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Honda Civic To Make A Comeback In India Next Month

Honda said it will launch its latest version of the Civic model in India next month.

 A Honda Civic. (Source: Honda Canada website) 
A Honda Civic. (Source: Honda Canada website) 

Japanese automaker Honda said it will launch the latest version of its Civic model in India next month, completing its sedan lineup in the country.

With sedans—Amaze, City, Accord and the upcoming Civic—the company will have four products across various price points to cater to a wide range of customers.

Honda, which is present in the country through wholly-owned subsidiary Honda Cars India Ltd., will now look at bolstering its presence in other segments, including SUVs.

Honda had discontinued the Civic sedan in India in 2013 after selling around 55,000 units since its launch in 2006.

With the sedan lineup complete for the time being, the company may now focus at strengthening other body styles as well, Rajesh Goyal, senior vice president and director (sales and marketing) at the company, said.

He, however, did not share any details about any specific product. The company last year said it is evaluating the Indian market to introduce more SUV models. Since then, it has brought in new version of premium SUV CR-V in the market.

The company also sells products like the WR-V and BR-V to cater to fast-growing SUV segment in the country. Commenting on 10th generation Civic, President and Chief Executive Officer Gaku Nakanishi said it would help in reviving the executive sedan segment for the company.

The executive sedan segment in the country is pegged at around 10,000 units per annum, dominated by the likes of Hyundai Elantra, Skoda Octavia and Toyota Corolla.

The all new Civic will have both petrol and diesel variants, Nakanishi said. The petrol version will come with a 1.8-litre engine mated with a CVT (automatic) transmission. The diesel variant will come with a 1.6-litre engine mated to a manual six speed transmission.

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.

“In India, the 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.

The Civic is Honda’s best-selling model across the globe. The company has sold over 25 million units of the sedan since 1972. It is manufactured across 10 factories and sold across over 170 markets globally.

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