Honda classifies Indian diesel as not refined enough.

[rahul_intlad]

Honda once again say that India does not require diesel,so don't expect a diesel from Honda in India in the near future

“The emission norms will get more strict in 2010 with the introduction of Euro IV emission norms and while we do have the technology we are not sure about the quality of diesel available in the country today. Hence we are waiting for the fuel quality to improve and once it happens we will be ready with our products,” Takedagawa said. First to come off the block would be the Honda CR-V diesel.

He, however believed that the situation is still not the same as Europe and Honda is not missing out on an opportunity. “An Indian consumer drives an average 18,000 kilometers per year while a European drives in excess of 40,000 kilometers. The huge gap is due to the difference in infrastructure and diesel is more attractive for those who travel more. The demand here will be much more once infrastructure improves,” he said.

Source:
IndianExpress.com :: Honda may Jazz up small car segment

[dadu]

Yes, its very true they will start with the EURO4 emission norms in the 11 mega cities by 2008 and cover all of India by 2010. See here

Originally Posted by rahul_intlad

Honda once again say that India does not require diesel,so don't expect a diesel from Honda in India in the near future

Source:
IndianExpress.com :: Honda may Jazz up small car segment

[BUSA]

Takedagawa talks total BS and crap. When all companies like BMW, Mercedes, Maruti, Hyundai, Tata, MnM, Skoda can launch competent diesel products then why do Honda have to blame the fuel quality. And Indians do drive more then 18000kms atleast 30% indians do, hence you can see the high rise in the sales figures of Indian cars, if you dont want to get diesel dont but please dont talk any crap Mr. Takedagawa #^@#^@

[srishiva]

Well the european car companies did the exact BS and crap about U.S diesel. Only now with the low sulphur diesel they have come forward to introducing diesels in U.S.
They still do the BS and crap about U.S petrol too. I don't see anyone in the U.S complaining about the manufacturers. They do complain to the government so that they could drive the fast euro cars with original power specifications.
So Honda is not talking all crap.

[BUSA]

Bunk US, talk India.

Fiat also said that CRDi techno has ill effects in India, and now what they themselves are in the process of launching JTD.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by BUSA

Bunk US, talk India.

Fiat also said that CRDi techno has ill effects in India, and now what they themselves are in the process of launching JTD.

Yes, testing the waters by seeing their engine perform on some other brand. Good strategy.

[BUSA]

Originally Posted by 1100D

Yes, testing the waters by seeing their engine perform on some other brand. Good strategy.

Plus MUL does the home work of localising parts and finding vendors. Italians are lazy or what?

[msdivy]

Why diesel has problems? Did Honda find Indian petrol good enough?

[anandpadhye]

When asked why Honda service intervals (5000 KM or 3 months whichever occurs first), Honda's reply was: "You guys do not have "real" fuels in your country. Things have improved only slightly after Euro2 norms but still no way near the international standards (due to lack of control on adulteration) so we ask the clients to get their cars in every 5000 KM or 3 months so we keep them well maintained and that's why you see 1999 Honda City's running smoothly on the roads even today..."

And I think (from whatever I have read about Honda), they are the most environment cautious company of the lot. I think they don't like to see black smoke coming out of their car's exhaust so no diesel engine for India. If Mercs, Skodas are running occassionally emitting puff of black smoke, it may be OK for them, not for Honda...

Honda is going for a BIG TIME diesel launch in the United States in 2010 because even US diesel is not up to the mark. And US is the biggest auto market. So I think Honda is honest about their reason...whether we may like it or not...and I like that honesty.

[diabloo]

Busa, there must be some truth in Honda comments.

Originally Posted by BUSA

Takedagawa talks total BS and crap. When all companies like BMW, Mercedes, Maruti, Hyundai, Tata, MnM, Skoda can launch competent diesel products then why do Honda have to blame the fuel quality. And Indians do drive more then 18000kms atleast 30% indians do, hence you can see the high rise in the sales figures of Indian cars, if you dont want to get diesel dont but please dont talk any crap Mr. Takedagawa #^@#^@

This looks like a good explanation.

Originally Posted by anandpadhye

When asked why Honda service intervals (5000 KM or 3 months whichever occurs first), Honda's reply was: "You guys do not have "real" fuels in your country. Things have improved only slightly after Euro2 norms but still no way near the international standards (due to lack of control on adulteration) so we ask the clients to get their cars in every 5000 KM or 3 months so we keep them well maintained and that's why you see 1999 Honda City's running smoothly on the roads even today..."

