Honda to introduce six new cars in India over next 3 years

Japanese carmaker Honda is planning to expand its portfolio in Indian during the course of next three years with at least six new products, the company said on the sidelines of the ongoing Tokyo Motor Show.

Reports say Honda is planning to shift its focus from the mid-segment and introduce latest versions of some of its premium offerings in the Indian market.

Honda, however, has no plans of launching any hybrid or electric vehicles in India yet. Like other carmakers, it said it is waiting for clarity from the Indian government in its policies regarding hybrids and EVs before launching its environment friendly portfolio in Indian markets.

Earlier this week, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, the Indian arm of Japan's Toyota Motor Corp, said it has halted the production of its hybrid Camry as sales declined a steep 73 per cent after tax incidence on the cars hit 43 per cent under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime (See: Toyota puts brakes on hybrid Camry as high tax cuts demand).

Reports say the Honda cars that might land in India in the next three years include the latest model of Honda's premium sedan Accord, along with new models of the Civic and the City. Apart from this, Honda HR-V, Honda CR-V, and the compact sedan Amaze could also be launched in their latest avatars.

Honda is likely to launch the next-generation CR-V in India next year. The 2018 Honda CR-V is expected to come with a 1.6-litre twin-turbo diesel engine which can produce 158hp of top power and 350Nm of top torque. The diesel engine will be mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox. Honda will localise the engine to for the Indian market in order to keep a check on prices, said a report by Autocar India.

The second-generation Honda Amaze is also due next year and will be another contender in the crowded compact sedan segment in India. The new sub-four-metre Honda Amaze will be a global model similar to the present one. It will have to slug it out against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, Ford Figo Aspire, and Hyundai Xcent.

In 2019, Honda is likely to launch the new version of its Civic, which will come to India when it receives a mid-cycle facelift globally. The new Honda Civic is expected to come with two engine options – a 1.8-litre four cylinder petrol engine and a 1.6-litre diesel engine.

Another Honda soon to to touch down in India is the HR-V. The five-seat crossover could come with the same engine options as the Honda Civic. With the crossover segment gaining traction in India, the Honda HR-V is likely to face tough competition from the recently launched Renault Captur, Maruti Suzuki S-Cross, Hyundai Creta, Mahindra TUV 300, and even the low-end variants of Jeep Compass.

Lastly, the next-gen City sedan will be launched by 2020. The new version of premium sedan Honda Accord is also on the cards. Honda has launched the new Honda Accord recently in the American markets.