Honda Evaluating Safari & Alcazar Rivaling 7-Seater SUV For India

2022 Honda HR-V Teased 1
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Honda will reportedly introduce a compact SUV in India by mid-2023 while a midsize five-seater SUV is bound for early 2024

Over the last couple of years, speculations surrounding Honda’s midsize and compact SUV plans have been rife. It is one of the very few mainstream carmakers to not have a presence in the popular segments. Following the closure of its Greater Noida plant and the resultant discontinuation of CR-V and Civic, Honda’s portfolio shrank to Amaze, City and WR-V.

Unlike most automakers, Honda’s majority of the sales volumes come from sedans as the Amaze and City garner good numbers every month. The Japanese manufacturer expanded the City midsize sedan’s lineup with the addition of the strong hybrid variant a few weeks ago while the facelifted Amaze was introduced last year in India.

A recent report that emerged on the internet suggests that Honda is working on expanding its portfolio with the inclusion of two all-new SUVs. One is a sub-four-metre SUV that will take on Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Renault Kiger, Nissan Magnite, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon and Mahindra XUV300 while the other will be a midsize SUV internally codenamed 3RA.

2022 Honda HR-V Teased
Representational

The compact SUV is codenamed 3US and it is said to be offered with a 1.2-litre hybrid petrol, a 1.5-litre diesel and a bigger 1.5-litre petrol engine. It will the first to arrive by the middle of this year while the midsize SUV is expected to hit the market in early 2014. The five-seater 3RA will likely measure 4.3 metres in length and it will borrow engines from the City.

However, in a similar fashion to the compact SUV, it will also be based on the updated version of the Amaze’s platform. It will have Honda’s new electronic architecture and screen system and thus a large touchscreen infotainment system with the latest connectivity features can be expected. Furthermore, it could also boast a more localised hybrid powertrain used in the City.

Following the five-seater, Honda is believed to be evaluating six- and seven-seater variants as well and they could compete against Tata Safari, MG Hector Plus and Hyundai Alcazar. Having a wider presence in the midsize space will certainly help in appealing to a larger band of audience and Honda is targeting 4,100 unit sales per month with the SUV.

SOURCESource