[RavenAvi]

Company officials of Honda Cars India have revealed that, initially, the soon-to-be-launched 9th gen Honda Accord hybrid units will be imported CBUs only, brought into India on the basis of confirmed orders. (link)

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Company officials of Honda Cars India have revealed that, initially, the soon-to-be-launched 9th gen Honda Accord hybrid units will be imported CBUs only, brought into India on the basis of confirmed orders. (link)

That puts it at such a huge price disadvantage!

Plus, when does the "initial" period end? Obviously the CBU model won't work for the Accord so eventually Honda will bring it CKD and that will lower the price.

Who in their right mind wouldn't want to wait till it is CKD.

Economies of scale and prior experience probably compel Honda to tread cautiously but the CBU route will only make things difficult to re-introduce the Accord in India.

[4x4addict]

I don't think this strategy makes sense. With CBU pricing, the accord will become too close to comfort to the entry level premium offerings from German's. It may not even be able to complete with the latest Camry which I believe is now CKD. I think it is better they concentrate on the next generation civic.

[nik_kapur]

Why bring it to India ? If the economies don't add up, then don't bring it in as a half hearted effort. 40Lakhs for an accord is crazy !! We bought ours for 20L not too long back. The Superb is what makes sense and now they offer the Skoda warranty and assurance package. I sat in the current accord in Thailand and i can tell you that its no better than the previous generation car. Im am not saying its bad, i love it in fact. I love it because it cost 20Lakhs. At 40, i have more expectations and that when it fails.

[YashD]

The new Accord is dead on Arrival, the on-road price will easily go 40 upwards which is way too expensive for a Honda.

The Camry Hybrid costs 30.9 Lakhs ex showroom, New Delhi and it's a CKD. So, am expecting a price tag of 36-38 lakhs for the Accord.

Now, with that kind of pricing How will Honda gauge the customer response? It's obviously going to be lukewarm when at the same price tag I have offerings from Volvo, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz!

IMHO, if Honda is willing to price it competitively and take in some losses initially to gauge the customer response, then only they should take the plunge back into this segment. Otherwise, they don't have a future here. They should concentrate on their Civic and the next generation CR-V with a diesel engine to take on the new heated up segment.

[Sahil]

Originally Posted by YashD

The new Accord is dead on Arrival, the on-road price will easily go 40 upwards which is way too expensive for a Honda.

The Camry Hybrid costs 30.9 Lakhs ex showroom, New Delhi and it's a CKD. So, am expecting a price tag of 36-38 lakhs for the Accord.

Honda is trying to pitch itself in the middle of the Camry Hybrid and yet to be launched Lexus ES300h which costs approx 40% more than its less flamboyant sibling. Which means the there will be a 10 lakh difference between the Camry and the equivalent Lexus. Honda is trying to hit right in the middle,they would probably bring in the Euro Accord which is pretty much the Acura version to step up the luxury quotient and features compared to make it seem more Lexus-ish.

[akp666]

Honda planning to launch new Accord. Aaaaaaaaand they killed it right before the launch with this regressive strategy if they bring it via CBU. It will put it at a price disadvantage. What were the honchos at Honda smoking before they thought of this? Ofcourse the market is going to respond in a lukewarm manner, and CKD kits might not be introduced hence putting the final nail in the coffin. Hard to believe that the accord was the segment leader a few years back. The market has moved on & honda refuses to take timely action. Suberb makes so much more sense than this.

[volkman10]

Honda Accord hybrid ready for launch ? Honda imports ~ 30 cars in October ( Zauba)

[djay99]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Honda Accord hybrid ready for launch ? Honda imports ~ 30 cars in October ( Zauba)

Attachment 1563944

With a transfer price of 22L + Duty of around 7L? (FTA) + State VAT (4L)+ Honda Margins (3L?)+ Dealer margin (1L) = >35L Ex-Showroom. Very pricey IMO and honestly I feel Honda badge may not help at this price.

Instead they could have localized first and then launch it at right price point.

[RavenAvi]

Specifications of the India-spec Honda Accord hybrid:

(Source)


(Source)


(Source)

The Accord Hybrid is pegged at 23.1 kmpl in it's official Indian driving cycle.
It will come with (among other features) Apple play, Android Auto, an electric sunroof, rain-sensing wipers, LED lighting, remote start, and an advanced climate control system, which is not just dual zone but also adjusts automatically for direct sun entering inside the cabin.
It will also have an unique lane-watch feature. (Source)

[volkman10]

Media drive is on,

First impressions- quiet, smooth & responsive. Back seat great as ever.

Source

And First drive by Overdrive,

The Accord Hybrid is a handsome car that’s stuffed to the gills with kit and promises to be quite nice to drive as well as extremely comfortable. The Camry Hybrid should be very worried but the Toyota does have an ace up its sleeve. Being locally assembled allows it significant tax breaks as well as incentives from the government FAME policy. The Accord is a CBU only which means it will probably be priced quite higher than its Rs 28 lakh rival. If Honda can pull off a competitive price at the October 25 launch, this car will not only be a great alternative to the Toyota but also to more expensive German cars.

Link

[RavenAvi]

First set of pics of the Honda Accord Hybrid in India, courtesy ACI.

[RavenAvi]

ACI's review is out. Excerpts:

We are now used to the silent way hybrid cars start off, or should we say switch themselves on. It’s only when you prod the throttle pedal that you know the Accord is ‘alive.’ It’s ultra-responsive from the get-go and power builds up in a seamless way. In pure EV mode, the Accord Hybrid has a range of around just 2km after which the engine kicks in. Sport mode is particularly nice, especially from low revs, as all the torque of the electric motor pulls the car forward effortlessly. And as long as you don't keep your foot flat on the floor, the strong responses are delivered without delay. There's a level of effortlessness that gels perfectly with the relaxed demeanour of the car, and it's also nice that the Accord Hybrid can gather a fair bit of speed, even when driven in a relaxed manner.

[KINI]

The tenth generation Accord is only a year away if not lesser. Who would pay 40L for a car thats going out of production in a year?

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by KINI

Who would pay 40L for a car thats going out of production in a year?

Ironically, the first batch of cars are already sold out.

With a price tag of around 40L and CBU import, Honda is not targeting the masses here. Probably they are only looking at keeping the Accord brand name alive till the next generation is ready for a more competitive launch.