Are you ready for a smaller Honda again? With the City and Jazz sporting markedly larger dimensions than the previous generation’s, there’s a gap at the small end of the Honda lineup. That will soon be filled by the Brio hatchback, revealed December 1 at the Thailand International Motor Expo.
The Brio is a 3610-mm long hatchback that is aimed straight at the Indian market, as well as Southeast Asia. India is dominated by Suzuki-Maruti. In Asean, the Brio and a presumed sedan derivative will face off against Toyota’s Etios and Hyundai i10. The engine will be a 1.2 liter engine capable of about than 20 km/liter.
The car, billed as a prototype, but looking quite production-ready, features a sharply-truncated rear with a Volvo C30-like glass hatch. (With a single strut support!) It’s a welcome touch of style in a class that’s known more for cost-cutting measures. The interior looks basic but well laid-out, in true Honda style.
The car will be launched in 2011, with a target price in Thailand of 400,000 baht (at current exchange rates: P583,000). Honda is targeting aggressive localization of parts to bring costs down. Here’s hoping that Philippines will be added as an assembly site too.
Here’s the release from Honda:
Honda BRIO Prototype is being developed with Honda’s advanced technologies, while further advancing Honda’s “man maximum, machine minimum” concept. Being developed as a commuter which is easy-to-use even in urban areas, the Honda BRIO prototype adopts an easy-to-handle compact body (length 3,610mm x width 1,680mm x height 1,475 mm) while ensuring enough cabin space achieved by highly efficient packaging. With this vehicle, Honda thoroughly pursued the creation of an advanced exterior form, which is compact while asserting a strong presence.
For the mass-production model, which will be an entry-level car, for which demand is increasing in newly emerging nations, Honda will develop unique versions for Thailand and India to reflect different customer needs in those markets. Moreover, with this vehicle, Honda will leverage the resources Honda has cultivated through its motorcycle business and utilize local sourcing of parts and materials such as sheet steel.
For the Thai model that is scheduled to be introduced in March 2011, the fuel economy of more than 5liters/100km will be targeted so that the vehicle will qualify as an eco-car by the Thai government, and a starting price of approximately 400,000 baht will be targeted as well. For the Indian model that is scheduled to be introduced within 2011, local customer needs for a small car will be reflected and local content will be increased to create a model that achieves a good balance between vehicle performance and price.
“Honda would like to expand the joy of mobility to more customers in Thailand, India and other Asian countries through the introduction of a new small vehicle with compact and highly efficient packaging by utilizing our own experiences cultivated by motorcycle business here in Asia,” said Takanobu Ito, President and CEO of Honda Motor.
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