Marks entry of Honda in the MPV segment in India
Honda Cars India Ltd. (HCIL), leading manufacturer of premium cars in the country, today announced its entry into the MPV segment with the launch of its mid-size stylish 7-seater, Honda Mobilio. The car marks an evolution in the MPV segment by offering a unique combination of Sporty Exterior styling along with Space, Comfort and Utility in just the right size to suit the needs of Indian families. The Mobilio, with its strong desirable values, is set to expand the MPV segment and will appeal to diverse customer profiles from many vehicle segments. Honda Mobilio has been developed at Honda R&D Asia Pacific Co., Ltd. located in Bangkok, Thailand following extensive market surveys in India on people’s driving needs and lifestyles. The Mobilio’s outstanding performance is achieved by 1.5L i-DTEC diesel and 1.5L i-VTEC petrol engines renowned for their best balance of exhilarating power and best in class mileage.
In order to appeal to younger audience who look for distinct styling along with comfort of a spacious MPV, the Mobilio will also be available in an exclusive sporty RS variant which has bolder and sportier exterior design than base grade. The deliveries for the Mobilio RS would begin from September 2014.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Yoshiyuki Matsumoto, Managing Officer, Honda Motor Company and Representative of Development, Purchasing and Production in Asia and Oceania region said “Honda has vast experience in offering a variety of premium MPVs to customers globally. Drawing from this varied experience, Honda engineers have used the same technological know-how and design philosophy to develop the Mobilio. India remains one of our key strategic markets in the region and I am confident that Mobilio will contribute significantly to HCIL growth in India.”
Focusing on the importance of Honda Mobilio for HCIL’s business, Mr. Hironori Kanayama, President & CEO, Honda Cars India Ltd said, “The launch of Honda Mobilio follows the success of Honda Amaze and all-new City which led to our exceptional growth of 83% in the previous financial year. Our ultimate goal is to be the most trusted company in the country and we aim at not only creating great products but also offering an unparalleled experience to our customers. 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.”
Honda Motor Company has a rich legacy of successful MPVs over the last 20 years with models like Odyssey, Step-wagon, Elysion and Freed in the global market with cumulative sales of over 5.5 million units till 2013. The Honda Mobilio, developed as a ‘stylish and highly competitive package’is based on Honda’s DNA of sporty and exceptional value at an affordable price, with the highest quality and outstanding safety.
The 1.5L i-DTEC diesel engine of the Mobilio, based on Honda’s latest Earth Dreams Technology, delivers a maximum power of 100 ps@3600 rpm, maximum torque of 200 Nm@1750 rpm andbest in class fuel economy of 24.2 kmpl as per test data. It has been mated to the standard 5-speed manual transmission. The 1.5 L i-VTEC petrol engine delivers a maximum power of 119 ps@6600 rpm, maximum torque of 145 Nm@4600 rpm and best in class fuel economy of 17.3 kmpl. The Petrol Mobilio is equipped with standard 5-speed manual transmission. The grand concept of the Honda Mobilio is “Progressive Private Jetliner” with core elements of Show-off, Comfort and Assurance.
The exterior design concept of the Mobilio is “Dual-Solid Motion” creating the fusion of a dynamic body and glassy cabin. It incorporates a sporty stance which is expressed by the front grille, sharp spoiler and character line on the side. With its front and rear connected by a character line and the highlight of a lightning-bolt belt line that drops down from the middle pillar and improves visibility from the second and third row of seats, the Mobilio distinctively stands out in the MPV segment. The third-row window glass extends to cover the upper body and connecting to the tailgate glass, which contributes to the large, glassy-cabin feeling. The Mobilio’s R15 10 spoke alloy wheels feature a deeply sculpted surface that emphasizes toughness and sportiness with wing-shaped spokes which reflects a dynamic look.
Incorporating a bolder and sportier exterior design than base grade, the Mobilio RS comes with a dynamic front and rear bumper, Projector headlamps with LED position lamps, attractive & exclusive Alloy Wheel design, Sporty Chrome grille, Stylish Tailgate spoiler, side sill garnish, retractable ORVM with turn indicators and Chrome exterior door handles.
