Honda is bringing back the Jazz - its premium hatchback, to India; the launch is scheduled in July 2015. The company has already begun promotional campaigns and has released a teaser video of the same too. 

In an interview with Business Today, Katsushi Inoue, President and CEO of Honda Car India Ltd, claims that the new Jazz will have 90% localization levels as compared to 70% in the older generation.

The Japanese car maker also plans to expand its dealership network in the country from 232 outlets in 152 cities to 300 outlets in 200 cities in 2015-16.

Honda is also in the process of increasing the manufacturing capacity at its Tapukara plant in Rajasthan in 2015-16. The company has invested Rs. 380 crores for the same. Recently, we had reported that the company could stall the production of the Brio to accommodate the Jazz (link to news article) as the company is operating at 100% capacity at Tapukara as well as Greater Noida.

With higher levels of localization, all we can hope for, is the Jazz to be priced competitively to take on the competition in the form of the Elite i20, which witnesses 5-digit sales month after month, yet commands a long waiting period.

Japanese carmaker Honda, is expected to launch the new Jazz hatchback in India in July 2015. However, the company is facing a problem with production constraints due to the limited capacities.

Honda has two plants in India - one in Greater Noida and one in Tapukara, Rajasthan. Both these plants are running two shifts and operating at 100% capacity. This could force the company to put the production of one of its existing models on hold.

The model most likely to be taken off the production line is the Brio hatchback. The car has not been selling well and its sales in April fell to a mere 827 units.

While the Amaze and Mobilio, which are based on the same platform as the Brio, got a 1.5-litre diesel engine, the hatchback was left out and as a result fell behind rivals on the sales charts. There have been rumours in the past about the next-generation Brio getting a 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder diesel motor.

Source: Autocar Professional

Honda has halted the dispatches of cars manufactured at its Greater Noida plant after they were damaged by paint fumes from an adjoining factory.

More than 4,000 units of the Mobilio, the Brio and the CR-V, which were manufactured last month, are believed to have been affected. These vehicles were parked in an open stockyard. An under-construction factory, adjacent to the Honda plant, was being painted and fumes emerging from the paint caused spots to be formed on the cars, particularly on the chrome and plastic parts and roof tops.

Honda claims to be taking the necessary steps to ensure rectification of the problem, including change of parts wherever required. With dispatches to dealers stopped, the company is staring at a pile-up of inventory at its plant.

The Greater Noida plant has a yearly manufacturing capacity of 1.2 lakh units.

Source: Economic Times

Honda Car India has announced the launch of two new trims for the Amaze compact sedan and Brio hatchback.

The Amaze is now available in a VX(O) variant, which is positioned above the VX grade. The new variant is equipped with an Audio-Video Navigation (AVN) system, which features a 15.7 cm touchscreen, pre-loaded maps, satellite-based voice guided navigation and in-car entertainment with DVD/CD, FM/AM, Bluetooth, USB and Aux-in functions. The VX(O) variant is available on the manual versions of the petrol and diesel Amaze.

The Brio gets a VX variant for the manual as well as the automatic version. The new variant features all-black interiors and is equipped with the same AVN system as the Amaze.

Honda has also added new white illumination speedometer with blue gradation on the Amaze and Brio. Additionally, the SX and higher trim levels of the Amaze get power foldable ORVMs and a rear defogger.

Honda has also revealed that a CNG variant of the Amaze will be introduced shortly.

Prices (ex-showroom, Delhi):

Honda Amaze

• VX(O) Petrol MT – Rs. 7,32,000
• VX(O) Diesel MT – Rs. 8,20,500

Honda Brio

• VX Petrol MT – Rs. 5,99,000
• VX Petrol AT – Rs. 6,78,400 

Honda Cars India Ltd. (HCIL) has recalled 1,040 units of the Brio hatchback, 1235 units of the Amaze sedan and 63 units of the CR-V manufactured between September 2011 and July 2014 to carry out replacement of their driver side airbag inflators.

