Motoring 2014: Honda challenges subcompact car market with Jazz, Brio and Civic

HONDA Cars Philippines is serious about expanding its market share in the subcompact car category as the company introduced the Jazz and two more subcompact cars this year.

Introduced in June, the all-new Jazz comes in six colors and four variants, namely the 1.5V MT (P768,000), the 1.5V CVT (P808,000), the 1.5VX CVT (P908,000), and the 1.5VX+ CVT (P948,000).

In September, Honda launched the All New Brio (hatchback) and Brio Amaze (sedan). The new series was especially created for the demands of the emerging Asian market for compact cars.

The smallest vehicle in Honda’s line-up, the Brio measures at 3,610mm (length), 1,680mm (width) and 1,485mm (height) with 2,345mm for the wheelbase, while the longer Brio Amaze measures at 3,990mm (length) with a 2,405mm wheelbase.

The Brio and Brio Amaze feature a 4-cylinder, 1.3-liter i-VTEC engine that delivers a maximum power output of 100 ps at 6000 rpm, making the two cars the most powerful in the mini compact segment.

All variants of the Brio and Brio Amaze have standard safety equipment of dual SRS airbags and Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD).

In November, Honda also launched the 2015 Civic, which features Civic’s winning heritage: a sporty design, advanced features in fuel economy, entertainment and safety features, and dynamic driving and handling.

The 2015 Civic is available in six variants, with either a 2.0- or 1.8-liter engine displacement. A manual transmission option is now available for the entry-level 1.8 S, while other variants are mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission.

Select variants of the 2015 Civic are now equipped with Smart Entry & Push Start System. Multi-functional steering controls are also standard in select variants of the 2015 Civic. This allows the driver to operate the Civic’s intelligent Multi Information Display (i-MID) which shows information such as the fuel consumption and other vehicle settings.

The car also features a race-inspired and fun-to-use paddle shift technology that delivers the superb driving pleasure of a manual transmission.

Honda expects the sales of Jazz this year to be higher than in 2013. With the introduction of the Brio, the company expects to capture more market share in the small car category, which is a growing trend in the Philippines.

As to its position in the local car industry, Honda made it to fifth place in July. It was able to sell 1,353 units for that month, reflecting a 7.1 percent growth compared to the same month the previous year.