Within a week of its launch in the Indian market, Honda’s latest offering, the Mobilio, has received 7,000 bookings. Launched on July 23, the mid-size MPV has evoked a reasonably positive response from the crowd, thanks to its practical 7-seater configuration and a highly efficient diesel engine option.
Shigeru Yamazaki, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) has been reported quoting the booking figures. Additionally, he has also revealed plans of exporting the Mobilio to South Africa in a few months from now.
Launched at a base price of Rs 6.49 lakh for the entry-level petrol variant, going all the way to Rs 10.86 lakh for the top-spec diesel variant, the Mobilio is Honda India’s first MPV offering for the Indian market. It has been designed to appeal to a younger audience looking for distinctive design along with the practicality of an MPV. The Mobilio, as a result, is a fairly stylish looking vehicle for an MPV.
Honda is offering both petrol and diesel engine options for this vehicle. The petrol unit is the 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine which delivers 119bhp of power and 145Nm of torque while the 1.5L-litre i-DTEC diesel engine is based on Honda’s latest Earth Dreams Technology and delivers 100bhp of power and 200Nm of torque. Honda claims a fuel economy of 24.2 kmpl for the diesel Mobilio, making it the most fuel efficient vehicle in its class. The same diesel unit also powers the Amaze and the City.
First launched in Indonesia in January this year, the Mobilio has proved to be a successful product for Honda, selling over 46,000 units in the local market. Here in the Indian market, the MPV competes with the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, Chevrolet Enjoy and the Nissan Evalia in the mid-size MPV segment.
Source: BusinessStandard
