A report from Autocar India has revealed that Honda
is working two new SUVs for the Indian market. One of them will rival the
Hyundai Creta and is expected to enter the market sometime in 2021.
The upcoming Honda SUV will ride on the platform as
the 2018 Honda Amaze. As per the report, the 2UA platform us highly flexible
and accommodates big wheels, which are an essential aspect of SUVs. The new SUV
will measure 4.2-4.3 m, shorter than the Honda BR-V and roughly the
same length as the Hyundai Creta.
Honda’s Hyundai Creta rival’s styling will follow a
more conventional approach as opposed to the BR-V’s MPV like appearance. The
SUV’s seating configuration is not known at the moment. With reports inferring
that the next generation Creta may come with a 7-seat layout, Honda could opt
for a 7-seat arrangement for its SUV with jump seats.
The report says that a BSVI compliant 1.5 L diesel
engine, which is coming together for the next generation Honda City, will power
the diesel variants of the future SUV. Honda will also have the option of
plonking the locally manufactured 1.6 L i-DTEC diesel unit that will power the
India-spec Civic and CR-V.
The news of the arrival of an all-new Hyundai Creta
rival places a question mark over the launch of the Honda HR-V. The company has
long mulled over bringing the product to India but has not announced any
concrete plan. In October last year, it was reported that the SUV’s approval
for the Indian market was in its last stages. However, with a product in the
INR 10-16 lakh price bracket already in the pipeline, plans for the HR-V in
India may be dropped.
