On Wednesday, the Japanese automaker Honda announced that the most recent Civic model would be introduced in India the following month, completing the country’s sedan lineup. With sedans, the firm will have four models at various price ranges to serve to a wide spectrum of clients, including the Amaze, City, Accord, and the new Civic.
Honda, which already has a foothold in the nation through its wholly-owned subsidiary Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL), will now focus on expanding its market share in other industries, such as sports utility vehicles (SUVs).
We will complete our sedan portfolio in India with Civic, which will go on sale next month, said Gaku Nakanishi, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Honda Cars India Ltd.
After selling about 55,000 units since its introduction in 2006, Honda discontinued the Civic car in India in 2013.
Rajesh Goyal, senior vice president and director of sales and marketing at HCIL, further discussed the firm’s future product plan by stating that with the sedan range already complete, the company may now concentrate on improving other body types as well.
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Is the Honda Civic returning to India?
One of the most popular and well-known compact automobiles on the planet is the Honda Civic. The Civic LX, Sport, EX, or Touring is a new body style that is available in sedan and hatchback body types. Sport Touring is replaced with the EX-L trim in the hatchback and Touring with the EX trim. Until the Type R is available, the C model fills the performance gap, but no coupe will hold back. The Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3, and Subaru Impreza are more compact cars that are available as sedans or hatchbacks. After a five-year hiatus, the new-generation Honda Civic is anticipated to return in India in 2022. Due to insufficient demand, Honda Cars India discontinued the Civic in 2013. At the 2018 Indian Auto Expo, the tenth-generation model was unveiled.
Will Honda bring the Civic back?
New Delhi: The completely updated 2022 Honda Civic Type R will go on sale in India in early 2023, though. In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Civic nameplate, Honda has launched the brand-new Civic Type R in Europe. Customers in Europe will be able to purchase this brand-new 2022 Honda Civic Type R starting in early 2023. Honda boasts that the new Type R’s improved aerodynamic performance and design upgrades will make driving it the most thrilling Civic Type R experience yet. This will be the most responsive and potent Type R ever created thanks to lightweight components and a redesigned powertrain. Also read: ASEAN NCAP Awards 5-Star Safety Rating To New Honda Civic
The recently unveiled Honda Civic e:HEV serves as the foundation for the brand-new 2022 Honda Civic Type R. This was constructed using the “Ultimate Sports 2.0” model and is based on the sporty and svelte Honda Civic e:HEV shape. Also Read – The New Honda Civic Si Will Turn Heads. specifics, photos, inside
Type R sports a lower and broader stance to accentuate the sporty appearance and improve driving performance. However, it will be equipped with thin 19-inch matte black alloy wheels that have exclusive Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires on them. Also Read: Honda Ends Production at Greater Noida Facility, Discontinues Civic and CR-V
With a wider lower grille that maximizes airflow to the engine, the bonnet includes a vent to improve airflow around the front end. In addition to all of this, the Civic Type R’s aerodynamics are enhanced by big aperture vents behind the front wheels and a larger rear diffuser. In order to reduce air resistance, the rear spoiler is likewise slanted backward. In addition, the 2018 Honda Civic Type R will be available in a variety of colors, including crystal black, racing blue, solid rallye red, historic championship white, and sonic grey pearls.
The new Civic Type R’s interior is strikingly similar to the Civic e:HEV. It does, however, come with a sports seat and a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with digital cockpit. Although Honda hasn’t released information on the 2018 Civic Type R’s specifications, the company has stated that it will have a 2.0L turbocharged engine. It was the most potent Civic ever, according to Honda. It’ll be connected to a six-speed manual transmission.
Does India still carry the Honda Civic?
The 11th generation of Honda’s Civic car, which is anticipated to go on sale in June 2021, has been teased. The new Japanese sedan is based on a new platform and is anticipated to provide a new variety of engines.
The most awaited car in the Indian market as well, Honda has unveiled the 2022 Honda Civic worldwide. Honda also states that on April 28 all of its details, feature lists, and inside photos would be made public. For the time being, all we can infer is that the 11th-generation Honda Civic will ride on a completely new platform and might be equipped with a newer, smaller engine. The power and torque numbers are anticipated to increase, even with a reduced displacement engine.
The sedan has currently only been teased on overseas markets, but we anticipate Honda India will take the car into consideration for our market because it might fill the hole created by the demise of the 10th generation Honda Civic in India.
In December 2020, Honda India discontinued its 10th generation Civic and CR-V models. For the Japanese manufacturer, the Civic and CR-V experienced modest volume sales that occasionally dipped below the three-digit mark. Honda India was able to sell 850 Honda Civics during the fiscal year 2021. Although the widespread pandemic played a role in the dismal sales figures, Honda’s disappointing pricing of the Civic cannot be disregarded. especially when contrasted with the segment’s well-built, well-equipped third-generation Skoda Octavia. Honda India also provided Civic dealership discounts up to Rs. 12 lakh in the final months of 2020.
