Honda targets Tier 2 and 3 cities for Mobilio

Speaking to Autocar Professional on the marketing strategy for the new car, Jnaneswar Sen,  senior vice-president (marketing and sales), HCIL, said that while the metros will be the largest markets for the MPV, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities will garner the highest proportion of sales across India. “Volumes of the Mobilio will depend on pricing and production capacity but it will be good value for money. It will mark the evolution of the entry MPV segment,” he said. 

To be marketed as a family car, HCIL is targeting not only large families but also those who have traditionally opted for a sedan or an SUV.  The Mobilio will be made at the company’s Greater Noida plant in volumes of 45,000 units per annum. The Mobilio is expected to have a localisation level of around 90 percent, like the Brio, Amaze and the new City.

The company is undertaking a full-fledged training programme for its entire dealer network across the country to ensure that no glitches in the distribution network put a spanner in the sales volumes. 

While the immediate focus for the new MPV will be the domestic market, Sen does not rule out the possibility of exporting the Mobilio to Nepal and South Africa initially, on the lines of the export of the Brio, Amaze and City models.

Photograph: The Mobilio was launched in Indonesia earlier this year.