Honda is about to discontinue as many as 3 cars in the Indian market, move comes in as a rude shock
In a shocking development, as per a recent news report, Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) has decided to discontinue not 1 but 3 cars in a row. They include the Jazz premium hatchback, WR-V compact SUV, and the previous fourth generation City sedan.
If the Japanese maker goes ahead with the decision, it will be left with only 2 models in India – the Amaze compact sedan and the latest fifth generation City along with the recently introduced City e:HEV strong hybrid car.
The report said the company will pull the plug on the Jazz post October, this year, and the fourth generation City will be discontinued by the end of December. The WR-V will be produced till March, 2023, after which it will be discontinued.
While the WR-V and Jazz are, indeed, dud sellers, it does come as surprise as the company has decided to discontinue the fourth generation City as well. It’s 1 of the most VFM sedans in the country.
Retailing at just over Rs. 10 lakhs (ex-showroom), the fourth generation City is cheaper than even the top-end variants of compact sedans like the Maruti Suzuki Dzire.
Even recently, Honda updated the fourth generation City’s base SV variant with the top-end V’s 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system as standard fitment. Though it’s a basic unit, it offers loads of value as the price of the sedan didn’t see an increment.
While the news of Honda deciding to discontinue 3 cars comes as a shock, the company, however, is readying 2 SUVs – an entry-level compact model and a premium midsize model for the Indian market.
They will take on the likes of the Tata Nexon/Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and Hyundai Creta/Kia Seltos respectively.
The biggest revelation, however, is the platform on which these 2 SUVs are being built. For a very aggressive price tag and a faster adoption, both the upcoming cars will share their platform with that of the existing Honda Amaze albeit with some updates.
The Amaze’s platform itself is based on the third-generation City sold here from 2008 to 2014. Some of the greatest advantages of this platform are its easy adaptability, centrally placed fuel tank, and its adhering capabilities to Honda’s man-maximum machine-minimum philosophy.