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-   -   Honda starts testing Accord Hybrid in India. EDIT: Launched at 37 lakhs (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/177565-honda-starts-testing-accord-hybrid-india-edit-launched-37-lakhs-2.html)

Source: NDTV's Car & Bike

It was a disappointing month for Honda Cars India as June 2016 saw the car maker retail 11,407 domestic vehicles, a sharp decline of 38 per cent, as against the 18,380 vehicles sold during the corresponding period last year. The company's drop in volumes has been attributed to the customer's liking for petrol powered vehicles once again.

Explaining the decline in volumes, Yoichiro Ueno, President and CEO, Honda Cars India said, said "The shift in consumer preferences led to high stock of diesel vehicles at our dealerships. As a deliberate measure, we have been rationalising wholesale dispatches to correct the stock situation at our dealerships. The market is good and our retail sales were much higher than wholesale dispatches." Sales are expected to normalise in July with retail sales matching wholesale dispatches.

Honda also exported 393 units in June 2016, while cumulative sales for the first quarter of the financial year stood at 31,847, as against 44,447 vehicles sold during the same period last year. With respect to individual sales, Honda most popular model last month was the City sedan with 3581 units sold, followed by the newly launched BR-V that clocked 3064 units.

The Jazz was the third best-seller in Honda's lineup with 2593 cars sold, while the Amaze clocked 1617 units last month. The least selling Honda cars in June 2016 were the Brio, Mobilio and CR-V, clocking 359 units, 140 units and 53 units respectively.

Off late, Honda does not seem like the premium manufacturer as they used to be, though may be its premium "brand value" seems to still have its effect on the Indian customer who is not really concerned how well built and put together his/her car is as long as the straight "H" sits on the grille.

The Honda accord should restore some of that "true" premium'ness to Honda, unless they tweak its build for "India".

Skoda will slumber on, i feel they are focusing on their "face lifted" rapid launch as their next "big" thing for India. Toyota Camry seems like a big boat ( though luxurious) .

Surely most customers who are ready to plonk in 30 L plus for a luxury car would happily do so with a Honda or a Toyota for peace of mind ( its truly embarrassing to be lying stranded on the road side with a breakdown, or seeing your vehicle on a flat bed - especially when its a luxury barge)

Some pictures of the 2016 Accord from http://automobiles.honda.com/

Meanwhile from the side as well as the rear three quarter view i find an uncanny resemblance to BMW

Honda Accord Middle east & China version

I had travelled extensively in my son's 2016 Accord in the US. The interiors are pretty decent. One feature that I liked was that if the right indicator in on, the image seen by the camera fixed on the right indicator is displayed on the screen which is closer to our eyesight than looking at the outer right side rear view mirror. Helps in not letting your eyes stray too much from the front.

An Accord Hybrid joins the list of imported Accords for testing purposes.



Source

Among the Superb, Accord and Camry, my vote goes to the Superb first unless the accord undercuts it big time. This though is unlikely.

A Hybrid Accord that is well priced is welcome.

Camry getting a bit too old not.

Confirmed - Honda Cars India Limited has confirmed that it will launch the 9th-gen Honda Accord, in it's Hybrid avatar, in October 2016.

Final date of launch will be revealed later, according to Mr Yoichiro Ueno, president and CEO, Honda Cars India, who was speaking at a new dealership inauguration.

NDTV Auto

Zigwheels' sources report that Honda Cars India will be launching the 9th-gen Honda Accord on October 30th.

Select Honda dealerships in Delhi have already started accepting bookings for a sum of Rs 51,000.

Rather late in the day !! The 10th generation Accord is in final stages of testing and will be revealed next year. Why would someone want to buy the 9th generation when its clearly an import and will be discontinued within 18 months max !!

http://www.motortrend.com/news/spied...aked-roofline/

Well, 30th October doesn't seem to be the launch date. Firstly, it is a Sunday and secondly it is Diwali that day. There is no chance on earth that a new car launch happens on the day of the most celebrated festival in India. :)

Indeed.

My mistake - the source claims that the launch will be held around October 30th, so it could be a day or two before or after.

Honda is again losing the ticket in India. The relatively old Accord is expected to compete against a new generation Superb and Passat?!

The only way I see this working is an on road pricing of 20-25 Lakhs tops.

Honda Accord Hybrid, the Japanese automaker's much-awaited sedan, will be launched in India on 25 October.

Source

I wonder if a late 2016 launch of a car which was first produced in August 2012 (source:Wikipedia) is the right move. Honda introduced the Jazz in India around 2 years late, but a launch this late has to be a record for a major manufacturer

Potential buyers may do well to be aware of this aspect!

Honda Accord hybrid to be launched on 25th Oct'16



Excerpts

The Accord Hybrid is a non-plug-in hybrid car powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine along with twin-electric motors and a 1.3kW battery. The petrol engine churns out 143hp of power, and the combined output with the electric motors will stand at around 199hp of power and 300Nm of torque.

The Accord will be a CBU unlike Camry and will not qualify for the FAME scheme and is expected to be priced @ 40 Lacs

http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-new...16-403088.aspx