As part of its 10-model offensive for the second half of this decade, Honda Cars India Ltd is preparing to import a few key models to restore sheen to a brand that has thinned out and drifted too far into mass-market territory. Ahead of the launch of the 0 Alpha SUV – Honda’s big EV bet for India due in 2027 – the company hopes to reignite interest by bringing in the Prelude coupe, the ZR-V hybrid and the all-electric 0 SUV between 2026 and 2027.

There was a time when Honda’s brand pyramid in India looked the right way up: the Accord and CR-V were the flagships, the Civic sat in the middle, and the City was the well-defined entry point. That hierarchy created aspiration. But with the arrival of models such as the Amaze, Brio, BR-V, Jazz and WR-V – all positioned below the City – Honda’s brand equity diluted sharply. Increased competition, shrinking investment and a focus on profitability saw Honda cut its model range, shut a factory and adopt a leaner strategy.

The BR-V, Brio, Jazz, and WR-V were axed, and even global icons like the Civic and CR-V exited India when the Greater Noida plant was shuttered. The result is a brand that feels overly mass-oriented, with little to showcase Honda’s global engineering strengths, especially in hybrids – a field where Honda is a recognised world leader.

Honda now acknowledges that rebuilding desirability will require imports, even if in modest numbers. Here’s what’s coming.

Honda Prelude Hybrid Coupe

Launch: First half of 2026

The Prelude is easily the most emotional of Honda’s upcoming imports. A nameplate that cemented Honda’s enthusiast credentials in the ’80s and ’90s, it returns as a 200hp, 2.0-litre front-wheel-drive hybrid coupe with simulated gear shifts.

For India, Honda is already finalising E20 compatibility and tyre specifications. Once complete, the model will be brought in limited numbers – Honda’s first two-door offering for the country.

However, nostalgia alone may not be enough. This isn’t a Type-R-grade performance machine, and that limits its halo potential. Enthusiasts will appreciate it, but it won’t get hearts racing the way the Civic Type R does internationally. At an expected price of around Rs 80 lakh, its appeal will be narrow, and whether the Prelude truly enthuses customers remains to be seen.

Honda ZR-V Hybrid

Launch: End-2026

The ZR-V is the most practical of Honda’s three imports. Globally positioned below the CR-V, it’s more of a premium crossover than a flagship SUV. Expect a 180hp, 2.0-litre hybrid powertrain, AWD and an e-CVT – a strong technical package on paper.

At Rs 50 lakh-60 lakh, demand will be limited, and Honda will have to position it carefully to avoid perceptions of it being an expensive stopgap. Still, as a hybrid showcase, it plays an important role in Honda’s re-elevation strategy.

Honda 0 SUV: The tech flagship

Launch: Mid-2027

The all-electric Honda 0 SUV will sit at the top of the imported line-up. It’s based on Honda’s radically different 0 Series EV architecture that makes its global debut next year. With clean, modern and concept-car-sharp design cues, it looks unlike anything in Honda’s current EV family.

The smaller 0 α SUV will be locally manufactured and arrive in 2027, while the larger 0 SUV will follow as a full import, positioned as a technological halo.

Specifications remain under wraps, but the 0 SUV is expected to come with 80-100kWh battery options and a real-world range of around 500km. Prices are likely to exceed Rs 80 lakh, putting it in luxury EV territory.

Crucially, this SUV will showcase Honda’s next-generation software stack and battery tech – something Indian customers haven’t experienced from the brand in years.

Commitment needed

Honda must ensure these imports don’t come across as token gestures, the way Volkswagen and Skoda have occasionally dipped in and out with sporadic CBU launches. What Indian customers want is consistency, clarity and commitment across model lines.

If Honda wants to rekindle the love Indians once had for the brand, these halo models must be a beginning, not a one-off experiment.

WITH INPUTS FROM VIRAAJ NEEL BHATNAGAR

All prices are ex-showroom, India.