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Old 24th July 2021, 08:42   #16
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Re: Honda to re-enter midsize SUV market

By the time that Honda FINALLY brings in the car, probably it will again be outdated & overpriced. Only a miracle now can save Honda in India. As @rAijin said, only a new market research team from a brand successful in India can save them now ! Honda India, wake up, bring in the Odessey, HR-V, Civic, CR-V, Pilot, Passport, Accord, Insight, Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, City hatchback, Civic type-R, Jazz, anything & price them competitively. You have such a great portfolio abroad then why not in India ?

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Old 24th July 2021, 08:53   #17
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Re: Honda India : The Way Forward

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Originally Posted by M00M View Post
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I guess its time to move on from Honda India in India sadly unless you want to buy a City (which is exceptional) and the Jazz (again very good). Anything different either you spend more on maintenance and get a preowned German or a new German as per your pocket as even Toyota India is lacklustre.
What about the Civic? I know it’s discontinued but it’s not a bad car

Last edited by Chetan_Rao : 24th July 2021 at 10:47. Reason: Quote tags.
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Old 24th July 2021, 10:59   #18
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Re: Honda to re-enter midsize SUV market

Honda India is a casestudy on how an automotive company can demolish a brand. Hondas were desirable in my growing up years with vehicles like City, Civic and Accord. They could have had early mover advantage as the market was in transition to SuVs and Crossovers. However they wanted to become another Maruti by focusing on mass market vehicles and still charge a premium on their offering for the name tag. They had HRV/Veezel in international markets before Creta, but didn't launch here. WRV is a half hearted attempt with no automatic transmission or suitable engine. Mobilio was a disaster with nothing going for it against the Ertiga. BRV was extremely plain jane and very mpv like to be called an SuV. CRV had a puny diesel engine. Market has moved on from sedans to crossovers/pseudo SUVs and Honda doesn't have any suitsble offering for someone looking to upgrade from City or even Amaze. Most of the folks who owned Honda once that I know have moved on.
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Old 24th July 2021, 11:10   #19
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Re: Honda to re-enter midsize SUV market

Honda seems to take the phrase ‘analysis to paralysis’ to another level altogether. When a company as large as it is globally, with a portfolio of proven world class products and with a presence in a country for 25 years, maunders about and exhibits the business instincts of a combination of clueless bookkeeper and insecure teenager, it’s hard to watch. As a massive Honda fan, it’s just depressing.

My only possible expansion for it is that they just don’t care about India as a market. In fact, it would today make sense from a Toyota-Honda-Japanese perspective given their business cultures. As big as they are, perhaps they just don’t care to do business ‘India style’ and would rather forgo that potential revenue stream as being too small to be worth it to them. Because if they were serious, they’d just sack the whole India team and get on with it.

Last edited by RT13 : 24th July 2021 at 11:13.
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Old 24th July 2021, 11:27   #20
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Re: Honda to re-enter midsize SUV market

Looks like someone just got out of their sleep. Before we start thrashing them for not bringing their SUVs to India, let's look at what they have done in the recent years.
  • Failed to offer their 1.5 iVtec engines in the W-RV and the Jazz.
  • Lack of automatic options in the W-RV.
  • Offered the Civic with a petrol automatic(CVT wtih NA, competing against TSI with DSG. Seriously?) and diesel manual.
  • No 7 seater on sale after they discontinued the B-RV.

I agree that Honda has some of the best engines and smoothest CVT in the market. However they have constantly failed to provide the best possible powertrain options for the Indian market.

How hard is it going to be for them to introduce the H-RV in India? Someone who wants to go for the City wouldn't mind paying the extra few lakhs for the H-RV. Now Honda is talking about possible launches in 2023.

When all the manufacturers are working towards their EV options, Honda is just 10 years late to the game... Just working on their midsized SUVs. Not sure how they haven't shut shop in India.
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Old 24th July 2021, 11:41   #21
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Re: Honda to re-enter midsize SUV market

Don't really know how Honda is going to realise all these promises, with reduced manpower. A lot of their (experienced) R&D people have jumped ship to other companies.

I don't really have hope for Honda unless they show some proper resolve, dig their heel deep and make some proper investments in India
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Old 24th July 2021, 12:14   #22
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Re: Honda to re-enter midsize SUV market

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Originally Posted by RT13 View Post
Honda seems to take the phrase ‘analysis to paralysis’ to another level altogether. When a company as large as it is globally, with a portfolio of proven world class products and with a presence in a country for 25 years, maunders about and exhibits the business instincts of a combination of clueless bookkeeper and insecure teenager, it’s hard to watch. As a massive Honda fan, it’s just depressing.

