Honda Cars India is certainly doing extremely well with the massive success of its two latest cars, Amaze and new City. The Japanese car major’s high success in the last one year has made it attain new position in the Indian car market. However, the Japanese car maker has been seemingly concentrating more on the entry level cars such as the Amaze and the upcoming Mobilio. This made the speculations rife that Honda might not think about launching its high-end performance centric cars in India given their high pricing and low sales in the Indian market.

2014 honda cr-v front

However, as per the latest reports, Honda India is contemplating to launch the new CR-V as well as the Accord braced with the 1.6 liter diesel motor in the next year.

Owing to poor market performance, Honda Cars India discontinued its patent luxury vehicle Accord in 2013, as the company did with the premium hatch Jazz also due to low sales. Honda however, never stated the exact reason for discontinuing the Accord in India though the declining sales rates were apparent. The drop in the Accord’s sales in India was primarily due to heavy competition, along with the lack of a diesel variant. As the luxury behemoths also began offering hatchback models in the same price range as the Honda Accord, more customers were diverted from the capable car. Finally, the production constraint that Honda faced post the launch of Amaze and its amazing demands marked the end of the Accord in India. However, now there is high chance that the Accord will be resurrected in India along with its diesel counterpart.

The Indian car market is getting matured rapidly and its luxury segment is growing incredibly, thus being a reputed luxury car maker Honda would not like to miss out on this highly lucrative segment in India. Moreover, the Japanese car major also has massive expansion plants both in terms of product range and production capacity. While the company has started a new production plant in Rajasthan recently, it is also planning to set up a third plant in Gujarat. Thus, Honda seems to be all prepared to re-launch the Accord in 2015 in India.

The new Honda Accord would be powered by a new 2.4 liter petrol mill producing 177bhp of power. This new petrol motor will be more responsive and fuel efficient as against to the previous one. The new 2015 Accord will come with an electric power steering, bigger body with increased space, redesigned interiors as well as a sturdier chassis.

The Accord’s diesel variant will be launched later. The diesel version will pack in a new 1.6 liter diesel mill. This engine is expected to be introduced first in the CR-V in India next year. This new powerful diesel mill generating 118hp of power and 300Nm of torque will be perfect for bigger vehicles such as the Civic, CR-V and Accord.

Honda is yet to confirm the Indian launches of the 2015 CR-V and Accord diesel.

Honda has churned wonders with its diesel packages Amaze and new Honda City. The company has another amazing upcoming diesel launch the new CR-V expected to launch in 2015. A new CR-V launch sounds exciting; the car was displayed at the prestigious 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

2014 honda cr-v front

The diesel CR-V for Indian markets is equipped with robust 1.6 litre engine that produces 300Nm and 118bhp. The car is sold in two wheel drive mode coupled with manual transmission gearbox. The engine is bigger that potent 1.5 litre engine used in Amaze. The power output from 1.5 litre engine is 100bhp, the 1.6 litre engine yields 118bhp. The torque output from 1.6 litre engine is higher than bigger 2.4 litre petrol power trains with the emission of 30.5kgm torque higher than 23 kgm.

The new CR-V diesel will be sold in two wheel drive option, which implies a lighter car. About 70kg of weight is preserved, and is a boon in terms of optimum performance output. Honda will manufacture the car at its established unit in Tapukara. The initial price is expected to be Rs 25 lakhs.

There are speculations that Honda might launch the new Accord diesel, and will arrive with more robust twin turbo engine. The power train will generate oodles of energy in 140 to 150bhp range.

CR-V is among Honda’s exceptionally premium models, the exteriors flaunt creatively styled grille, and fashionably styled headlights. The fog lights look glossy and blend with the dynamic styling of the car. The side skirts add a refined touch to the car. The car looks elegant from the rear contributed arty tail lights. The surprise package lies in sun roof, which offers a great view of outer atmosphere. The windscreen is moulded into racked slanting structure in green tinted glass. The seventeen inch ten spoke alloy wheels offers remarkable road grip on challenging terrains such as steep slopes and mountain ranges.