Honda’s Greater Noida facility built and sold the 10th generation Civic as a CKD. Additionally, Honda India stopped producing the Honda City and assembling the Civic at its Greater Noida plant. Honda moved the City’s production to its Rajasthani facility in Tapukara. Since then, Honda has lost out on market share in the D-segment crossover SUV and entry-level sedan segments.
The new Honda Civic may have a decent chance against the incoming Skoda Octavia if it is priced reasonably, supplied in petrol-manual and diesel-automatic variants, and offered with those options. The anticipated Honda car, however, might debut in foreign markets first before being sent to India via CKD at some point in early 2022. We are eagerly awaiting April 28, 2021, to see what the next-generation Japanese car has to offer. So pay attention.
Why has Civic been withdrawn from India?
The financial impact of COVID-19 and market uncertainties were highlighted as factors in the decision.
Premium Civic and CR-V models that saw low sales are no longer available.
R&D and the two-wheeler business will continue to be conducted in the Greater Noida site.
While supplies last, dealers may have Civic and CR-V models available at significant savings.
Honda Cars India Ltd., the company’s first plant in India, has abruptly declared that it has halted vehicle manufacturing at its Greater Noida plant. The automaker has decided to immediately consolidate manufacturing activities at its Tapukara site in Rajasthan.
The Civic and CR-V, the two main Honda vehicles built in the Greater Noida plant, are no longer sold in India. Both of these premium offers have not been especially successful for the brand in India, and it is unclear that the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic effects have made matters any better.
Gaku Nakanishi, President and CEO of Honda Cars India, commented on the choice, saying, “Despite an increase in sales over the past three months, the market environment is still unpredictable for the industry as a whole. The effects of COVID-19 have forced us to reinforce our constitution, and in order to do so, HCIL has chosen to combine its manufacturing operations at the Tapukara plant.
Since other Honda operations, including R&D, spare parts, and the two-wheeler business, will continue as usual, the entire Greater Noida facility has not been shut down.
While the CR-V was limited to just the 2.0-litre petrol engine in its latter years, the Civic was offered with 1.8-liter gasoline and 1.6-litre diesel engines. Honda only supplied a CVT automatic for its gasoline engines, while the diesel Civic received a manual only. The Honda lineup in India presently only includes the Jazz, Amaze, WR-V, and the 4th and 5th generations of the City. These two models have been retired.
Price-wise, the CR-V starts at Rs. 28.27 lakh, while the Civic retails for between Rs. 17.93 lakh and Rs. 22.34 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom Delhi). This is your last opportunity to get a new Civic or CR-V while supplies last if you’ve been waiting for one. Your neighborhood Honda dealer may even offer you a sizable discount.
Why doesn’t India have a Honda Civic?
Despite how intriguing the new Honda Civic may be, India will regretfully not receive it. Due to poor sales and the shrinking D-segment sedan market over time, Honda ended production of the 10th-generation Civic in India late last year. Only the Hyundai Elantra is still being sold today in what was once a thriving market with models like the Volkswagen Jetta, Toyota Corolla, Skoda Octavia, Hyundai Elantra, and Honda Civic. Fortunately, Skoda will also make a comeback in this category with the new Octavia. What caused the death? That has to be the result of manufacturers flooding the market with SUVs while influencing consumer tastes in favor of them.
Out of the 11 generations of the Civic, only the 8th generation and the 10th generation sedans have been sold in India. In 2005, Honda introduced the 8th generation Civic to India for the first time. Thanks to the Civic’s gorgeous i-Vtec engine and cutting-edge styling at the time, India was way ahead of the curve with this vehicle. Heck, in 2005 a hybrid gasoline engine was even an option. However, it was more expensive than its competitors, particularly the Toyota Corolla, and didn’t have a diesel engine. Honda finally ended production of the 8th generation Civic in India in 2012.
Is the CR-V returning to India?
In 2004, the second generation of the CR-V made its way to India. The SUV was marketed by the manufacturer as a full import for two generations before the fourth-generation vehicle was introduced in 2013 using the CKD process. In contrast to earlier generations, which only offered a petrol engine, the business debuted the fifth-generation model in 2018 with both petrol and diesel engine options. However, the diesel engine was dropped after the switch to BS6 emissions in 2020. In December 2020, the CR-V and Civic were completely discontinued.
It is unknown if Honda would introduce the new CR-V in India. To compete with the Creta, the automaker is developing an SUV for the Indian market using the City platform.