The Mobilio’s interior embraces a “prime comfort” theme ensured by wide seats, spacious leg room and a large trunk space. Maintaining the Honda design philosophy of “Man Maximum, Machine Minimum”, the sense of quality is reflected in every element of the interior design to provide the ultimate in space and comfort. The roomy cabin is like sitting in a private jet plane, reflected in the color scheme, silky-touch seat fabric, convenient storage and the largest possible space for enhanced passenger satisfaction. The Mobilio’s two-tone color scheme is in fresh rich beige, which is coordinated with an elegant black with silver trim for the arm rests, instrument panel and central console. The cockpit features concentrated high-functionality controls with luxurious silver trim to enhance driver satisfaction. Triple analog 3-dimensional combimeter and a wealth of other controls are at the driver’s fingertips, enhancing the convenience and pleasure of driving.
The concept of the Mobilio package is to offer a convenient and comfortable cabin room like a sedan. At 4386 mm long, 1683 mm wide & 1603 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2652 mm andmimimum turning radius of only 5.2m*, the Mobilio is highly maneuverable and convenient for city driving. Customers can be confident in the Mobilio’s best in class 189-mm ground clearance even when facing bad roads and stormy weather. (*For Petrol Variants)
For the Utility seeking customer, Mobilio provides one class above versatility. The 2nd Row seat is a 60:40 split fold-and-tumble type with slide & recline option so that customer can adjust the space as per his requirement. To provide comfort to all family members when they are together in the Mobilio, Honda has put considerable effort into using engineering design technology to ensure the third row of seats has sufficient legroom without a cramped feeling. The 3rd row seat is a 50:50 spilt folding type which can be reclined for extra comfort. Once fold flat, it can be quickly and conveniently tumbled forward to maximize the cargo space. Entry and exit for the third row is very convenient due to the newly-designed door line and the one-motion fold-down function of the second-row seat. The raised roof lining provides generous headroom for second-row and third-row passengers while creating enough space to include a rear air-conditioner panel.
The interiors have been made keeping the focus on proving Comfort, Convenience and Capacity. The door pockets have ample space to hold bottle holders and other utility items. Long armrests have been provided for comfort position and sufficient capacity to accommodate different luggage items. The angle and height of the Mobilio’s cargo area is optimized for user convenience while loading and unloading. The base cargo area for Mobilio is a generous 223 L which can be enhanced to 521L in the 3rd row fold configuration.
The Mobilio provides comfortable mobility in a wide variety of driving situations, from careful maneuvering in city traffic to relaxed cruising on highways. The car features a McPherson strut suspension in the front and H-shaped torsion beam rear suspension for stable road handling, excellent road holding ability and comfortable ride. The Electric Power Steering delivers easy steering at low speeds and stable steering at higher speeds for a natural, stress-free steering feel.
The Honda Mobilio’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body enhances self-protection while mitigating damage to other vehicles in the event of a collision. The high-performance body makes extensive use of high tensile steel in key areas of the frame to enhance safety and collision force absorption. It also increases durability of body and floor to resist the force of the tumble seats in the second and third row. The Honda Mobilio also comes loaded with active and passive safety technologies including Front Dual SRS airbags, Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) which prevents wheel lock during sudden braking, Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) which enhances braking performance, Pretentioner seat belts with load limiters and impact mitigating headrests. The ABS with EBD is being offered as standard across all Diesel variants. The front body structure of the Mobilio is equipped with Pedestrian injury mitigation technology designed to absorb impact energy.
The Mobilio is available in 3 grades offered in Petrol and Diesel variants – E, S and V with Manual Transmission. The sportier Mobilio RS grade will be available in Diesel.
Honda Mobilio will be available in seven exciting range of exterior colors – Brilliant Gold Metallic (New and exclusive), Carnelian Red Pearl, Majestic Blue Metallic, Urban Titanium Metallic, Alabaster Silver Metallic, Taffeta White and Crystal Black Pearl (exclusive to RS). It comes with a 2 years or 40,000 kms warranty as standard value for all customers. The Cost of Maintenance for the Honda Mobilio has been kept as lowest in its segment.
Honda Mobilio is being manufactured at HCIL’s facility in Greater Noida, U.P. with localisation level of more than 90%. The car has received an impressive response on pre-launch bookings which began on 8th July 2014 and the deliveries of Mobilio will begin from today through company’s vast distribution network of 179 dealers in 114 cities across the country. The deliveries for the Mobilio RS would begin from September 2014. HCIL is continuing to rapidly expand its dealer networkwhich is likely to go up to 230 facilities in 150 cities by the end of 2014-15.