The cabin room in CR-V is enormously spacious and draped with fine plastic; the seats are draped in high quality black leather and ivory upholstery. The fit and finish is supreme, the enormous cabin room is sufficient to accommodate five occupants. The cabin volume is exceptionally roomy for back and front seat passengers, sufficient to tuck in heaps of luggage and encounter fun-filled vacation moments. There is a world class audio system with USB, Aux-in, AM or FM radio and CD player facilities.

CR-V is packed with adequate safety with curtain, side and front airbags, Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure with G-Con technology. There are 6 SRS airbags with (OPDS) Occupant Position Detection System, the seventeen inch alloy wheels adds greater power to tackled challenging terrains.

Honda CR-V is decked with amazing features; the new car will bring in greater delight moments with superior 1.6 litre diesel engine. The new CR-V is a car to look forward to, decorated with style, power, technology and safety. CR-V buffs who are keen to buy the car will have to wait till next year.

The other thrilling new Honda launches to look forward to are Mobilio MPV and new Jazz.

With any product or service that is being either brought out in the market or is there for some time one thing that is common is that the producer or the seller will try to get as much market share as possible for the product. With Honda, the Japanese car maker, the same has been the case but then it was badly hit by the sad response that its Jazz received from the market due to the wrong pricing. But then Honda came out all guns blazing, by coming out with the Honda Brio. It was the right time for the Brio to hit the market, as this is the first car at such a price level (below Rs.500000/-) by Honda. Experts call it one of the most crucial launches for a car till date in the Indian market.

Interiors of the car

The quality of the interior in the new Brio has upped the ante for the other cars in this range and that is clearly visible once you step in the vehicle. From the inside of the seat pockets to the bottle holder that is provided in the rear part, everything has been dealt with utmost care and there is leather seen everywhere inside the car. The Airbags and the ABS are standard features in both the top and the middle variants, and the higher models also come with controls that are mounted on the steering, along with electronically functional mirrors, and audio system with both AUX and USB input.

The Fog lamps, the power windows and the alloy wheels are also present apart from the above mentioned accessories. Though it misses on the seat adjuster for the driver but still the car maker has provided with most of the things that one might expect in this car.

The beautiful Exteriors

The exteriors of the car are again a surprise for the buyer as the beautiful, glossy and rich paint that is provided on the body of the car is simply amazing and makes it look so attractive. The body panels have been fitted tightly, and they look like a great job done. The quality of rubber and the plastic that is used on the car is better than what one would find in any rival car and the hatch looks very sturdy while driving too. With a kerb weight of some 920 kilos, it comes to be a tad lighter than the Maruti Swift.

The absence of the defogger though stands out as a weak spot in the almost flawless interiors and exteriors.

Engine & Performance

The Brio is powered with the I VTEC 1.2 litre engine that is similar to what was found in the Jazz too. The engine gets a rating of 87 BHP and it produces 6000 rpm and a torque of 109 Nm. The motor is brilliant and the performance of the car is something that would definitely bring a smile to your face. With an expected launch date of May, 2014 this one certainly looks like a keep and a great car.

Japanese carmaker Honda Motors is keen on continuing its success mantra of 2013 by launch of new models in 2014 even though it is still busy fulfilling orders for its diesel superhit vehicle Amaze. It has officially announced launch of three new vehicles in Feb 2014 at Auto Show which will consist of diesel version of its Honda City sedan along with compact SUV Vezel and all terrain multipurpose vehicle Mobilio. In view of growing demand in India for tough and versatile utility vehicles which can manage both city traffic and off road capabilities Honda is launching vehicles which are in low cost and luxury categories to meet varied market segments.

