Video – Watch the Honda Crider in action

Recently, Honda Crider was launched in the growing Chinese market to bridge the gap between the Civic and Accord. The car is set to satisfy the potential upper middle class segment in China. Here is a promotional video of the mid-size sedan.

From the outside, chrome-laden grill complements the glittering headlights, which altogether gives Crider a very interesting gleeful face. The bold lines on the hood further construct the flashy aura of the car. The side profile of Crider carries elegant design theme with nice dual-tone alloy wheels and curvaceous C-pillar. The rear end gets a thick chrome rail and big taillights that would bode well with the Chinese customers.

Interiors are typical Honda-ish in fashion with quality materials and decent fit and finish. The dashboard carries cues from both the Civic and Accord to make it interesting as well as functional.

Elegant Accord touches like glossy plastics and brushed aluminium combines beautifully with the funky Civic steering wheel and gear selector knob. Metallic trim and big information display gives Crider a modernistic verve.

The Crider is propelled by a 1.8-litre petrol engine that uses Honda’s world famous i-VTEC to give a decent 137bhp and 172Nm of torque. Overall, the Crider measures 4,650mm long, 1,750mm wide and 1,505mm tall with a wheelbase that spans 2,650mm.

Produced by Guangqi-Honda JV, Crider starts at 114,800Yuan (approx. INR 11.31 lakhs) and will lock horns with likes of Citroen C4L, VW Sagitar and the upcoming Hyundai Mistra. It looks like the Crider, with Honda’s rock-solid reliability and performance traits, has got all the bases covered.


Source;
http://indianautosblog.com/2013/06/honda-crider-promo-video-84473

Honda to stop making Civic in India due to poor sales

Wow, don't get me wrong, I am no expert on the Auto market in India, however from what I can see, the Civic is too big, they appear to prefer smaller cars there, FIT/Jazz, Brio,City....

by Dany Tan of www.paultan.org

Honda will no longer produce Civics in India due to falling sales. The decision to pull the plug on the sedan is backed by dismal sales of just over 50,000 units since its launch in 2006.

Honda India’s marketing and sales boss Jnaneswar Sen told The Hindu’s Business Line that sales of the Civic have been falling steadily over the years with smaller models such as the City eating into figures. The last Civic was sold in March. “We felt there was no point in investing in a segment that was declining over the last three years,” he added.

Honda, which is the fifth largest brand in India, isn’t the only company facing this situation. In the subcontinent, the Civic fights Toyota’s Corolla and Hyundai’s Elantra in what they call the lower D-segment. Sales in this class have dropped 29% to 19,239 units in 2012-13 over the previous year. It’s clear that India prefers smaller cars like the 25.8 km/l Honda Brio Amaze Diesel.

On another note, it has been reported that Honda will launch a new Jazz next year, before a fresh City sedan, SUV, and an MPV from the same platform roll out. The latter should not be confused with a new “Brio MPV” that we expect to see at this year’s Indonesia International Motor Show.

Source;
http://paultan.org/2013/04/23/honda-to-stop-making-civic-in-india-due-to-poor-sales/

Honda CEO Ito believes Chinese market not ripe for hybrid cars yet

By  John Hofilena

This year’s Shanghai auto show display spaces were filled with numerous models of hybrid and electric cars – which maybe is a sign that the global auto market is moving in that general direction. It may also be a loud signal to China to consider greener automobile solutions, what with the massive clouds of smog that covered the cities these past few months. But Honda Motor Co. CEO Takanobu Ito believes that the Chinese market might not be quite into hybrid cars yet. 


Of the four new concept and production cars displayed by the Japanese carmaker at the Shanghai auto show on Saturday, none were hybrids or electric. Honda put out three hybrid vehicles available to the Chinese market last year – the CR-Z, Insight and Fit Hybrid – but the automaker revealed that it only sold 542 hybrid units in China in the whole of 2012. “Overall, we have high hopes for hybrid technology. In terms of how important it is to the Chinese market we are slowly releasing products and looking at how they do,” Mr. Ito said in Shanghai on Saturday. “But we think there are still more Chinese consumers who want to simply buy a car that fits their needs rather than buy a hybrid. By needs I mean a good-quality car with an affordable price that doesn’t break down. At present, we think these take higher priority.” The current atmosphere regarding hybrids could eventually change, Ito allowed. He said that the hybrid mentality needs a push from the Chinese government, by incorporating higher fuel-economy standards and the government’s overall backing for a green-car industry. Honda is even making plans to produce hybrid components and parts in the country in 2014.

Ito admitted that hybrid car technology would cost a bit more no matter what, and at this point this is something that Chinese consumers are not yet willing to pay. If, like in Japan, the Chinese government gives incentives and subsidies towards green car purchases, the mentality could start changing in that direction. Ito pledged that Honda will continue to offer hybrid vehicles to the Chinese market, and gradually grow its list of available models more and more, if the Chinese government makes good on enacting policies that would make hybrids the more attractive option for Chinese car buyers.

Source;
http://japandailypress.com/honda-ceo-ito-believes-chinese-market-not-ripe-for-hybrid-cars-yet-2327527