Honda BR-V compact SUV to get India premiere at Auto Expo 2016

Honda Cars India has announced its line-up of production and concept models to be exhibited at the Auto Expo 2016 – The Motor Show which will be held at the India Expo Mart, Greater Noida from February 5-9).   

The product highlight of the carmaker’s display will be the BR-V compact SUV, which will have its India premiere at the expo. The new India-bound BR-V (or Bold Runabout Vehicle) is expected to be manufactured at the Japanese carmaker’s Tapukara facility in Rajasthan in annual numbers of 36,000 units. The BR-V is based on the same platform as the Brio hatchback, Amaze sedan and the Mobilio MPV which are sold in India.

The BR-V, which had its world premiere at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show in August 2015, clubs SUV looks, handling and utility with the spaciousness of an MPV. It will be first sold in Indonesia where production will start at the PT Honda Prospect Motor’s (HPM) Karawang factory later this month.

In an attempt to provide localised products worldwide, Honda says it has been focused on strengthening R&D in each region to create more self-reliant operations. Based on its capability to develop regional models, Honda R&D Asia Pacific Co., Ltd. (HRAP) in Thailand developed the new BR-V for the Asian market. This is the third model developed by HRAP.

Start of production for the BR-V in India is slated around April 2016. By then, the capacity expansion programme at the Tapukara plant in Rajasthan would also be in its final stages of completion bringing up the plant's total production strength to 180,000 units from the current 120,000 vehicles per annum. While the Amaze, City and the Jazz are produced at Tapukara, the Brio, Mobilio and the CR-V are made at the company’s older plant in Greater Noida which also has a production capacity of 120,000 vehicles annually.

In India, the new Honda BR-V will directly compete with the likes of the Mahindra Scorpio, Renault Duster, Hyundai Creta and the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza.

India-bound Accord on show 
The next big debut for Honda at the Auto Expo will be the Accord sedan which will make a comeback to the Indian market.  The new Accord will be sold in India with petrol-only and petrol-hybrid powertrain options. The current-generation Accord was earlier showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo in its pre-facelifted avatar. The upcoming edition of the show will feature the recently updated model. To be sold as a CBU in India, the Accord could cost a bit more than its direct rival, the Toyota Camry. The hybrid model will also benefit from the FAME scheme and will be priced slightly higher than the standard car.

Concept models and ASIMO too
With its exhibition theme of ‘Accelerate with Honda’, Honda will also showcase the India-bound new Accord sedan, concept models like the Honda Project 2&4 powered by RC213V, Jazz Racing Concept, the McLaren Honda MP4-30 racing machine, the Goldwing tourer motorcycle and, of course, ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility), the world’s most advanced humanoid robot which will enthrall showgoers with its cutting-edge agility and intelligence technologies.

Honda Cars India will also have its regular production models – Brio, Jazz, Amaze, City, Mobilio and CR-V – on display at its stand.