Honda’s Brio-based SUV to share powertrains with the Mobilio

Honda’s Brio platform has two products in India in the form of the Brio hatchback and the Amaze sedan. While it is known that the Mobilio would make it to showrooms later this year, Honda might follow its launch with an SUV based on the same platform next year. First there was news that Honda’s Vezel will not be making it to India owing to high production costs. This was immediately followed by rumours about the Brio-based SUV making it to our shores.Now; there is news from Indonesia about the Brio-based SUV.

A local Indonesian website iotomotiff spoke to Jonfis Fandy, the director of marketing and after sales, Honda Prospect Motor, and he mentioned that the launch might happen as it is suitable and reliable.

However, Jonfis did not confirm about  the production commencing in Indonesia, he added, “There has been no discussion on it this time, but the company is ready with the ‘capacity and production capability’.” Honda will also begin producing the Mobilio in a new plant in Java, Indonesia. This plant will hike the production capacity of the company by 2,00,000 units annually.

A Honda official confirmed at the Tokyo Motor Show last year that the seven-seater MPV and SUV were the segments in which they planned products for India by 2015. The website iotomotiff suggests that the same petrol engine will be used in the Brio-based SUV as well. The Mobilio will use the 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine and the 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel mill in India, so expect these engines to feature in the Brio-based SUV as well.

Source: Indian Autos Blog via iotomotiff

Images courtesy: Mobilxmotor and Infotransyogi