Honda has filed a patent for a new sub-compact SUV called the ZR-V that has great possibilities of coming to India, given the success of sub-4m SUVs here. There has however been no word from the manufacturer about this yet.
Honda Cars has filed for a patent for a new car called the ZR-V with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Now we know that Honda is working on two new SUVs for the global market, one of which is even a sub-compact SUV. Although Honda has spoken very little about this new sub-4m SUV, our guess is that this new ZR-V nameplate is indeed for the sub-compact SUV and there are great chances of it making it to India. The success of the sub-compact SUV segment in India is no secret and there’s no reason why Honda wouldn’t want to tap on potential when they would have a product for the same.
The ZR-V name was registered in Australia and could be used in regions of Asia as well. If you know your Honda cars, you’d know that Honda usually adds the R-V suffix which stands for recreational vehicle to the names of its urban crossovers. The Honda ZR-V would thus join the family of the Honda WR-V, BR-V, HR-V and the CR-V that also have the same nomenclature. Honda also has models like the UR-V and the XR-V but these are sold specifically only in China and nowhere else.
There are not much details available about the ZR-V at this moment. However, the Z in the ZR-V name hints that this model is targeted towards young buyers. On a previous occasion, Honda has used the letter Z to the signify the Generation Z and that explains the naming of model like the CR-Z from the past. There’s not much known about the platform that would be underpinning the ZR-V either. There are even reports that suggest the new sub-compact SUV could be based on the second generation Honda Brio platform. That could essentially mean that it could be a replacement for the BR-V.
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In India, Honda could also use the ZR-V to bridge the gap between the WR-V and the CR-V in the compacy’s product lineup. If it’s made on the Brio platform, it would be a cost-effective measure to produce it for ASEAN countries and Latin American countries as well, both of which are pretty cost conscious markets. There are even reports that suggest that the ZR-V could be built on the platform of the new generation Jazz to be sold in more developed market where it could be positioned below the Honda Vezel.
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If Honda ZR-V is indeed bound to India, it will compete against the likes of the Hyundai Venue, the Mahindra XUV300, the Tata Nexon, the Ford Ecosport and the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza. This segment is growing ever more crowded with new upcoming products like the Renault HBC, Kia Sonet, Nissan Magnite and even Toyota’s version of the Vitara Brezza. In the international market, the ZR-V will compete with the Toyota Raise. We are unsure about a launch timeline for this SUV but you can expect more details on it by the end of this year.
