Honda Cars India could bring in quite a lot of exciting new vehicles at the Auto Expo 2018. Their SUV game could be strong this time as the CR-V will finally look to cash in on its popularity with a diesel option. Along with that, the HR-V crossover could be showcased and announced for India. The Civic is tipped to make a comeback, the Jazz might show up with some new updates, the Amaze could transform for the new year and the latest Accord could show up with its fastback-like rear. Here’s what we can expect.
HONDA CR-V DIESEL
For being one of the first premium SUVs to go on sale in India, the CR-V still has its own share of fan following in the country. After the arrival of newer competition in the form of more macho, butch machines and the lack of a diesel option meant that the softroader only managed to find a few owners thereafter. If reports are to be believed, Honda is preparing to launch the ASEAN spec all-new CR-V with a seven-seat layout and the option of a diesel engine. The new CR-V could come to the Auto Expo 2018 with a locally assembled, 1.6-litre i-Dtec diesel engine apart from the conventional 2.4-litre petrol unit. The diesel mill is said to be good for 158 hp at 4000 rpm and 350 Nm at 2000 rpm. It will come mated to an all new nine-speed ZF automatic transmission. The 2.4-litre petrol motor which produces 190 hp, will come mated to a CVT gearbox.
A few highlights of the upcoming fifth-generation Honda CR-V includes a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated wing mirrors, eight-way power adjustable driver seat, four-way power adjustable front passenger seat, dual zone climate control, electric parking brake and USB charging for the second row. Once launched in India, the new Honda CR-V will rival the likes of the Hyundai Tucson and the Jeep Compass.
HONDA HR-V
Slotting itself in the popular space where the Hyundai Creta resides, the Honda HR-V could show up at the Auto Expo 2018. With its sharp design, the HR-V offers the option of AWD elsewhere, but that option could be skipped for India considering the fact that it mostly goes unticked. India will get a facelifted version of the HR-V which gets different looking headlights, front grille, tail-lights and tailgate, while still remaining identical to the car which is on sale elsewhere. Powering the car could be a 1.8-litre i-VTEC petrol and a 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel engine.
Inside, the Honda HR-V gets a minimalist but modern cabin with a touchscreen infotainment display, touchscreen ACC panel and a large horizontal AC vent on the co-driver’s side. Like the Jazz, the HR-V gets magic seats and Honda could do well to equip the India-spec car with that feature. We expect the Honda HR-V to replicate the WR-V’s success in its respective segment and take the fight straight to the Creta, the undisputed King of that space.
ALL-NEW HONDA CIVIC
Honda has confirmed earlier that an all-new Civic will make it to India by 2019 and an example will certainly be displayed at the Expo. A sedan which was way too striking and futuristic for its times when it was first introduced in India, the Civic lost the battle to diesel-powered cars and went off the market. Taking on the likes of the Skoda Octavia and the Hyundai Elantra, the new-gen Civic will be wider, longer and bigger than the car that was on sale in India. For all the belly scrapes which made every owner of the old-gen car in India clench their teeth, the new Civic could come with jacked up ground clearance this time. Engine options could either be a 1.8-litre or 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol along with the choice of a 1.6-litre diesel.
ALL-NEW HONDA AMAZE
The Honda Amaze has been in a dire need of an update after the arrival of the all-new Dzire took the market by storm. A second-gen, all-new Amaze has been under development all this while and will make its global debut at the Auto Expo 2018. The new model has been developed at Honda’s R&D base in Thailand but has also received inputs from Honda India’s engineering team. The new car is expected to carry a number of significant upgrades, including a more powerful version of the 1.5-litre diesel. It will be offered with a petrol motor too and the choice of an appropriate automatic gearbox. On the inside, the Amaze will be roomier but will still be a sub-4 metre sedan. A new climate control system along with a modern infotainment unit will be screwed tight on the fresh layout of the dashboard. In terms of looks, our guess is that the new Amaze could look like a scaled-down Honda City and that could work in its favour quite well.
HONDA JAZZ FACELIFT
Revealed elsewhere in 2017, the facelifted Honda Jazz could also share space with others at the Expo. Changes are subtle and the versatile hatch now gets a different looking grille, a new bumper and LED headlamps. On the inside, expect minor changes along with some new features and current engine options will most certainly remain unchanged.
2018 HONDA ACCORD
The tenth-generation Honda Accord could be showcased at the event and could go on sale later as a CBU. The new car gets some interesting design elements like a fastback-like sloping roof and rear shoulder line along with a bold looking face. Powering the Accord is a 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol engine which cranks out 252hp and 369 Nm of torque which comes mated wither to a 6-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic! A hybrid variant powered by a 2.0-litre Atkinson cycle engine and two electric motors is also one of the options and could be the one to make it to India.
Onboard jing bang includes wireless smartphone charging, NFC, 4G LTE in-car WiFi, over-the-air system updates, a six-inch head-up display and up to ten speakers with 450 watts. There’s also next-gen HondaLink telematics which incorporates emergency assistance, remote locking and engine start, stolen vehicle tracking, remote diagnostics, geofencing and speed tracking. International models also come with Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Departure Warning, Road Departure Mitigation, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow and a new Traffic Sign Recognition System.
With these cars, expect Honda to bring the Asimo along with some of their striking concept and production cars which are sold elsewhere. We’d like to see the NSX and the mad Honda Civic Type-R, although we’re pretty certain that they’d never go on sale here. We’ll bring you all the news and details from the Expo about your favourite car maker when it’s time. Until then, stay tuned!