Early this year,
Honda launched the SUV RS Concept at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show or GIIAS
. Despite being treated as a concept and had its windows completely covered in black tint, it looked pretty much production ready.
Now, after going on tour in various Indonesian cities, it looks like Honda is ready to launch the small 5-seater SUV to go against the likes of the
Toyota Raize
,
Kia Stonic
, and
Hyundai Creta
by the end of the year.
Originally, everyone thought it would take on the ZR-V nameplate. That turned out not to be true given it’s the nameplate given to the
North American HR-V
which has since been turned into a
global model
. This has led people to speculate that it’ll take on the WR-V name. If that’s the case, it’s not the first time it’s been used in a production Honda SUV. The
WR-V is given to a Honda Jazz-based crossover designed specifically for the Indian market
.
Whatever the final name though, it’ll use the chassis code “DG.” Specifically, it’s “DG47” for manual transmission models and “DG48” for CVT equipped models. There’s credence to the leak since it was filed at DKI Jakarta Samsat’s Motor Vehicle Sales Value page.
Moreover, the Honda DG is listed to have a 1.5-liter engine as standard. Given the brand’s propensity to share powertrains across its line-up, it’ll likely use the same normally aspirated L15 engine found in the City, City Hatchback, base HR-V, and upcoming BR-V. If that’s the case, expect it to make 120 horsepower and 145 Nm of torque.
Finally, it’s listed to carry a price tag ranging from 163,000,000 Rupiah to 189,000,000 Rupiah. Factoring in all the relevant taxes, it could mean a price tag of 279,000,000 Rupiah (P 1.032 million) to 305,000,000 Rupiah (P 1.129 million). By comparison, the all-new HR-V starts at 362,900,000 Rupiah (P 1.210 million).
Given the popularity of small SUVs in the Philippines, it’s almost with certainty that Honda Cars Philippines will slot this in below the HR-V. If that’s the case, expect a price tag somewhere in the region of P 1,060,000 to P 1,160,000. Price-wise, it’ll sit between the City RS and RS Hatchback. It also lends credence as to why they opted to only introduce one variant of their hatchback; they needed breathing room to launch this sub-compact SUV.
It’ll likely be unveiled as a concept at the upcoming Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) alongside the all-new BR-V.
Keyword: Could Honda's New Small SUV Worry The Toyota Raize, Kia Stonic, And Hyundai Creta?