New Honda mid-size SUV Confirmed for India
The Japanese car manufacturer, Honda has released its future roadmap for India as well as global markets. At the press briefing, the company reveals that it is planning to launch 15 next-generation hybrid models globally by the end of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2030. The big update is that Honda confirmed to launch two new SUVs for the Indian market. Both SUVs will start arriving in our market in 2028.
Honda has confirmed that it will re-enter the sub-4 meter SUV category in 2028. The company is also developing a brand new mid-sized SUV, which will join the existing Elevate SUV. It is stated that “Honda will strive to expand sales through various measures including the utilization of its new captive finance company in India, which is scheduled to become operational before the end of the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2027.”
Honda hasn’t reveal any additional information about the upcoming SUVs. Previous media reports suggest that the company is developing an all-new platform, internally called PF2 architecture, which will be used to develop future Honda products for the Indian market. These two SUVs are expected to be based on the new PF2 platform. This platform is compatible with different powertrains, including ICE, hybrid and electric.
The new Honda mid-sized SUV is expected to be an all-new 7-seater model, which will be positioned above the Elevate. It will directly rival the Mahindra XUV 7XO, Tata Safari, MG Hector Plus and Hyundai Alcazar. The brand’s Japan and Thailand R&D centres with inputs from India will design and develop the new 7-seater SUV. This new mid-sized SUV will be heavily localised to achieve competitive pricing. Adding to it, the SUV will receive a locally developed hybrid powertrain.
The PF2 architecture will be designed to be hybrid ready from day one. It is expected to be powered by a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder, naturally-aspirated petrol engine that powers the Elevate. The hybrid version will get the next-generation hybrid engine using the 1.5L naturally-aspirated petrol engine. Honda is claiming that the next-gen Hybrid powertrains will offer 10% more efficiency than the existing model.
The hybrid engine is likely to be an upgraded version of City’s e:HEV hybrid powertrain, which combines a 1.5L Atkinson cycle petrol engine paired with two electric motors and a small battery pack. This self-charging hybrid system doesn’t need external charging and automatically switches between EV, hybrid, and petrol models for maximum efficiency.
Also See - New Honda City, ZR-V, City Hybrid India Launch Next Week