All these cars were showcased at recently held Tokyo Motor Show along with India bound Fit/Jazz hatchback which will cover almost all segments of Indian passenger car market. Honda wants to keep their dealers busy with introduction of model on a regular basis so they will also be enthusiastic about increasing their client base by showcasing varied products. Through this portfolio of vehicles Honda wants to depict itself as the sole manufacturer of passenger vehicles which understands Indian buyers’ tastes and preferences therefore makes niche products across all categories. The first to be launched among these will be diesel version of Honda city which will be available with dealers by January 2014 and will be priced around INR 8.7 – 11 lakhs and will be fitted with 1.5 liter iDTEC engine.

Honda’s compact SUV Vezel will be launched in direct competition with existing market leaders Ford Ecosport, Toyota Innova and Renault Duster. Overall design structure of the Vezel appears like a mini CR-V and has black underbody cladding all around made of hard plastic to protect it from off road endeavors. Built on Honda’s concept of “urban SUV”, the Vezel has been fitted with 1.5 liter direct injection fuel efficient petrol engine similar to Amaze and Honda City sedans.  This car is likely to be presented as a premium luxury car therefore will be launched towards the middle of 2014 and may be priced below 15 lakhs. Honda will have a busy time during 2014 – 2015 with launch of all these cars along with continuing to fulfill demands of existing models.

Therefore the carmaker will be providing sufficient gaps between launch of each model so that it can meet client demand and ensure that demand for one model does not cannibalize each other. The Mobilio will be released in toward end of 2014 and will be Honda’s first multi-purpose vehicle as till date only sedans, hatchbacks and compact SUV’s have been sold in India. This car will be manufactured at Honda’s plat in Tapukara and is based on Brio platform and will be sold at a competitive price. Honda will be presenting all these cars at the Auto Show of 2014 though they will be available for sale over a period of time throughout 2014. Honda will pit these cars against reigning market leaders in their specific segments so that it can quickly estimate strengths and weaknesses of the competitor models and bring out a better range of vehicles in following years.

The past year or so has not been very fruitful for most reputed auto majors in India, but Honda Cars India has adopted smart business and engineering strategies to tide over the adverse effects of recession. The company has recorded impressive monthly profits and the secret behind its enormous success is the manufacture of iDTEC 1.5 liter engine, which runs the City and Amaze.

Amaze is Honda’s first diesel project, the car was launched in 2013 April, and the car was launched at a time when the car market scenario was on a steady decline. It was a risk to launch the Amaze, which at the end turned out to be a fortune cookie. Amaze at present is sold in dozens and in only nine months Honda has sold about 60,000 pieces of the car.

Honda has recently launched its fourth-gen City diesel model, and the pre-booking procedures for the car started last month, and till now there are about 10,000 customers in the queue waiting to grab the car. The new City is an exciting launch injected with new design technologies like Sleek Cross Motion and Exciting H design. With the new City diesel on the cars months after the launch of Amaze, car buffs would wonder if Honda will build a diesel Brio. Recently according to the buzz, the Brio diesel is expected to be on display at the 2014 auto expo. Not much information is divulged on the news of a new Brio hatch.

The new City looks bigger and more exquisite than its predecessor, filled with new design theories and as expected there is a huge waiting list for the car. Honda has to now work out methods to meet the overflowing demand of the car with adequate stocks to roll out those many vehicles. There is lot of activity in Honda’s 3 factory units, and before stepping into third factory, the company formulated methods to move its products to match the huge demand and as a result about 13,200 vehicles were manufactured on a monthly basis. Honda built a third plant to accommodate the huge queue for the City and from its two factories the production output was 440 vehicles on a monthly basis. The company has now established a fully fledged manufacturing unit at its established Tapukara unit.

