Honda Cars India will get a new President and CEO on October 1, 2026, when Toshiyuki Yanagisawa takes over from Takashi Nakajima. The leadership change comes at an important point for the carmaker, which is preparing new electric, hybrid and locally developed models after operating with one of the smallest product ranges in the market.
Yanagisawa currently heads Honda’s India Strategic Development Office and serves as CEO of Honda Digital Innovation India. He will continue leading the digital company alongside Honda Cars India, placing product planning, software development and the passenger-vehicle business under one executive.
He has also worked at Honda Cars India in an earlier assignment and is familiar with the local market. Nakajima will move to Honda’s regional headquarters at Asian Honda Motor after completing his tenure.
The appointment matters because Honda’s plans have moved beyond product evaluation. Development work for its first new strategic vehicle planned for 2028 has entered the execution stage.
Honda currently depends on three locally manufactured models: the Amaze, City and Elevate. The recently launched ZR-V hybrid sits much higher at Rs 47.99 lakh and is imported as a completely built unit, making it a brand-building product rather than a major volume contributor.
The company sold 5,243 vehicles locally in June 2026, up 13.5 percent from 4,618 units in June 2025. It also exported 3,545 vehicles, taking total monthly dispatches to 8,788 units.
The Amaze accounted for 2,937 units, or around 56 percent of local sales. The Elevate recorded 1,561 units, while the City contributed 745 units. These numbers show that Honda still relies heavily on one compact sedan despite the market’s continuing shift towards SUVs.
Honda left the sub-four-metre SUV category after discontinuing the WR-V. The Elevate competes in the midsize SUV segment, but the company has no rival for models such as the Tata Nexon, Maruti Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet and Mahindra XUV 3XO. Filling this gap will be one of Yanagisawa’s main product responsibilities.
Honda has identified North America, Japan and India as its three priority markets. Its global plan calls for locally tailored products in two categories from 2028: vehicles measuring less than four metres and midsize models.
The smaller model is widely expected to be an SUV because that body style now dominates the compact-car market. It should also give Honda a more direct route to customers upgrading from motorcycles, which the company has specifically identified as a source of future growth.
A second strategic model will enter the midsize category. Honda has not confirmed whether it will supplement or eventually replace the Elevate, nor has it disclosed the engines, body style or expected prices.
The company has said it will reassess specifications specifically for local conditions. That should cover features, fuel efficiency, ground clearance, rear-seat space, safety equipment and pricing rather than adapting a global model with limited changes.
Yanagisawa’s more immediate task is to manage Honda’s FY2027 launch programme. The company previously announced six product introductions during the financial year, with the updated City and imported ZR-V accounting for the first two.
An updated Elevate and Honda’s first locally manufactured electric SUV are expected to form part of the plan. The EV is based on the Honda 0 Alpha concept and is expected towards the end of the financial year.
Honda is also evaluating selected global models with hybrid powertrains. These could improve showroom interest, but imported cars cannot solve the volume problem because duties push them into higher price segments.
The company needs competitive products below Rs 20 lakh, where its dealership and manufacturing network can support meaningful sales. It also needs to shorten the gaps between launches. The current Elevate arrived in 2023, while the third-generation Amaze followed in 2024.