Honda has officially confirmed a new sub-4 metre SUV for the Indian market, which is slated to arrive by 2028. The announcement was made by company officials during the latest financial results press conference. The new Honda subcompact SUV will compete against the Maruti Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV 3XO, Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger.

Our Opinion

Honda Cars India is entering the subcompact SUV segment later than its rivals, when models such as Brezza, Venue and Nexon are generating volumes for their respective manufactures. At the same time, the emerging micro-SUV or crossover compact SUV segment, with models such as Maruti Fronx, Tata Punch and Hyundai Exter, is capturing a significant share of the market.

Considering the intense competition, Honda will have a challenging rod ahead. However, the new Honda subcompact SUV is expected to give a much-needed sales boost and strengthen its presence in one of India’s most competitive segments. With this model, Honda will target young buyers and first time SUV owners.

What to Expect?

As of now, there is no official information about the upcoming Honda subcompact SUV. Reports suggest that the model could be based either on Honda’s Global Small Car Platform or on a new modular platform supporting multiple powertrains including ICE (internal combustion engine), hybrid and electric. The latter one appears more likely, as Honda is adopting a multi-powertrain strategy for its future product lineup.

New Honda City & ZR-V Launch With Days

Meanwhile, Honda Cars India is gearing up to launch the new City facelift and ZR-V hybrid SUV on May 22, 2026. The new Honda City facelift is likely to receive subtle design changes and feature enhancements, while retaining the existing engine setup.

Similar to the global-spec version, the India-bound Honda ZR-V is expected to be offered with a 2.0L, four-cylinder hybrid powertrain paired with an e-CVT gearbox. This setup delivers a combined power of 180bhp and 240Nm of torque.