Honda hopes for high Mobilio numbers in Tier 2 and 3 cities

Honda is soon going to launch its first MPV for the Indian market – the Mobilio. Speaking to our sister publication Autocar Professional on the marketing strategy for the new car, Jnaneswar Sen, senior vice-president (marketing and sales), Honda Cars India Ltd, said that while the metros are generally perceived as the largest markets for MPVs, the company expects a good number of sales for the Mobilio from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

 

“Volumes of the Mobilio will depend on pricing and production capacity but it will be good value for money. It will mark the evolution of the entry MPV segment,” he said.

 

To be marketed as a family car, Honda is targeting not only large families but also those who have traditionally opted for a sedan or an SUV. The Honda Mobilio will be made at the company’s Greater Noida plant in volumes of 45,000 units per annum. It is expected to have a localisation level of around 90 percent, like the Brio, Amaze and the new City. The company is undertaking a full-fledged training programme for its entire dealer network across the country to ensure that no glitches in the distribution network put a spanner in the sales volumes.  

 

While the immediate focus for the new Honda Mobilio MPV will be the domestic market, Sen does not rule out the possibility of exporting the Mobilio to Nepal and South Africa initially, on the lines of the export strategy of the Brio, Amaze and the City.

 

The Honda Mobilio MPV is based on the same platform as the brand’s Brio hatchback and Amaze compact sedan. It borrows the City sedan’s 1.5-litre petrol and diesel units mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The petrol variant is likely to get a CVT automatic gearbox option later.