Honda has confirmed that their all-new midsize SUV for the Indian market will be available for purchase by mid-2023.
The vehicle will be globally launched in the coming months and will first be sold in India. Honda has also announced plans to introduce one new model to their Indian portfolio each year from 2023.
Honda To Launch New Midsize SUV For Indian Market
Honda announced that starting in 2023, it will add one new model to its India lineup each year in addition to the City facelift.
With the release of the facelifted City and the new midsize SUV, which will go on sale sometime between July and September, Honda Cars India (HCIL) anticipates outpacing its competitors in the passenger vehicle (PV) market in the upcoming year.
With the new launches expanding the addressable market, HCIL’s president and CEO Takuya Tsumura confirmed that the company would like to grow more quickly than it did the previous year. Starting in April 2023, the company’s plant in Tapukara, Rajasthan, will increase its daily vehicle production from 540 vehicles to up to 660 vehicles as it gets closer to releasing the new SUV.
Higher Allocation For City’s Hybrid Models Expected
In FY24, Honda anticipates a higher allocation for the updated City’s hybrid models, and it projects that the City hybrid will represent 15–20% of the car’s overall sales.
Tsumura claimed that due to lower allocation from Japan and the high demand for hybrids in India, HCIL was unable to meet the demand.
A facelifted version of the new City was released by Honda Cars India, with prices starting at Rs 11.49 lakh and going as high as Rs 20.39 lakh, ex-showroom. The company has also broadened the appeal of the hybrid-powered models by introducing them in two trims of the facelifted City, the V ($18.89 lakh) and ZX ($20.39 lakh).
The updated City costs about Rs 15,000–35,000 more than the outgoing model, but the manufacturer asserts that the value provided to the customer is significantly higher because ADAS features are also exclusively offered in the manual-transmission versions of the updated City.
The Skoda Slavia, Volkswagen Virtus, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, and the brand-new Hyundai Verna, which goes on sale later this month, will be strong competitors for the updated Honda City.
