Honda ZR-V compact SUV could act as a replacement for the WR-V in the near future, focussing on millennial buyers
Honda Cars India is currently working on introducing the new generation City to compete against Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, recently launched Hyundai Verna facelift, Skoda Rapid, Volkswagen Vento and Toyota Yaris. The launch of the highly anticipated C-segment sedan was expected to happen last month but it did not turn out to be the case due to obvious reasons.
The City is the most popular nameplate for Honda and it has helped in the Japanese auto major making a lasting mark in the premium space and it was complimented by the arrival of the Amaze compact sedan. While the new-gen City was expected to revive sales fortunes in its segment, the untimely arrival of the production shutdown and the negative economic situations could slowdown its possible progress.
This applies for the entire automotive industry sales but we are definitely on a road to recovery in the not-so-distant future. Just as its fellow compatriot Toyota, Honda does not have noticeable volume gathering products in its domestic lineup as the popularity of the Jazz and WR-V has certainly faded. However, there could be a light at the end of the tunnel as a sub-four-metre SUV is reportedly in the works.
Recent speculations suggest that the compact SUV could be christened ‘ZR-V’, going in line with the CR-V and WR-V names. A trademark application dated April 17, 2020 does indicate the same and it could be targeted at emerging markets such as India as well along with developed markets. It makes a lot of sense, if it turns out to be the case as the compact SUVs garner tremendous audience in recent years.
The five-seater SUV could be focussed on attracting millennials with a youthful design package. The compact SUV segment will see the arrival of new models such as Kia Sonet, Nissan Magnite and Toyota Urban Cruiser sooner rather than later, and Honda could join the fray with the ZR-V. The segment is currently led by Hyundai Venue and Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza.
Honda already has the WR-V on sale but it is not a fully-blown compact SUV and thus the ZR-V may act as its replacement. While the details are scarce at the moment, we do hope Honda would bring in such a product considering that the more premium HR-V has been shelved from debuting locally.
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