Honda BR-V not coming to India
There is some confusion about the Honda BR-V. Some people think it is a premium hatchback, but it is actually a 7-seater compact SUV or MPV. There is no official plan for Honda to launch this car in India.
The original Honda BR-V was discontinued in India in 2020. There were two main reasons for this. First, the sales were very poor. In the financial year 2017, Honda sold only about 20,000 units of the BR-V. In the next year, sales dropped to about 11,500 units. In 2019, only about 5,200 units were sold. By early 2020, only about 1,900 units were sold. The numbers kept falling every year.
Second, the BR-V could not meet the new BS6 emission norms that came into effect in 2020. Upgrading the old engine to meet these new rules would have cost a lot of money. Honda decided it was not worth the investment because the sales were already very low.
A second-generation BR-V was launched in other countries like Indonesia. But Honda Cars India has clearly said that they will not bring this new BR-V to India. The company has different plans for the Indian market. Honda is now focusing on premium sedans and new SUVs.
If you are looking for a Honda car in India right now, here are your options. The Honda ZR-V is a new hybrid SUV. Pre-launch bookings are already open. It will be Honda’s new flagship car in India. The Honda City facelift has just been launched. It is a premium sedan with updated looks and new features. Honda is also actively testing its first all-electric SUV for the Indian market.
If you are looking for a premium hatchback, there are other good options. The Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Toyota Glanza, and Hyundai i20 are the top choices in this segment.
If you were interested in the BR-V because it had 7 seats, you can look at other options. The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the Kia Carens are both very good 7-seater family cars. The Kia Carens Clavis is actually recommended as a logical upgrade from the old Honda BR-V diesel. It has a comfortable and spacious cabin with a very usable third row.
