2023 Honda Compact SUV Poised To Be Grand Vitara's Hybrid Rival

The upcoming Honda SUV will be above 4m in length and will compete with the likes of the Hyundai Creta and the Maruti Grand Vitara.

The upcoming Honda SUV will be above 4m in length and will compete with the likes of the Hyundai Creta and the Maruti Grand Vitara.

It was no secret that Honda has been working on an SUV for India and it is a case of better late than never with the first teaser image of the upcoming Honda SUV being released. However, we will dig deeper than that and tell you what all is expected from the new Honda SUV. Honda till now has had the CR-V and the BR-V but has been absent from the lucrative compact SUV space. Not any more from this year as the compact SUV from Honda comes in.

It will be above 4m in length and will compete with the likes of the Hyundai Creta and the Maruti Grand Vitara. Its strengths for India include a product aggressive localisation which will enable Honda to price it better than some rivals.

The next would be the hybrid powertrain as Honda is ditching diesel and the new compact SUV will most likely have a standard petrol engine like the Honda City has but will also have the hybrid powertrain. The hybrid version would be the flagship trim level with an e CVT gearbox, while the standard petrol engine will come with an automatic as well as a manual, also like on the City.

The teaser image shows a butch SUV with upright proportions like some of the international Honda SUVs. The focus here is on a proper SUV stance.

We expect a spacious interior and a modern design for the cabin with a digital instrument cluster, a panoramic sunroof and ADAS features like on the City hybrid. The focus would be on efficiency and space, which Honda is known for with the City.

The new Honda SUV could not have come sooner and the timing of launch could be around the festive season with prices being expected to be revealed around that time. In terms of competition, the Grand Vitara is the chief rival along with the Hyundai Creta/Kia Seltos and more.