2014 is an exciting period for Honda car fans; the excitement does not end with the new City. The other interesting launches are Mobilio multipurpose vehicle and Vezel SUV. It is interesting to learn that there is the buzz about Honda launching a diesel Brio hatch, and most people would expect the company to use the same iDTEC engine used in Amaze and City. As mentioned earlier Honda’s first diesel venture was Amaze and the aftermath effect was filled with incredible sales, the same formula is used in new City and Mobilio MPV. It would be exciting to view the sale portfolio of Mobilio MPV and City post launch, and if the tale is again a string of enormous successes then let’s hope a new diesel Brio hatch arrives.

Honda Cars India Limited (HCIL) recently unveiled the new Honda City 2014. This car has been one of the most anticipated cars of the year and finally, Honda brought it out for everyone. The one reason for which it was so highly anticipated was the new model but the biggest point which kept everyone desperately waiting was the Diesel Engine Variant of the Honda City! Yes, Honda has finally launched a diesel variant of its successful sedan, the City!

The new Honda City diesel definitely looks more modern. Although, there are similarities between the new model and the previous one. This is the fourth generation of the Honda City. It was first launched in India in 1996 and since then it has evolved thrice. The new Honda City is pretty stylish. The front end has a new wider chrome plated grille with a Honda Badge in the middle. This adds to the aggressive nature of the car. The new bumper with the air vents looks pretty exciting as well and it also has incorporated fog lamps. Although, this is a new car but since it has evolved from its predecessor, it has got similarities. From a wider angle it looks very similar to the third generation Honda City. Anyway, let us put that aside. The new Honda City has got new alloy wheels which looks pretty cool. The rear end of the car has got new tail lamp. It is designed such that half of its portion is on the boot lid. Overall, the car feels nice and looks stunning.

The new Honda City diesel will have a 1.5 L i-DTEC diesel engine under its bonnet. It is the same unit which has been installed in the Honda Amaze (the first diesel car from Honda in India). The engine churns out a max power of 98 bhp at 3600 rpm and generates 200 Nm of peak torque at 1750 rpm. The engine is mated to a manual transmission. The petrol variant of the new Honda City is available in both manual as well as automatic transmission. We hope the diesel variant will too get an option of an automatic transmission.

The interiors of the new Honda City is very pleasing. There has been use of glossy material on the dash board which is a new thing. Moreover, the climate control system does not have buttons rather it is fully touch. Also, the instrument cluster is nicely designed and illuminated to allow clear readability of the figures. There are rings on the circumference of the dials which changes colour according to the way you drive the car. The rear air con vents and armrest are some more features in the list.

There has been no details from the company regarding the pricing of the new Honda City. But it is being anticipated that the diesel variant of the car will be price in the range of Rs 7-11 lacs. The new Honda City will be competing against Skoda Rapid, Volkswagen Vento, Ford Fiesta and the top most rival Hyundai Verna.

Honda has come up with the biggest surprise among all the automobile giants, with the launch of its current generation Honda city that is all set to offer a mileage of 26 kilometers per liter, feature the most fuel efficient technology with its diesel engine under the hood. It also offers better mileage than most of its counterparts. Let us discuss some of the most interesting facts and features of this variant here.

Interesting features and specs of Honda City diesel:

Design:

Almost all parts of this fourth generation Honda city has gone under the knife, but still its design looks much familiar as the manufacturer does not want to tamper with the perfect design of the automobile. The three slatted traditional grille has been transformed into a heavy grille with chrome finishing and sharp headlamps, its bold creases run down towards the bonnet covering the griller and the vehicle features and sportier and bumper styling. Its tail lights have been modified along with the overall styling of the vehicle.

Interiors:

The variant has been the best of its predecessors and offers the most innovative features with the vehicle. Its center console has a 5 inch LCD display with Bluetooth, rear camera and audio settings and most of the controls are depicted via the touchscreen display. The steering wheel is inspired by the CR-V technology and housed all the controls and the instrument panel is featured on a cohesive dashboard. The wheelbase, legroom, shoulder room space has been enhanced, though the overall length and width are unchanged. It also stocks other contemporary features such as four power outlets, keyless entry, push start button, speakers, sunroof, auto folding mirrors etc.

