Internally called DG3, the new SUV from Honda will be offered as a 5 seater as well as a 7 seater
Honda has been missing in action from the SUV segment in India. Be it the compact SUV, sub 4 meter SUV or the mid-sized SUV – Honda is missing from all these in-demand segments. But, that does not mean they don’t want to enter the segment.
Honda has confirmed that they are working on launching a new SUV in India. It is likely that this new SUV from Honda will be a rival to the likes of Creta, Seltos in the compact SUV space. Its 7 seat derivative could take on the likes of Hyundai Alacazar, Tata Harrier, MG Hector Plus or even the upcoming Mahindra XUV700.
Though Honda has not revealed much about the timeline when they plan to launch this new SUV, it is expected to come next year. It is very likely that the SUV Honda is planning to bring to India, is the production-spec version of N7X Concept, which was unveiled earlier this year.
Honda N7X SUV Production Spec
The Japanese auto giant will launch unveil the production-spec N7X in Indonesia on September 21, 2021. Ahead of its debut, design patents of the upcoming SUV have leaked, which reveal details about the car’s exterior design in its production-spec model.
The N7X prototype has been designed and developed by Honda R&D Asia Pacific Co., Ltd. Upfront, the SUV will flaunt an upright nose dominated by a large multi-slat chrome-laden grille similar to modern generation Honda cars such as City and Civic. The grille is flanked by sleek wraparound LED headlamps on both sides and a Honda badge slapped at its centre.
The headlamp clusters are integrated with L-shaped LED DRLs while LED positioning lights are placed below on the bumper near the fog lamp housing. The clamshell bonnet and a muscular front bumper give it a typical rugged appearance of an SUV. The front bumper houses a central air inlet of mesh pattern with brushed aluminium inserts and a faux skid plate. Thanks to the body cladding on side panels and wheel arches, the SUV looks sporty.
Another interesting highlight is a sharp character line that runs almost the entire length of the SUV. At rear, the mid-size SUV flaunts a pair of wraparound Z-shaped tail-lamps and a blackened roof-mounted spoiler. Other notable highlights include a large greenhouse, chrome lining on window sills, dual-tone door-mounted wing mirrors and multi-spoke alloy wheels.
Engine Specs & Trims
Honda N7X could be powered with a 1.5-litre petrol engine which will be paired with either a 6-speed manual or a CVT automatic gearbox. A hybrid powertrain could be added to the lineup at a later stage. The SUV would be offered in four trims- S, E, Prestige and Prestige HS. HS here stands for Honda Sensing which is the Japanese carmaker’s in-house developed ADAS (Advanced Driver Assist System).
Honda has realised the potential of seven-seat mid-size SUVs in the Indian market after the success of Tata Safari and Hyundai Alcazar recently. This segment will see another addition in the form of Mahindra XUV700 in a few weeks. Honda India has even filed trademark for the name ‘Elevate’ which is speculated to be reserved for the upcoming SUV. Production version of the N7X SUV is expected to be offered in both five- and seven-seat derivatives.
