Honda Announces New Product Strategy For India, New Subcompact SUV & Mid-Size SUV Planned

Honda has announced a new product development approach for India at its global financial press conference, in a major shift in strategy for the Japanese automaker. The auto giant has announced it will move away from its traditional model development of global standard cars, and will move towards specifically developing for the Indian market. Honda has also confirmed it will be bringing a new subcompact SUV and mid-size SUV to the Indian market in the coming years.

Describing the global standard approach a bit “excessive,” Toshihiro Mibe Director, President and Representative Executive Office, Honda, said that the company was open to more local collaborations, and would utilise resources “including external resources to develop and introduce locally tailored models as quickly as possible.” The move will allow Honda to achieve an optimal balance of performance and price, the company added.

The two new SUVs are a part of the 10 new cars outlined for India by 2030. Acknowledging its lack of a wider portfolio, Mibe said the company has had “an insufficient number of competitive models in each segment,” and the help of external resources will accelerate product development.

Honda’s two new offerings are still sometime away from launch. The company, in its presentation, has confirmed that the first of the two models will arrive in 2028. That said, the two new models will be a follow-up to the automaker’s maiden electric SUV for India, which is currently under development, and is set to arrive next year. The upcoming compact electric SUV will borrow components with the Elevate. 

The announcement certainly solidifies Honda’s intent with its operations in India, as well as its willingness to expand its marketshare, which currently stands at just 2 per cent. The company has three models on sale - Amaze, City, and Elevate - and is gearing up to introduce the City facelift on May 22, 2026. It’s noteworthy to mention that Honda has identified North America, Japan, and India, as priority markets for future growth.