Engine and Performance:

The Honda city diesel has indeed borrowed its 1.5 Litre i- DTEC engine from Amaze, which features the same performance and tuning figures. The engine is capable of 100 PS power at 3600 RPM and a torque of 200 NM at 1750 RPM. Power gets transmitted with the help of a 6 speed manual gearbox, helping the city to achieve better fuel economy. The car has been designed with 14 new noise insulation methods to keep the cabin space and quiet calm.

Drive and Handling:

Honda has reworked on its exhaust pipe layout to enhance its ground contact factor and to avoid underbody scraps. Its revises suspension geometry ensures a comfortable ride and its noise insulation levels keep the NVH under tolerable limits. The vehicle has attempted to jeep its fuel efficiency low as much as possible.

Safety features:

To not compromise on rider’s safety, Honda has incorporated some of the best safety features such as dual SRS airbags at the front along with EBD and ABD at all its variants.

Verdict:

This diesel powered Honda City would be on the top list of all car enthusiasts and would surely be a desired package offering its owners more rights on bragging on their car. The price of the car might shift on the steeper side, but would still be all car owners’favorite.

When it comes to fuel efficiency, one may think that it is one of the country’s so called most efficient mini cars. Bigger cars are thought to be less fuel efficient, as they need to burn more fuel to churn out enough power to drive the bigger and heavier chassis. However, this notion is soon going to change, and the Japanese luxury car maker Honda is the one who is all prepared to do this. The all new Honda City sedan is set to astonish everyone with its promised highest fuel economy rates among the diesel cars in the Indian car market.

All set to hit the Indian car market for sale in the month of January, 2014. The 4^th generation model of the Honda City promises fuel efficiency of a massive 26 km per litre in its diesel model that is certified by ARAI. This diesel fuel efficiency is even higher than that of its record high mileage of 25.8 km per litre provided by the latest and the super successful Honda car, Amaze compact sedan. In fact the all new City will be using the same 1.5 litre i-Dtec diesel mill that is used in the Amaze, but some tweaking has ensured even higher fuel efficiency.

The senior VP of sales and marketing at Honda Cars India, Mr Jnaneswar Sen said that in the present time, fuel efficiency is a great factor that not just the small car buyers but all the buyers across the segments consider. He said that greater mileage has been a great attraction for the consumers of mass segments and also in the premium segment, as the premium segment is also full of diesel models. Thus, when the company developed the all new City it was clear about the fact that it has to provide the best mileage in the segment, while also being very powerful. The company is really happy that the new City is the best fuel efficient car in the entire Indian auto industry.

The very efficient diesel engine of the Amaze has been partnered with a lot of enhanced techniques such as enhanced aerodynamics, incorporation of low rolling resistance tyres and the added sixth gear in order to ensure the high fuel efficiency of the 2014 City diesel. The all new City is based on the 2014 Jazz’s platform and is also bigger offering and enhanced interior space as against the outgoing model. It’s petrol model will be powered by a 1.5 litre petrol mill that will also provide an impressive mileage of 18 km per litre.

Before the emergence of the Honda Amaze, the best fuel efficient car’s title was claimed by the Chevrolet Beat hatchback offering a mileage of 25.44 km per litre, followed by Tata Indica eV2 offering the mileage 25 km per litre.

Honda being a new diesel car provider in India has shown its competence very impressively by offering one after the other most fuel efficient models.

After the launch of the compact sedan Amaze in both petrol and diesel models, Honda Cars India has been really witnessing a steady astounding sales boost. While in the current slumped market situation, Honda’s astral success is kind of a miracle, the Japanese car major is not ready to stop and is ready with a slew of new cars aiming to reach the top spot of car makers in India.

Honda has confirmed that the company will introduce many new car models to the Indian car market by the end of the next financial year. Honda seems to be really ready to take over the Indian car market, as many of its recently displayed products are in high demand in the Indian car market.

