Honda plans to up the ante in the Indian market. The Japanese car maker is planning to launch more affordable models. The Brio was the first to be the cheapest in the Honda portfolio.
Looking at the success of the Swift –Dzire, Indica-Manza, Honda to is planning the same with Brio platform. The company plans to launch a sedan which will be based on the Brio hatchback and will be under four metres. Toyota also launched the Etios in sedan and hatch variants which has helped the car maker now reach the top five in terms of sales.
Honda plans to target first-time new car buyers, a strategy that is hugely successful with India with the new sedan be priced and positioned much lower than its highest selling City allowing options to garner a larger chunk of customers.
Honda which has been enjoying the premium tag in the Indian market now wants a larger pie of the auto market. The Brio sedan will most likely hit the market in 2013. Honda is currently testing the Brio with a diesel engine (read more here on the Brio diesel hatch) and the launch is expected to be most likely in 2013.
The sedan based Brio will be powered by the same engine, 1.2 petrol and the speculated 1.2 diesel engine. The Brio sedan will first be marketed in Thailand which is the mother plan and will soon see its launch in the Indian market.
The Honda City brand image will certainly help the Brio sedan get big numbers as Honda is perceived as a premium brand in India. But the biggest question the company will face is the diesel engine option which has been magic wand for Maruti Swift and Swift Dzire.
So Are you waiting for the Honda Brio sedan???
Info Source: ET
