Honda is preparing to begin a new chapter in the Indian market. The company recently admitted that its earlier global-first strategy for India was not successful, acknowledging that its product lineup lacked competitive offerings and failed to align with the preferences of Indian customers. To address these issues, Honda is now planning to introduce more products tailored for the Indian market. Alongside the facelifted Honda City, the company is also expected to launch the all-new Honda ZR-V SUV. Honda has already released a teaser video of the ZR-V, and here is everything you need to know about the upcoming premium SUV.
With the ZR-V, Honda aims to revive its CBU business in India. The SUV is not a model developed specifically for the Indian market; instead, it is an international product that is already on sale in several global markets. Interestingly, the same SUV is sold as the Honda HR-V in North American and Chinese markets.
Honda is expected to bring the updated version of the ZR-V to India, and globally, the latest model is now available only with a strong-hybrid powertrain. Internationally, the ZR-V is positioned as a C-segment SUV sitting below the Honda CR-V in Honda’s global lineup. The SUV will be 4,568 mm long, 1,840 mm wide and offer a wheelbase of 2,657 mm. The ground clearance of the ZR-V is expected to be 180 mm.
The Honda ZR-V is expected to arrive in India as a Completely Built Unit (CBU), which means pricing is likely to be on the premium side. It will become Honda’s flagship SUV in the Indian market and is expected to compete with models such as the Skoda Kodiaq and the Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line.
In terms of design, the SUV will feature a rounded crossover-like appearance along with sleek headlamps, a large front grille, premium-looking bumpers, LED tail lamps, and machine-cut alloy wheels.
Since this is a premium offering, Honda is expected to equip the ZR-V with several high-end features. These are likely to include Google Assistant integration, a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Honda Sensing ADAS, a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system, electric tailgate, premium speaker system, 11 airbags, electric seats, and multi-zone climate control. However, it remains to be seen whether Honda will offer all the international-spec features in the India-spec version or reserve some features to keep pricing competitive.
Compared to the older version, the updated ZR-V comes with significant mechanical changes. The biggest update is the new powertrain. Honda has replaced the older 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine with a new 2.0-litre naturally aspirated Atkinson-cycle petrol engine paired with an e-CVT gearbox.
The upcoming ZR-V uses Honda’s latest strong-hybrid technology, which is already available in several global Honda models. Like most strong-hybrid systems, the electric motor and battery pack can independently power the SUV in EV mode for short distances. Once the battery charge drops, the system seamlessly switches to the petrol engine. The battery can also recharge itself while the engine is running and provide assistance whenever required.
The petrol engine is expected to generate around 141 PS and 182 Nm of peak torque, while the electric motor is rated to produce 184 PS and 315 Nm of torque. Honda has not yet revealed the combined power and torque figures of the hybrid system.
The all-new hybrid SUV from Honda is scheduled to be officially launched on May 22 and is expected to be priced in the Rs 40–50 lakh range. The SUV is likely to be launched alongside the facelifted Honda City.
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