My only possible expansion for it is that they just don’t care about India as a market. In fact, it would today make sense from a Toyota-Honda-Japanese perspective given their business cultures. As big as they are, perhaps they just don’t care to do business ‘India style’ and would rather forgo that potential revenue stream as being too small to be worth it to them. Because if they were serious, they’d just sack the whole India team and get on with it.
I agree as a Honda City VCVT owner. I know there are many things which could be better. But overall I like Honda's cars much more than Maruti tin cans and VWG wallet assassins. I know Honda's built quality isn't that much better than Maruti but the engine is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G and it makes up for everything. Honda can launch so many projects but lately the Japanese have lost their edge. I don't think consider MS as japanese, at least when it comes to ideology because the only thing they've learnt from the Japanese is efficient cost cutting, nothing else.
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Old 24th July 2021, 12:29   #23
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Re: Honda to re-enter midsize SUV market

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This is quite ridiculous. If i have to overpay for a Honda, I would rather pay 25 - 27 lakh (on road) for a proper hybrid HR-V (with the full magic seats, AT etc) rather than overpay for yet another attempt of what sounds like a made for India cut price, cheap BR-V 2.0 being sold at a Creta price.
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Originally Posted by landcruiser123 View Post
At 25-27 big ones, you'd be overpaying for a HR_V which is basically a Creta sized crossover. At 27 lakh, I'd expect a base CR-V.
People would buy the Innova Crysta top end instead for that price IMHO.

The management team @ Honda India should stop smoking whatever they are on since all these years and wake up. Hyundai, Kia and MG are enjoying the space.
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Old 24th July 2021, 19:58   #24
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Re: Honda to re-enter midsize SUV market

The final nail on Honda's coffin in India was the design of the latest City. Though it looks very good, it has lost the sharper angles and the aggressiveness of the earlier generation, which Indians generally love. This, when they had already discontinued the Civic and the CRV. Honda was still looking very formidable 2-3 years back with Amaze bringing in good volumes. Not the case any more.
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Old 24th July 2021, 21:16   #25
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Re: Honda to re-enter midsize SUV market

Well the Honda Management thinks that people will queue up their showrooms just for buying any Honda. Unfortunately Honda India had to face duds in their lineup like Mobilio BRV inspite of having good engines . The Jazz isn't bringing on huge sales numbers too. Probably Honda is way to late to enter the midsize Suv market while Hyundai & Kia is ruling the sales with their midsize SUV. If Honda can launch a well priced product along with good features maybe Honda can bring about the sales volumes in India again.
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Old 24th July 2021, 22:40   #26
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Re: Honda to re-enter midsize SUV market

Saw so many such news last few years that I have stopped even bothering if it says ‘Honda plans to bring’

They ‘will’ get it of course but once market has moved on to next big thing. Just like the diesels. Heck, inspite of having that 1.5L & a potent CVT, they just couldn’t plonk it in the WR-V which desperately needs it. Even maruti brought their 1.5L in the brezza letting go of the sub4m advantage. Results are for everyone to see. Brezza, Ecosport both have 1.5L petrols.

So this midsize SUV might come but will be 2025 maybe.

P.S: I own two hondas(brio and jazz cvt) and am throughly disappointed at their lethargic approach to Indian market
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Old 24th July 2021, 23:03   #27
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Re: Honda to re-enter midsize SUV market

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…Even maruti brought their 1.5L in the brezza letting go of the sub4m advantage. Results are for everyone to see….
Off topic, but IIRC sub 4m advantage is for 1.2L petrol or 1.5L diesel. So penny counting Maruti didn’t let go of any advantage. In fact they make sure to benefit from each loophole.
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Old 24th July 2021, 23:17   #28
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Re: Honda to re-enter midsize SUV market

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Off topic, but IIRC sub 4m advantage is for 1.2L petrol or 1.5L diesel. So penny counting Maruti didn’t let go of any advantage. In fact they make sure to benefit from each loophole.
Brezza doesn’t come with 1.2L Petrol. It has a 1.5L Petrol now. So yea Maruti did let go of the sub4m advantage for this one just like Ford with ecosport. Of course not out of choice but because that 1.2L would have been underpowered for the heavy brezza

Last edited by SoumenD : 24th July 2021 at 23:21.
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Old 25th July 2021, 07:43   #29
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Re: Honda to re-enter midsize SUV market

Whats wrong with Honda's strategies in India?
When Indian wanted diesel they were selling petrol engines(2010).
When Indians were looking for a premium hatchback (i20 elite) they killed the Jazz (in 2015) by over pricing it. When Indians want an AT they have MT in WRV (2017). When Indians are looking for C- SUVs they are selling sedans(2021). By the time they launch the SUV, Indians will have moved to electric (2025)
They have world class products with reliable engines and gear box combination, but they simply lack the India specific vision.
Hope someone from Honda India reads this thread, and get things right
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Old 25th July 2021, 09:50   #30
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Re: Honda to re-enter midsize SUV market

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Off topic, but IIRC sub 4m advantage is for 1.2L petrol or 1.5L diesel. So penny counting Maruti didn’t let go of any advantage. In fact they make sure to benefit from each loophole.
He meant the 1.5L petrol, instead of the 1.2L petrol or the 1.0 L Boosterjet, thereby losing the advantage.
Maruti must have calculated that the cost of a turbo will be more than the taxes saved and hence stuck to the 1.5L NA Petrol engine.
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