Honda Cars India has confirmed six new model launches for the current financial year, with a strong focus on hybrids. While the City facelift and ZR-V have already been introduced, the upcoming lineup will include a mix of market-specific and global products including the Prelude hybrid sports car. Honda is also evaluating hybrid versions of the Accord, Civic and CR-V as CKD (completely knocked down) units. Besides this, the Japanese carmaker is working on an all-new sub-4 metre SUV for the Indian market, which is expected to arrive in 2028.

While Honda hasn’t yet revealed details of the product, it’s likely to be a market-focused model developed locally and positioned with competitive pricing. Toshihiro Mibe, the Executive Vice President and Director at Honda R&D Co.,Ltd., said “We will develop specifications that fully match the market conditions and customer needs in India.”

New Honda Subcompact SUV – What to Expect?

Multiple Powertrain Options?

The new Honda subcompact SUV could be offered with multiple powertrain options including petrol and electric. The lineup might feature the Amaze’s 1.2L i-VTEC naturally aspirated petrol engine, which is good enough for 89bhp and 110Nm. Both manual and automatic gearbox options are expected to be on offer.

Competition & Expected Pricing

When launched, the new Honda subcompact SUV will compete with models such as Tata Nexon, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Mahindra XUV 3XO, Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue and Skoda Kylaq. It would be quite early to comment on its pricing; however, the SUV is estimated to be priced around Rs 8.50 lakh – 9 lakh for the base variant and nearly Rs 14 lakh for the top trim. Hybrid and electric versions, if launched, will command a premium over the ICE-powered counterpart.

Honda’s First Attempt at the Sub-4m SUV Segment

Honda Cars India entered the subcompact SUV segment with the WR-V in 2017. The model started off on a strong note and soon became one of Honda’s best-selling cars in India. However, its sales declined over the years due to increasing competition, a lack of regular updates and no availability of a petrol automatic option. With the implementation of the BS6 Phase 2 emission standards, the Honda WR-V was discontinued in India.