianisation of products is inevitable but sad.

The 'Indianisation' of products is not necessarily a bad thing if done the way Tata has done with the Storme and Aria, and promise to do with the zest and bolt, and fiat have done with the linea t-jet and mjd, M&M with the updated XUV500, and also ford with the ecosport: good, well-engineered allround cars with INDIAN cost stuctures of product development/adaptation, high localization levels, modest margins, and whether through exports or engine sharing, economies of scale.

We CAN have good engine-transmission-ride-handling combinations at cut-throat Indian costs! Hopefully enough Indian car buyers will reward Tata, Fiat, Ford, M&M and soon even VW-Skoda as they go 'desi' in the way suggested above.

[rajivn]

Wish they had a concrete plan for Honda Vezel. Compact SUVs are most ideal for Indian road conditions which is why the likes of Ecosport, Duster and Terrano are runaway hits. The versatility that these cars bring certainly helps one in handling most Indian road or lack of road conditions.

While the budget compact SUV segment gets crowded, Honda can comfortably place Vezel in the 15-20L and garner good volumes. The C1/C2 segment is clocking decent numbers and some of the numbers will start creeping in to the next in line D segment as peoples aspirations and desire to own a bigger and better car swells.

Duster/Terrano has poor interiors. If Honda can offer a car that has the performance and versatility of these cars but with more premium interiors and features, I am sure they'll have a winner in hand.

[vsathyap]

I think their most important near term ( and almost immediate) plan must be to start treating customers with some care and attention. One must howl and hop around desks in their showrooms to just get someone to speak to a prospective customer.

[fuel_addict]

Interesting bit of update from the Honda stable. As already pointed out by moralfibre, an AT box mated to a diesel engine would have made things interesting. Apart from the Verna, there is no hatch/MUV/sedan in the sub 15 lakh bracket that boasts of an AT Diesel option. Why are car manufacturers' repeatedly missing this point? Agreed, price would be a concern but people's preferences have changed in the last 2-3 years. Honda can start off a trend here which other manufacturers are sure to follow.