Let us take a brief look at what Honda plans to launch in India in the financial year of 2014-15.

All New City Sedan

The first new car offering from Honda in the year 2014 will be the all new City that will be offered for sale from January. The City sedan with its dashing new visual appeal, enhanced space and performance will come along with its first time ever diesel avatar. While the petrol variants of the 2014 City will be driven by the same 1.5 liter i-VTEC mill, the diesel variant will get tweaked 1.5 liter i-DTEC motor of the Amaze. The new City is expected to be priced around Rs. 8.5 to Rs. 11.5 lakhs.

New Mobilio MPV

Next in line is the new Mobilio, the first MPV offering in India from Honda. It is based on the popular Brio hatchback’s platform. The MPV will be very luxurious and refined to offer tough competition in the MPV segment in India. It will be manufactured by Honda at its new Tapukara plant along with the new Jazz. Local content sourcing is expected to make the Mobilio’s price very competitive. The Mobilio MPV will also be offered in both petrol and diesel variants. It is expected to launch in India within the first half of 2014.

2014 Jazz Premium Hatchback

Honda discontinued the previous Jazz in India owing to low sales. The capable hatch model could not sustain in India owing to high pricing. However, with the all new 2014 model, Honda will mark a comeback for the hatch. Apart from a bigger and better body and stunning looks, the Jazz will also come with its diesel avatar and is expected to be more affordably priced this time. The all new Jazz is expected to launch in the second half of 2014.

Brand New Vezel Compact SUV

Another very important launch from Honda will be the Vezel compact SUV considering the high demand of this segment. The very good looking Vezel will be Honda’s answer to the popular Ford EcoSport and Renault Duster. The Vezel will also land in both petrol and diesel and is expected to arrive by the end of 2014 or early 2015.

The 12^th edition of the Indian Auto Expo is closing in fast. This bi-yearly auto show offers a huge opportunity to the car makers of India to showcase their new and upcoming car offerings and draw the attention of the Indian auto industry. The 2014 Indian Auto Expo is less than two months away as the event will begin on the 7^th of February, 2014, and thus, the car makers in the Indian car market are all geared up to present their new offerings utilizing this platform.

From the Indian car market leader Maruti Suzuki to Tata Motors and the other auto majors of India, all will have something or the other to display, either in the concept form or as a brand new or refreshed model. As the Indian car industry is going through a bad slowdown, it has become very important for the car manufacturers to come up with new products in order to draw customer interest and thus sustainable sales. New car launches have become mandatory for good sales in the current market condition and thus, all the car makers in India are eager to bring in their new car. Thus, the upcoming 2014 Indian Auto Expo is going to be gala affair with loads of new models from the various car companies operating in India.

It is a known fact that the Japanese luxury car maker, Honda Motor is really excited about its new found success in the Indian auto industry after the launch of the Amaze compact sedan. Honda had already announced of its plans to introduce a slew of brand new cars to India soon and now the time has come. Honda has already unveiled the all new 2014 City sedan on 25^th of November, this year and the car is going to hit the market in January 2014. Apart from the City, Honda is going to offer a lot more new cars that the company is expected to announce at the 2014 Auto Expo.

Let us take a look at these new cars from Honda that are expected to be showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo. Honda did not have anything to offer at the 2012 Auto Expo, but in the upcoming one it is going to come along with a host of new vehicles.

The first car that Honda is going to present at the auto expo is the Mobilio MPV which should make its market launch soon after its unveiling. Honda is also going to bring back the Jazz brand in the country with the launch of the 2014 Jazz. This hatchback is also expected to be unveiled at the auto show. Moreover, Honda is also expected to display the Vezel compact SUV that it unveiled debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show this year. Considering the rising popularity of the UV segment in India and the growing rivalry, Honda has high chances of launching the Vezel SUV in the Indian car market.