[amit]

Originally Posted by rahul_intlad

Honda civic has to do battle with the optra diesel,considering our love for diesel optra has an advantage

Octavia diesel didn't manage to make any difference to the Petrol Civic's zooming sales. I don't think Optra D has much of a chance. I am more interested in seeing how the Optra D affects the Octavia TDi sales.

I would wait for a few months before deciding if the NHC is actually under pressure from SX4 because SX4 is a brand new car and is going to be the flavour of the market for a few months till the honeymoon period wears off. If I was the Honda CEO, I wouldn't worry over a month of sales. Besides I read somewhere that the Honda plant was closed for 15 days last month for maintainence and despite that NHC sales are almost as good as the SX4.

BUT, for the sake of the Indian car buyer, I really hope Honda comes under tremendous pressure because till now they have been really ripping us off with the overpriced NHC. And I find that odd since the Civic and Accord are pretty reasonably priced compared to the competition.

[skyline gtr r34]

well, HONDA are definetly under pressure but they will be fighting back with a new city , the city will have ABS ,airbags & honda will also offer v-tec in cheaper versions of the city. I had read some where about the LAURA RS - sorry it's not coming soon SKODA is busy launching the FABIA

[msdivy]

Honda can always resort to this: Honda City i-DSI gets 26.2km per liter in fuel economy challenge

IMO, Honda should get their CTDi (diesel) engines here: Honda Worldwide | September 25, 2006 "Honda Develops Next-Generation Clean Diesel Engine Capable of Meeting Stringent Tier II Bin 5 Emissions Requirements in the U.S."

[1100D]

Originally Posted by sathya_nars

Customers are not relying only the brand name anymore

Good to see so much change has actually happened in 1 month. SX4 should have been launched during the "change the world" revolution of the 70's!

[alabjarus]

Not because I own a VTEC, dislodging Honda from the Numero Uno position is tough. Consider this:

* Honda has always been costlier - applies across the segments
* Honda never gives discounts - applies across the segments
* Honda has always been radical in their designs - applies across the segments (I am keeping the positive virtues aside)

Despite all this, Honda remains the one to be beaten. Can the SX4 beat it.....remains to be seen....considering that purchasing a Honda car has never been a compromise choice.

[sathya_nars]

Originally Posted by alabjarus

Not because I own a VTEC, dislodging Honda from the Numero Uno position is tough. Consider this:

* Honda has always been costlier - applies across the segments
* Honda never gives discounts - applies across the segments
* Honda has always been radical in their designs - applies across the segments (I am keeping the positive virtues aside)

Despite all this, Honda remains the one to be beaten. Can the SX4 beat it.....remains to be seen.....

May sales numbers already show that SX4 started beating NHC. Even in case if this trend is not continuing, SX4 will surely take significant portion from NHC for sure.

Already Honda started feeling the heat and preparing new NHC with ABS/Airbag due to SX4 - Doesn't it show sign of getting beaten up ?

Originally Posted by alabjarus

considering that purchasing a Honda car has never been a compromise choice.

It depends on what parameters you look at. If you consider GC, fully loaded package, good A.S.S., etc, then going for NHC is a compromise over SX4.

[hondadude]

Originally Posted by sathya_nars

May sales numbers already show that SX4 started beating NHC. Even in case if this trend is not continuing, SX4 will surely take significant portion from NHC for sure.

Way too early to write off NHC. Initial sales are not an indication of consistent sales. Besides what makes you think that SX4 will take sales away from NHC. Have you seen NHC numbers for previous few months and this month.

It depends on what parameters you look at. If you consider GC, fully loaded package, good A.S.S., etc, then going for NHC is a compromise over SX4.

What about "fit and finish" and refinement.

[esteem_lover]

Personally, i prefer the NHC way way better than the SX4, i'd like to call it the sucks 4. It looks like an elephant. If it were to be a SUV, then it is a terrific looker. The interiors are pretty drab & ordinary & the sitting comfort at the rear is at the least questionable. I am a maruti owner & am prejudiced towards maruti for their exemplary service, but still i find this a bit too hard to swallow(when people start comparing the SX4 to the Honda, someone even compared it to the CIVIC. LOL)

[Zappo]

Originally Posted by sathya_nars

It depends on what parameters you look at. If you consider GC, fully loaded package, good A.S.S., etc, then going for NHC is a compromise over SX4.

I think what alabjarus means by NHC had never been a compromise choice is that those who buy NHC, and there are tons of them buying it month after month and year on year, do not do so as a compromise choice. They know all the facts. They also know that there are other cars available in the same segment which probably cost less, give more goodies, more power etc. And still they go for an NHC. In such cases it becomes doubly more difficult for the competition to make the reasons so compelling that the buyers of NHC will look at their offering instead. If its a compromise either because the price is too good to be true (way lower than the competition) or the power delivery is unmatched by any other or killer looks etc then it is much simpler. You just need to trump those USPs. But what do you do when the winning score is actually all in the mind and perception of the buyers?

[rubin2006]

Honda might not reduce prices but if there is all out war atleast we will get some features and some extended warranty as they give in west

Competetion can force any one ,when it rains heavily on the top of the mountain even it has some rocks falling apart

[LLL]

just got a call from honda dealer..no discounts on gxi model proced 7.27

asked him y i would buy a city when i am getting air bags and ABS for 40k less in sx4..didnt have a clue, just said its a premium brand thats y prices are more...

i dont think that answer is going to cut much ice anywhere. Honda needs to do better than this and VERY QUICKLY....more so if maruti were to launch sx4 diesel.

[srishiva]

Honda might wait for the new City to give a better car. Honda had a campaign called "Safety for all" wherein all cars it offers were supposed to have airbags (not just two), ABS, ACE etc., Guess it was not for developing countries. Hope the new City would be introduced quicker since the U.S market also needs a new Fit.

[spadival]

Originally Posted by alabjarus

considering that purchasing a Honda car has never been a compromise choice.

Are u suggesting that purchasing other brands is a compromise choice !! Thats a bit rich.. NHC isnt a compromise choice??

[lamborghini]

Hey guys,
as mentioned here, the Civic has no threat fromt the Optra D. What the Honda people should actually be scared about is the New Corolla which is expected to be launched in 2008.
Same with the Accord. It is facing no threat in the market, even with cars like the Camry present, bookings for the Accord are full and it is the same case with the Camry.
The CR-V is a new product and they are not facing any threat at the moment. Even though it is priced really high, it is still the highest selling premium SUV in India.

The NHC?
Now thats the problem.
the SX4 is a major competitor to the NHC but then once upon a time, so was the Palio to other B segment cars.
The SX4 is in its honeymoon period right now, as Amit rightly pointed out, and we should see the sales figures after 2 - 3 months. Also Maruti being Maruti will definitely raise their prices soon, as they had done for the Swift.
I don't feel that the SX4 is a threat to the NHC. They are both worlds apart. The NHC is big, comfortable, refined, FE and well built whereas the SX4 is positioned more as a performance car. The SX4 is more a threat to the Petrol Fiestas and Vernas and Optras then to the NHC.

[Torque-ative]

I guess where Honda as a manufacturer is hugely loosing out even though they still have the most "quality" line up is in its customer approach from their dealers. They suck !! Across the board period !!!
Thats where Maruti will rule, and that dear freinds I can easily live with!!