Honda 31XA could be offered in five-seater and three-row configurations and it will be based on the same platform as the City
According to a recent report that emerged on the internet, Honda Cars India has decided to abandon the plans of introducing a new compact SUV based on the Amaze’s architecture. Instead, a mid-size SUV will be launched based on the highly popular fifth-generation City’s platform. The Japanese manufacturer initially planned to bring in the HR-V but the plans were dropped in 2019 as it could not be localised more than 30 per cent.
The report further indicated that the Amaze-based compact SUV was scheduled for launch next year. Back in 2018, media reports said that Honda would bring in a sub-four-metre and a mid-size SUV catering to the requirements of the modern-day buyers. Over the last three years, the compact SUV space has steadily been bunched up as more than 10 models are available.
Thus, Honda may not want to be in the hunt and instead found the mid-size SUV class as an attractive proposition as only a few manufacturers are competing in it. Since the City is already produced at the company’s Tapukara plant, localising an SUV based on it could turn out to be more viable and it could carry high local content as well with a lower cost structure.
The Honda mid-size SUV is reportedly codenamed 31XA internally and it could be identical to the road-going version of the Honda N7X concept recently unveiled. It could be offered in five-seater and three-row configurations with the former rivalling Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Tata Harrier, MG Hector and the likes while the three-row version could aim at Hyundai Alcazar, Tata Safari and MG Hector Plus.
The report further said that the production-spec N7X heading to Indonesia could be the one for India as well. The seven-seater may go by the name Elevate as it was recently trademarked. As for the performance, the same 1.5-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines could be utilised with manual and automatic transmission options.
The suspension and other mechanical components could be shared with the City mid-size sedan to carry more than 90 per cent local content. It will also use BR-V’s older electrical and electronic (E/E) architecture, and it may limit features on the electronic side of things. It won’t reach showrooms before September 2023 suspectedly.