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Honda Plans New Alto Rivalling Entry Level Car
Honda is mulling over the possibility of a sub Brio model for Indian. The new entry level hatchback will be in the same segment as Maruti Suzuki Alto and Hyundai Eon. This was confirmed by Hironori Kanayama, president & CEO of Honda Cars India. The Japanese automaker is set to launch its entry level compact sedan, Amaze on April 11.
At present, the company does not offer a car in the entry level segment any where in the world, except in its home country Japan. Honda's ‘Kei' cars in Japan are a popular model. The key characteristics of cars belonging to the ‘Kei' segment include spacious interiors and a 660cc engine. Honda's N-Series Kei cars - N-Box, N-Box+ and N-One - are all powered by these small displacements engines, which are well suited for the needs of the Japanese city dwellers.
However, Mr. Kanayama does not feel Indian auto buyers will be attracted by the 660cc engine, "The taste of the Japanese customer and the Indian customer is totally different, so we cannot bring that model (Kei cars) into India," he told TOI. This would mean the company would have to develope an all new engine for a new entry level car for India, a possibility Mr. Kanayama has not ruled out.
Mr. Kanayama believes that while the automobile business in India is currently going slow the entry level segment, which includes cars such as the Alto and Eon, will always be strong. And it is for this reason Honda plans to make an entry into the segment.
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