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Honda Mid-Size SUV India Launch Expected Soon: To Rival Hyundai Creta & Kia Seltos
Honda has yet again planned to bring an SUV based on their Honda City platform. If this news looks familiar, you have probably heard this news two to three years back.
However, since then Honda's plans have shuffled back and fro. Initially, the plans to bring a mid-size SUV to the Indian market was initiated some time back, even the trial production of it began at HCIL's Greater Noida plant.
Unfortunately, with the launch of aggressively priced MG Hector and Hyundai Seltos in India, Honda quickly withdrew their plans to bring the SUV as most of its parts were sourced outside India. This meant that Honda will not be able to sell its mid-size SUV with reasonable profits while competing with the VFM products from MG and Hyundai.
To tackle this, Honda went back to the drawing board and went ahead with the plan of making a sub-4-metre SUV based on the Amaze platform. However, this plan was also dropped mid-way due to excessive competition.
Speaking of competition, the compact SUV market in India already has 10 vehicles from different manufacturers. If we include the upcoming Tata HBX concept, Honda's proposed sub-4-metre SUV will be the 12th entrant in the segment.
So, at Honda, the game went back to the drawing board for a mid-size SUV that will be based on Honda City. However, this time it looks as if Honda is having some plans. The new mid-size SUV will be offered in two sizes, there will be a two-row variant to compete against the likes of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq, Tata Harrier, and MG Hector.
The company has also registered the name Elevate, which can be reserved for the upcoming mid-size SUV in India. Also, the same SUV will be slightly stretched to accommodate the third row. The three-row variant will take on the newly launched Safari, Hector Plus and the Alcazar. We expect both variants to share their engine and drivetrain with Honda City.
Thoughts About The Honda Mid-Size SUV India Launch Expected Soon
Honda used to be the go-to brand for many consumers in India because of its solid product lineup and its slightly premium image in the country. In recent years, it seems that the Japanese brand has lost this knack while mimicking the strategies of other brands. However, Honda is now looking to bounce back catering to the current market demand.
Source: Autocar India