Honda Japan confirms new A-segment hatchback, gives sneak preview of future products

Honda Budget Car
Click for larger image

When Honda’s CEO Takeo Fukui delivered his 2008 year-end speech in mid-December last year, everyone went nuts over the announcement that the Japanese company was going to cancel its new NSX project and will be pulling out of Formula One. After all, didn’t Soichiro Honda say if Honda does not race, there is no Honda?

But what some people missed is the official acknowledgment by the Japan HQ that Honda will be entering the entry-level small car segment for the first time, out of Japan of course. This juicy piece of information was previously only communicated by Honda’s presence in India, Honda Siel Cars India. Honda has plenty of small cars in Japan (like the Honda Life), thanks to the city lifestyle and the Japanese government’s K-car tax bracket.

Details on the new car are sparse, but an introduction is expected within two to three years. The new small Honda will be an A-segment hatchback like the Suzuki Alto, the Hyundai i10 and the Kia Picanto. The car will be built with minimal reliance on expensive materials to minimize the impact of fluctuating and rising raw material prices. With so many people flocking to commodity-investment in the futures market, things are going to be tough in this department. Honda can easily adapt the recently launched Honda Life’s chassis for the new small car. The K-car’s size and wheelbase is roughly similiar to other A-segment hatches.

Honda Budget Car
Click for larger image

The same speech also confirmed what Honda Siel Cars India had revealed earlier, the development of a small displacement turbodiesel engine that will enable a diesel-powered Honda City, perhaps a 1.4 or 1.5 litre oil-burning motor producing power in various stages of tune ranging from about 60hp to 100hp?

Other juicy details in the speech include the possibility of Honda’s IMA hybrid system being added to medium and large models, that would mean the large vehicles in the Acura line-up and perhaps even the Honda Accord! Speaking of hybrids, the Honda CR-Z sports-hybrid will go on sale by end-2010, which is designed around the theme “the joy of driving”, which somehow these days also include the joy of watching the fuel gauge barely moving as you rack up the miles.

For those sticking to bikes, an all-new Honda Wave 100 for the ASEAN market with fuel injection will be introduced first in Thailand this month and subsequently other ASEAN markets. We should get it swiftly as Honda Japan has an official presence in the bike business here now. Another interesting piece of news is a new battery-powered electric motorcycle which will be launched in 2 years from now, somewhere in end-2010/2011. We already sort of knew this was coming, thanks to a teaser that was unveiled during the Honda Cub’s 50th anniversary.

And that’s about it, folks!

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.

Certified Pre-Owned - 1 Year Warranty

10% discount when you renew your car insurance

Compare prices between different insurer providers and use the promo code 'PAULTAN10' when you make your payment to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services.

Car Insurance

Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • e-nabilll (Member) on Jan 05, 2009 at 4:09 am

    i guess from now every honda now will his grill…rear looks like the Aveo

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Kevin Lee (Member) on Jan 05, 2009 at 7:37 am

    its not real e-nabill, its a rendering by theo. this car looks like a mish-mashed jazz with the old mercedes a-class and the mitsubishi-i kei car. one thing u did not do well theo, was the side mirror, its not layed on a 90 degrees angle

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • TheophilusChin (Member) on Jan 05, 2009 at 9:36 am

    I did not touch the side mirror.

    The original car is http://paultan.org/archives/2008/10/07/pininfarina-b0-electric-car-concept/

    The front is from City and back is from Jazz/Fit.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • ryan_foong80 (Member) on Jan 05, 2009 at 9:42 am

    weird…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • n8cky (Member) on Jan 05, 2009 at 10:12 am

    Side mirror do well, right angle. This is called wise car maker, instead of cutting operation cost, or increase retrenchment.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • ericfoong81exe (Member) on Jan 05, 2009 at 11:41 am

    hmmm….since they got the Honda Jazz in the market, i dun understand and found any nescessary to invest in this A-segment “Tiny Jazz”….perhapes trying to fight with other european A-segment car’s market and getting fulfill the car variety into all class.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • dzat46 (Member) on Jan 05, 2009 at 12:03 pm

    that will enable a diesel-powered Honda City, perhaps a 1.4 or 1.5 liter oil-burning motor producing power in various stages of tune ranging from about 60hp to 100hp?
    —————————————————————-

    This would be great and definately increase city sales once gomen introduce euro2 diesel here….1.4/1.5 liter diesel wt huge btw 180-250NM torque at low 1,500 – 2,500 rpm…damn real world useable power + very gud FC (maybe around 18-24km/l)….can start dreaming..power of dream

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • bmpower (Member) on Jan 05, 2009 at 12:30 pm

    from the above design..
    it’s actually high cost..
    not suitable for entry-level to be cheap one..

    Coz :
    – 1. too many part.
    – 2. curvy glasses shape
    – 3. etc…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • isharestuff (Member) on Jan 05, 2009 at 3:43 pm

    Honda always produce innovative and creative products, quality is less concerned, though.

    The new Accord, City and Jazz all have similar grill now, except for Civic. Honda’s line of cars now really looking good compared to others. And the new City, wow, that’s awesome with the Modulo kit.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Takumi Fujiwara (Member) on Jan 05, 2009 at 5:46 pm

    From : harian metro (05 jan 09)

    Laman blog www.chedet.com ditulis Dr Mahathir mencatat sejarah tersendiri apabila menduduki tempat teratas senarai carian laman blog, diikuti Anwar Ibrahim, Anil Netto, Raja Petra, Susan Loone, Tony Pua, Rockybru, Paul Tan, Kenny Sia dan Jeff Ooi….

    http://www.hmetro.com.my/Current_News/myMetro/Monday/Setempat/20090105092937/Article/index_html

    good job paul….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • mystvearn (Member) on Jan 05, 2009 at 7:32 pm

    Economic sense forces them to go into A-segment. Of course its a honda, so that badge will sell. I am not so sure if this car will steal market share from the Jazz.

    On another note that rear side mirror has a problem. The angle is so acute, you try side parking with that mirror, the view is significantly reduced.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Kevin Lee (Member) on Jan 06, 2009 at 1:42 am

    n8cky, refer to the 2nd pic, where it shows the honda’s rear, u can tell the side mirrors are bent on the wrong angle, just so u know

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • lambov12 (Member) on Jan 06, 2009 at 9:15 am

    it jus looks like the tata nano ..
    a big big pikachu with a silly name ..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • kei9 (Member) on Jan 06, 2009 at 2:29 pm

    The grille X front

    It looks weird. More of an eyesore really. -.-

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Sex is wonderful, but it's like champagne.If you're forced to have four glasses at every meal you start to fantasize about water. (Member) on Jan 08, 2009 at 1:30 pm

    looks like tata nano

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • aaronchongcs (Member) on Jan 10, 2009 at 4:57 pm

    a bit cute as well as weird looking as it combined new city front & back of fit … overall I like the compact design which call it mini Honda Jazz, wonder when it’ll start selling in M’sia market.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • TitoBR (Member) on Jan 14, 2009 at 12:01 am

    It’s said it will be made in Brazil.
    Notice: just change T for F and F for T = TIF … FIT (the name Jazz has in Brazil)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Capt.Vinod Sahadevan on Jul 09, 2010 at 8:54 am

    Honda Jazz is one of the worst car I ever owned.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

Add a comment

required

required