Honda claims that this recall is a part of a global exercise regarding a possible incorrect assembly of the baffle plate in the inflator. In case of certain vehicles, due to incorrect assembly of the baffle plate, the pressure within the inflator may rise excessively when the driver side airbag deploys in an accident or other situation, causing damage to the container.

The company will contact the owners of the affected cars individually and the replacement will be carried out free of cost at HCIL dealerships across the country. Additionally, Brio, Amaze and CR-V owners ascertain if their cars are in the list of affected vehicles by log on to HCIL's website and entering their cars' 17-character alpha-numeric Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the special microsite that has been created.

In July this year, Honda had recalled 1,085 units of the Accord sedan and 252 units of the CR-V manufactured in the year 2003 and 1 unit of the CR-V manufactured in 2002 to carry out replacement of their passenger side airbag inflators.

Thank you to the Team-BHP fan who sent this information to us (he prefers to remain anonymous). Heartfelt gratitude for sharing them with other enthusiasts!

Honda is gearing up to give the Amaze compact sedan and the Brio hatchback some changes. These include some additions and deletions to the colours and features.

Amaze:

Honda will discontinue the Crystal Black Pearl colour for the Amaze. Its place will be filled on the shade card by a new Golden Brown shade. The car will get new ORVMs with a design similar to that of the new City. The EX, S (AT/MT) and VX (AT/MT) variants will get a new combi-meter with white illumination, blue gradation and a white pointer. The S (AT/MT) variants will also get a double horn while the E variant will lose its rear grab rails, door centre sash tape and tachometer.

Brio:

The Brio will be available in a new Majestic Blue colour which will replace the Energetic Blue shade. Like the Amaze the car will get new ORVMs like the new City. The EX and S variant will get a new combi-meter. The S will also get a double horn. The tachometer has been left out on the E variant, while the EX variant will lose its door centre sash tape. Front and rear mud flaps and assistant side seat back pocket will be left out in the S variant.

Japanese carmaker, Honda is working on a 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder diesel engine. A downsized version of the current 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder i-DTEC powerplant that is being used in the City, Amaze and Mobilio, it is likely to be used to power the next-generation Brio hatchback.

The 1.5-litre diesel engine has proved to be a fuel efficient engine and has been largely responsible for Honda's sedans products selling in high numbers. While the Amaze and Mobilio, which are based on the same platform as the Brio, used this engine, the hatchback was left out and as a result fell behind rivals on the sales charts. With the introduction of the 1.2-litre engine, Honda will hope that the Brio manages to sell in higher numbers. The smaller size of the engine should also enable the company to keep its cost down.

Honda is expected to launch the next-gen Brio in 2017. It will be pitted against the Hyundai Grand i10 and other B2 segment hatchbacks. However, if it has to succeed, Honda will need to address the diesel engine's rather poor NVH levels and make the Brio a better value for money proposition by offering more equipment.

Source: Autocar India

Thanks to BHPian M35 for bringing this to our notice.

Honda Cars India Ltd. (HCIL) has recalled 15,623 units of the non-ABS variant of the Brio hatchback and 15,603 units of the non-ABS variant of the petrol-engined Amaze sedan for inspection of the proportioning valve. The recall is pertinent to vehicles manufactured between 28 February 2013 and 16 January 2014.

HCIL claims that there is a possibility of mis-assembly of the proportioning valve. The proportioning valve is a part of the brake system that adjusts brake distribution pressure to the wheels. Proportioning is not a part of an ABS-equipped brake system. Therefore, ABS variants of the cars have not been affected.

After carrying out the inspection, HCIL will replace the defective part, if required, free of cost. Owners of the affected cars will be contacted individually by the company's dealerships is a phased manner.

Additionally, owners of the abovementioned Honda models can log on to the manufacturer’s website and ascertain if their cars are in the list of recalled vehicles. Owners need to enter their car’s 17 character alpha-numeric Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) number in the provided field.