9.02.2011

Honda Brio hatchback to be launched in September; may be priced at Rs 4.2 lakh to 4.5 lakh


Honda's first small car for the mass market, Brio will be launched this month. The car is expected to be priced at Rs 4.2 lakh to Rs 4.5 lakh to compete with Maruti's Swift, Volkswagen's Polo, Ford's Figo, Hyundai's i10 and Toyota's Liva.

Honda has developed Brio after five years of painstaking research of the Indian market, keeping in view the local conditions and specifically catering the car to typical Indian families. The car has a 1200cc petrol engine which generates power to the tune of 90 BHP.
Cars with less than 4-metres of length and 1200 cc petrol and 1500 cc diesel engines are considered small cars.

It accommodates five adults, but falls in Indian government's small car category that is taxed 10% compared to 22% for bigger vehicles.

Honda wants to tap the huge potential in smaller cities to ensure the Brio takes on competitors and revive its flattening sales.

Auto companies have been focusing more on smaller cities, which have given huge incremental volumes and helped car sales to zoom over 30% in 2010.

Honda, maker of City, Civic, Accord, Jazz and CR-V, has mostly been confined to metros even as other carmakers have hit the country roads to gain huge incremental volumes that helped car sales rise more than 30% in 2010.

Honda has already grown its network to 150 outlets in 72 cities now from 120 outlets last year as the Honda brand was extended to towns such as Asansol, Hubli, Gorakpur, Mandi, Nellore, Alwar, Coonoor and Dibrugarh in recent months.

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