Honda Urban SUV: Production version to premiere at Tokyo

Honda Jazz based Urban SUV concept’s production version to debut at the Tokyo Motor Show

Honda’s 2013 Tokyo Motor Show plans include the showcasing of the production version of the Jazz-based Urban SUV concept. The Urban SUV was first showcased at the Detroit Motor Show. The production version of the crossover is likely to be Honda’s sub-CR-V offering for car makers across the globe.

From an Indian context, the production version of the Urban SUV concept is quite important as the crossover will be launched here as Honda’s entry in the compact SUV segment that plays host to the likes of the Renault Duster and the Ford EcoSport.

The Honda Urban SUV’s production version is likely to be launched in India during late-2014 or early-2015. Both petrol and diesel engines could be offered on the India-spec version of the Urban SUV.

The 1.5 liter i-DTEC turbo diesel engine that Honda India debuted on the Amaze compact sedan is likely to power the India-spec Urban SUV, albeit in a different state of tune. The Urban SUV will be a five seater, and is likely to feature Honda’s Man-Maximum-Machine-Minimum design philosophy as it shares its platform with the 2014 Jazz.

The next generation Honda Jazz, also known as the 2014 version of the Fit, is a world car. The 2014 has gone on sale in Japan and the car’s platform will support two more cars: the City sedan and the Urban SUV crossover. The Urban SUV, in concept form measures 4.3 meters in length, which means that it will not be classified as a compact car under Indian regulatory norms.

This also means that the Urban SUV is more of a rival to the Renault Duster and Nissan Terrano than the smaller Ford EcoSport. The Urban SUV’s pricing is likely to match its longer length, with the crossover likely to be priced close to the Terrano’s level.