Honda launches multi-utility vehicle Mobilio

Honda Cars India Wednesday launched a newly developed seven-seater multi-utility vehicle (MPV), Mobilio, priced between Rs.6.49 lakh and Rs.9.76 lakh (ex-Showroom Delhi).

The new MPV is available in three grades offered in petrol and diesel variants with manual transmission.

The petrol powered one is priced at Rs.6.49-8.76 lakh, while the diesel version is in the range of Rs.7.89 lakh and Rs.9.76 lakh (ex-Showroom Delhi).

"We are confident that Honda Mobilio will meet the needs as well as aspirations of our customers and help us expand the pride and joy of buying a Honda to a new set of customers," said Hironori Kanayama, president and chief executive, Honda Cars India.

"The launch of Mobilio follows the success of Honda Amaze and all-new City which led to our growth of 83 percent in the previous financial year," he said.

The company said that the new vehicle's diesel version is powered by a newly developed 1.5 litre i-DTEC engine which provides a fuel economy of 24.2 km per litre. The engine has been mated to a five-speed manual transmission.

The petrol version uses a 1.5 litre i-VTEC engine that delivers 17.3 km per litre with five-speed manual transmission.

The vehicle was launched in Indonesia in January where it has sold 46,000 units till date, capturing 23 percent market share in the MPV segment.

The company is hopeful of a healthy response in India. The vehicle has already received 6,000 bookings which began on July 8. The deliveries for the vehicle's RS model would begin from September 2014.

The vehicle is up against Suzuki's Ertiga and even Toyota's Innova.

The company has been selling MPVs models like Odyssey, Step-wagon, Elysion and Freed in the global market with cumulative sales of over 5.5 million MPV units in the last 20 years.

The Mobilio has been developed at the company's research and development (R&D) centre located in Bangkok and is being manufactured at the Greater Noida plant.