Japanese carmaker Honda has been struggling for some time in the Indian market. Honda’s line-up in India is not as versatile as the international market and they also announced that some of their models will be discontinued in 2023. One of the reason for this struggle is because they lack an SUV in their portfolio. In a bid to revive the brand, Honda has now been working on a mid-size SUV and the same is likely to be launched in the market in 2023. According to reports, the upcoming SUV from Honda is likely to offer a hybrid engine and will compete with the likes of recently launched Toyota hyryder, Maruti Grand Vitara, Kia Seltos, and Hyundai Creta.
As per various reports, Honda is most likely to launch the new mid-size SUV in the market by April 2023. The upcoming SUV from Honda will be based on Honda Amaze’s platform. It will be a modified version of the platform used in the compact sedan. The mid-size SUV from Honda is expected to be over 4 metres long and the manufacturer will heavily localize the production for a competitive price tag. Aggressive pricing is crucial in the mid-size segment, especially if you want to compete with cars like Creta and Grand Vitara in the segment. There are also reports that the upcoming Honda SUV will be sold exclusively in the Indian market.
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As of now, there is no clarity on how the upcoming SUV from Honda might look like. We are yet to see any spy pictures of the vehicle to even create a render image. Coming to the engine and transmission, Honda is likely to offer petrol engine options only. With the new set of emission norms ready to be implemented in India, offering a diesel engine would be difficult as it would simply increase the price of the SUV. Instead of a diesel engine, Honda is likely to offer a hybrid petrol engine with the SUV. The petrol version of the Honda SUV is most likely to be powered by a 1.5 litre naturally aspirated, four-cylinder engine. This engine generates 119 bhp and 145 Nm of peak torque. This is the same engine that is also available in fifth generation Honda City sedan.
The next engine option would be the hybrid. This hybrid petrol engine offered in the upcoming SUV would be the same as the City eHEV. The system uses a combination of electric motor and a petrol engine to make the car work. The SUV would get a 1.5 litre petrol engine that works on Atkinsons cycle. The engine will be paired with an electric motor that is powered by a battery pack in the boot or floor of the car. This is a self-charging EV and it offers better fuel efficiency than a regular petrol engine. The upcoming SUV is expected to come with an all-new cabin with floating type touchscreen infotainment screen, fully digital instrument cluster and many more features. Along with Grand Vitara and Hyundai Creta, Honda’s upcoming SUV would also rival with SUVs like Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq in the segment.
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