Honda Avancier SUV unveiled at Beijing

Honda has unveiled its new flagship SUV for China at the 2016 Beijing motor show. This new SUV, called the Avancier, was previewed by Honda's Concept D at Auto Shanghai last year, and will be positioned above the CR-V in China.

Honda currently sells two SUVs in China – the CR-V, which is sold by the Dongfeng-Honda joint venture, and the HR-V, which is called the XR-V by Dongfeng and separately sold as the Vezel by Honda's other joint-venture with Guangqi.

The production version of the Avancier sticks to the styling seen on the concept. It gets a sloping roofline and a heavily raked windscreen along with a roof-mounted spoiler. Up front, the grille is more upright and has a thick chrome band running across it. The bumper is large and gets adequate chrome detailing, along with LED daytime running lamps and a prominent scuff plate. The new SUV sports stylish headlights with LEDs similar to those on the recently facelifted Accord sedan. 

The new SUV comes with features such as heated seats and a panoramic sunroof. It also gets Honda’s SH-AWD system. Powering the new SUV will be a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol motor, with a hybrid variant slated to be added later. The entry-level variant, however, will come with a 2.4-litre petrol unit, much like the Accord. Transmission choices include a nine-speed automatic gearbox for the turbocharged motor, and six-speed manual and automatic for the 2.4-litre engine.

While the new Honda Avancier SUV will be sold only in China initially, there is a possibility of it hitting international markets as well.