Honda Brio scooped testing!

Honda Brio Hatchback Spyshot

Later this year, during the Indian festive season of Dusshera and Diwali, Honda is expected to launch what could potentially change the car makers fortunes in India, the Honda Brio Hatchback. While Honda Brio Hatchback sightings have been few and far in between, here’s another one that was snapped up by Car’n'Bike Show Fan Rohit Anand, doing the testing rounds somewhere in Noida.

The car will be Honda’s second salvo in India’s most competitive and crowded Indian car segment, the Indian hatchback car space. While the Honda Jazz was a great product that failed miserably due to its high price, Honda is expected to make big amends when it comes to the Honda Brio’s pricing. To do just that, Honda has embarked on a localization effort, which has now brought local content in the Brio Hatchback to a whopping 90%.

Honda Brio Hatchback Spyshot

What this essentially means is that Honda can now price the Brio very competitively, to ensure that the budget B segment hatchback has a a fighting chance to become a sales success in India. The Honda Brio Hatchback will feature a 1,200cc petrol engine with variable valve technology, producing around 90 Bhp. While this engine requires some revs to get things really going in the Jazz, the Brio’s low weight of under 1000 kilos is expected to endow it with both sprightly performance and stellar fuel economy.

A diesel engine option is expected to make its way to the Brio sometime after 2013. The Honda badge on the bonnet still enjoys tremendous brand recall in India and if Honda manages to price the Brio competitively, which we think it will now that the Honda City’s prices have been realigned and so will the facelifted Honda Jazz’s prices follow suit, the Brio Hatchback could become the biggest volumes puller for Honda, outdoing the All New Honda City.