In December 2013, we broke the news that Honda was developing a compact SUV specifically for the Indian market for a 2016 launch. The Vezel, a compact SUV for international markets was proving too costly to produce in India.
Honda Cars India recently took their top dealers to the company’s R&D facilities in Japan and showed them, for the first time, the freshly developed compact SUV for the Indian market. However, its not as compact as we thought it would be. Honda is supposedly planning a seven-seat version of this new SUV which will rival the likes of both the Renault Duster and the Mahindra XUV500.
The new SUV will share underpinnings with the Mobilio and although the front section may share bits with the MPV, it is expected to come with all the trappings of an SUV like larger wheels, aggressive body cladding and skid plates all round. Honda India received a fair deal of criticism for the basic interiors on the Mobilio, Amaze and Brio, and hence, this upcoming SUV is expected to get an all-new and high-quality cabin.
There is no news on the mechanicals but it's likely Honda will use the same 1.5-litre petrol and diesel motors as on the Mobilio. The manufacturer is expected to show the vehicle for the first time at the Delhi Auto Expo 2016 before launching it sometime during the year.