Honda's new Civic sedan to drive in next month
Honda had discontinued the Civic sedan in India in 2013 after selling around 55,000 units since its launch in 2006.
Pune: Honda, the Japanese car giant and the fifth largest car maker in India, is planning to rejuvenate the sedan market in the country by launching its 10th generation new Civic model in India next month.
With this the brand would complete its sedan lineup in the country which includes sedans such as Amaze, City, and Accord.
These four cars with different price points would cater to a wide range of buyers and increase its dwindling the market share and sales volumes as well.
Expected to hit the market in the second week of March 2019, the new popular Honda Civic has been on sale globally since 2016 and India is getting the refreshed model that made its global debut just last year.
“With Civic, which will be launched next month, we will be completing our sedan lineup in India,” Gaku Nakanishi, president and CEO at Honda Cars India, said.
Honda had discontinued the Civic sedan in India in 2013 after selling around 55,000 units since its launch in 2006.
The new Honda Civic is likely to come to India in one single fully loaded variant, which will be loaded to the gills in order to take the competition better.
As the new images show, the exterior of the Civic will feature LED headlamps, daytime running lamps and tail lamps.
The new Civic sedan will be powered by a 140hp, 1.8-litre petrol and, for the first time, a 120hp, 1.6-litre diesel engine.
As per the company, the petrol variants would deliver a fuel efficiency of 16.5 km per litre while the diesel versions would offer fuel efficiency of 26.8 km per litre.
While the petrol motor is expected to come with a 6-speed manual and an automatic gearbox, the Civic diesel will be sold with just the manual transmission.
Honda, however, recently introduced a Civic diesel automatic sedan with the same engine mated to a new 9-speed automatic gearbox in international markets.
Bookings for the Civic sedan, which will rival the Hyundai Elantra (about Rs 15.12-18.90 lakh), Skoda Octavia (about Rs 15.99-25.99 lakh) and Toyota Corolla Altis (about Rs 16.45-19.36 lakh), are expected to commence officially in a few days.
Auto analysts said Honda is likely to price the car between the Rs 16 lakh and Rs 20 lakh mark, depending on the engine.
The executive sedan segment in the country is currently pegged at around 10,000 units per annum, dominated by the likes of Hyundai Elantra, Skoda Octavia and Toyota Corolla.
“In India, Civic is an aspirational brand. Ever since we showcased it in the last edition of the Auto Expo, there has been a strong anticipation of its launch in the country,” Nakanishi said.