Honda has been riding a purple patch in the Indian market over the past couple of years.
Honda has been riding a purple patch in the Indian market over the past couple of years. Its Amaze has been a fixture at the top of best-selling lists in the class and the City wasted no time in climbing the ranks after being launched in its newest avatar in early 2014. Despite steadily gaining ground in the Indian market, not all of Honda’s models have been enjoying the same kind of success. The Accord was pulled of Honda India’s roster in 2013 as a result of a flagging sales pace. Earlier reports suggested the Accord would make a comeback in India in 2015. It has now emerged that Honda may put off relaunching the car until 2016.
The Honda Accord may be launched only in 2016, making the Jazz the only new car coming from Honda this year
2014 was a rather busy year for Honda, with the Mobilio MPV and City sedan being launched in India. Honda will train its energies on the Jazz hatchback for 2015, itself a model that didn’t fare too well in India. Competition in the hatchback segment has only heightened since the Jazz was laid off and Honda will be looking to fine tune the car to perfection in order to ensure a strong value proposition. Thus the Jazz may very well be the only new car from the Honda stable in the year 2015.
Honda will train its energies on the Jazz hatchback for 2015, itself a model that didn’t fare too well in India
The Amaze and City have helped Honda build up a solid reputation as a maker of trusty mass-market cars. While such models have always moved at a healthy pace, a more recent phenomenon has been the rise of the luxury car in India. Consumers have shown a propensity for quality and reputation even at the cost of shelling out slightly or sometimes a lot more. This is what will spur H0nda on to hastily bring the Accord back to Indian shores. When it does launch, the Accord will offer both petrol and diesel engine options. The car has been in production since 1976 and the edition that will come to India will be the 9th-generation model.
The Accord sedan will make its way to India in the form of completely knocked down (CKD) units
Source: The Economic Times