Honda is displaying the Small SUV RS at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) 2022. The prototype is wrapped in camouflage and parked inside a glass box. Last month, images of a mystery Honda SUV were leaked in Indonesia and it looked very much like a production car. Many expected the SUV to make its debut at GIIAS, but it looks like Honda isn’t ready for a full launch yet. However, the carmaker has said that this model “will be a new line from Honda” and that it will be “Honda’s first model in the small SUV segment” and “will be officially launched in the near future”.
How near? Hopefully by the end of this
year, Honda Prospect Motor’s sales and marketing director Yusak Billy told
Kompas at the show. The Japanese carmaker has also confirmed that this car is a
development of the original SUV RS Concept from GIIAS 2021. Compared to the first
draft, this Small SUV RS is a much watered down design.
The 2021 SUV RS’
“fade out” grille has been replaced by a more conventional item, with the
chrome studded RS treatment seen on the new HR-V RS. There’s a chrome bar on the
top of the grille, but the headlamps are much larger than the slim/sharp eyes
of the 2021 concept. That’s only to be expected – showcar lights and wheels are
usually exaggerated.
The rear is a huge departure from the
first concept, both in shape and details. The 2021 SUV RS showcar had a steep,
sloping rear screen (unrealistic for such a small car, perhaps) and full-width
LED signatures, just like on the new HR-V. The so-called production car is
clearly not a baby HR-V then, with more regular angles and tail lamp clusters. Details
that can be seen here are a decently sized spoiler, 3D-style tail lamps that
aren’t flat, and silver trim on the diffuser area to match the front end. Also,
inverted L-shaped LED signatures like on the Civic FE. With the new HR-V
growing in size and price, there’s room for a small Honda SUV to battle the
Daihatsu Rocky and Toyota Raize in Indonesia.
