Honda Cars India had previously announced that it would be discontinuing the 4th-Gen City, Jazz, and WR-V models from its India lineup. The manufacturer has now silently removed them from their official website starting this month. This leaves the automaker with only two models in its portfolio which include the 5th-Generation City and the Amaze sedans. We take a look at the reasons behind the axing.
4th-Gen Honda City, Jazz, and WR-V: Do Not Meet New Emission Norms
The biggest reason for the discontinuation of the 4th-Gen Honda City, Jazz, and WR-V is that they do not comply with the new BS6 Phase 2 Emission Norms. Updating them would have meant more investment on behalf of the automaker on these old models which is why they chose against it. Another reason for this step was that the three models have been slow sellers over the last year or so due to the change in customer demand owing to the introduction of new models.
Read Also: Next-Gen Honda Amaze Expected to Launch in 2024
4th-Gen Honda City, Jazz, and WR-V: A Generation Behind
Honda launched the 4th-Gen City back in 2015 and was on sale for over 8 years. Even though the brand introduced the new 5th-gen model, the older sedan was sold alongside it at a lower price tag. The 4th-Gen City was offered with both petrol and diesel options, but the latter was discontinued in 2020 after the new model’s launch.
The 2nd-Generation of the Honda Jazz was introduced in India back in 2015. It was among the biggest premium hatchbacks in the market and had some innovative features to maximize interior space. Like the City, it too was offered with petrol and diesel options but the latter was axed in 2020. Honda currently sells the 3rd-Generation Jazz in global markets but did not bring the model to India.
Launched in 2017, the WR-V was the first sub-compact SUV from the Japanese automaker. Sales were strong at first but had declined drastically over the years as new competition arrived with more features and powertrain options. It last received an update in 2020 with a mild facelift. Honda had unveiled the All-New WR-V in Thailand last year but it is unlikely to be introduced in our country.
Honda Cars India: New Compact SUV Launching Soon
The automaker has already confirmed that it will be launching an all-new compact SUV in India by mid-2023. It will be priced around Rs 11 lakh (ex-showroom) and will rival the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, VW Taigun, and the Maruti Grand Vitara. Reports also suggest that the brand is planning to launch at least one new car every year up to 2028.
Read Also: Honda Mid-Size SUV Debut in June 2023