And I think (from whatever I have read about Honda), they are the most environment cautious company of the lot. I think they don't like to see black smoke coming out of their car's exhaust so no diesel engine for India. If Mercs, Skodas are running occassionally emitting puff of black smoke, it may be OK for them, not for Honda...

Honda is going for a BIG TIME diesel launch in the United States in 2010 because even US diesel is not up to the mark. And US is the biggest auto market. So I think Honda is honest about their reason...whether we may like it or not...and I like that honesty.

[rahul_intlad]

When asked why Honda service intervals (5000 KM or 3 months whichever occurs first), Honda's reply was: "You guys do not have "real" fuels in your country.

Maruti[atleast the sx4 don't know the rest of the models] and toyota[petrol] have service intervals of 10,000 kms/1 year so what special fuel do they run on.
The sx4 is a new car but toyota has been around for a while too,so far no problems with toyota.

Honda is going for a BIG TIME diesel launch in the United States in 2010 because even US diesel is not up to the mark.

Because their hybrids lost out big time to the toyota ones.

[MaserQ]

Originally Posted by BUSA

Plus MUL does the home work of localising parts and finding vendors. Italians are lazy or what?

Pure undiluted Italian cunning!

[anandpadhye]

Originally Posted by rahul_intlad

Maruti[atleast the sx4 don't know the rest of the models] and toyota[petrol] have service intervals of 10,000 kms/1 year so what special fuel do they run on.
The sx4 is a new car but toyota has been around for a while too,so far no problems with toyota.

Because their hybrids lost out big time to the toyota ones.

I know...everyone else has longer service intervals, that's the reason the question was asked to Honda.

But let's keep ourselves honest here...I have seen puff of black smokes emitted by Swift DDIS, Innova D4D, Octivias and even Mercs...sometimes during sudden accelration, sometimes during breaking...whatever it is. But if one company wants to emit ABSOLUTELY NO BLACK SOME AT ALL, what's wrong with it?

DDIS (Multijet) is by far and large the most advanced CRDi and feels like a petrol engine to everyone inside the car and also to everyone outside wrt it's high-class NVH. But then our diesel makes it emit black smoke. That's an achievement on part of our fuels....they can make the latest hi-tech MJD look bad!

And I am yet to see a blue/white smoke emitting or misfiring Honda on our roads...I hve seen misfiring and smoky Marutis (may be poorly maintained by the owners...whatever), but not a Honda...again it may be a short-coming of my observation capabilities...but I can certainly give Honda the benefit of doubt.

Assuming they launch their diesel here in 2012 (2 years after their US launch and provided India has the "real" diesel by then), I think I will find myself driving a non-smoker super-silent diesel car in Pune...just a dream...let's wait and watch "the Power of Dreams"...

[Zappo]

Anand I am not very sure about your idea. AFAIK, all diesels will emit black smoke on hard acceleration and that is because of the discharge of the black soot that deposits in the pipe over a period. Strong gust of the exhaust on hard acceleration dislodges this soot from the pipe and is emitted. Now this soot formation is a natural phenomenon for oil burners. Diesel will produce soot on burning.

Now, if you are suggesting that Honda diesel cars have a technology that causes the diesel in it to not produce soot on burning or that they know of some diesel that does not produce soot at all on burning, well, I doubt that frankly speaking. With lots of filters and catcons and stuff you may neutralize it to a good extent. But even that will only slow down the soot formation but not completely eliminate it.

In fact forget the hi-end mercs, even with a lowly Tatas if you clean the smoke pipe regularly to keep it soot free you will find that it does not ever produce that thick black smoke which you think is a halmark of diesel cars.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by anandpadhye

so we keep them well maintained and that's why you see 1999 Honda City's running smoothly on the roads even today..."

Hmm. I dont know whats the big deal about a 8-yr old car running fine when we have more than 20 year old M800s running around sprightly without any smoke. Our own '85 vintage car did not spew any smoke during the 19years we had it. And we used the same petrol.

Originally Posted by rahul_intlad

Maruti[atleast the sx4 don't know the rest of the models] and toyota[petrol] have service intervals of 10,000 kms/1 year so what special fuel do they run on.

Same for Baleno and I guess also for other C-segmenters from other companies.