Honda to add safety features but no new Brio in 2016

Honda will add safety features to their entry level cars, the Brio and the Amaze. While not giving us exact details, Raman Kumar Sharma, vice president Honda Cars India, said the updates will be added with the beginning of the new product life-cycle of the individual cars – Honda Brio, Honda Amaze, Honda Jazz and Honda Mobilio.

The competition has already gone ahead on the safety front with Maruti and Hyundai offering ABS and airbags across the trims. Ford, though, has been the first one to make the safety features standard. We expect Honda to offer the safety add-ons for the Amaze, the Brio and also the Jazz.

Coming to the Brio hatchback, it was launched in India back in 2011. Honda tends to update their cars every three-four years. But, it has been five years since the Brio's launch without any major upgrades. Honda says, the Brio sales are going as per their expectations with little or almost no apparent intention to get the Brio up to date.

When asked about the Civic, Mr. Sharma said that Honda is continuously studying the market and will get new products at the right time. In case of the Accord, we had expected Honda to bring in the hybrid to compete with the Toyota Camry. But unlike Toyota, who builds the Camry as CKD, Honda plans to get the Accord Hybrid as CBU. Like the Civic Hybrid that costs over Rs 20 lakh, the Honda Accord Hybrid may turn out to be way too expensive to sell in spite of the government sops for hybrid cars.

Honda has increased its car manufacturing capacity from the two plants in India to 3,00,000 units per annum and currently sells the Honda Brio, Amaze, Jazz, Mobilio, City and the CR-V in India. Honda has also unveiled the Mobilio based BR-V along with the Honda Accord at the Auto Expo 2016, which will be added to their product portfolio by the end of this year.

To know more about Honda Cars, at Solitaire Honda Showroom in Mumbai.

Contact Us :

Telephone : | Boriwali  : (+91) 22 6738 5555 | Andheri : (+91) 22 6151 6151 | Vashi : (+91) 0250 6904444 |
Email : info@solitairehonda.com

Honda BR-V makes its first appearance in India at Auto Expo 2016

Honda Cars India Ltd. (HCIL), leading manufacturer of premium cars in India today unveiled its new model Honda BR-V at the Auto Expo 2016 in presence of Mr Takahiro Hachigo, President, CEO & Representative Officer, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Honda BR-V is a new generation Crossover Utility Vehicle which features the combination of bold, sporty appearance and handling of an SUV together with great utility and spacious cabin with 7 seats for the whole family. Developed exclusively for the Asian market by Honda R&D Asia Pacific Co. Ltd, the much-awaited Honda BR-V is scheduled to be launched in India this year.

The company also showcased its flagship sedan Honda Accord at the motor show. HCIL plans to further strengthen its sedan line-up in India and re-introduce the Honda Accord later this year. Honda Accord enjoys a strong legacy in premium sedan segment in India, with the earlier generations making a strong foothold in the market. The Accord on display, now in its 9th generation, boasts itself as an exhilarating, refined and advanced sedan with sporty looks, highly fuel efficient powertrain and loaded with features.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Takahiro Hachigo, President, CEO & Representative Officer, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. said, "India is the largest contributor to the Asia & Oceania region and the 4th largest contributor for Honda's automobile sales globally making it one of the most important and fastest growing markets for us. In order to further accelerate growth in this important market, Honda is committed to continue providing challenging products, which are unique to Honda and exceed our customers' expectation. The introduction of Honda BR-V is a further testament of our commitment to the market."

Mr Katsushi Inoue, President and CEO, Honda Cars India Ltd, said, "As we celebrate 20 years of our existence in India and building an affinity with over 1 Million Indian customers, HCIL is adopting a new brand direction of "Advanced and Exciting" and our products, dealerships and communication will be guided by this new brand direction. Year 2015 has been a very successful year for HCIL as we achieved our record sales of 200,000 units in a calendar year. The launch of exciting new models Honda BR-V and Accord in 2016 will help us accelerate our growth this year and also strengthen our brand in the country."

Honda brought alive the theme of its booth "Accelerate with Honda" through exciting racing machines that pursue excellence in driving performance and premium models with advanced technology.

To cater to today's tech-savvy, always-connected consumers, Honda has demonstrated its advanced and exciting Information Platform - Honda Connect through an experiential zone. Launched in December 2015, Honda Connect has paved the way for advanced connectivity and enables new form of communication between the customer, car, his family and Honda. The Honda Connect platform also supports Connected Car features enabled by a "Connected Device" easily integrated with the car. This will make the customer's ownership experience more safe, convenient and enjoyable.

Also displayed at the HCIL pavilion, is the concept model Honda Project 2&4 powered by RC213V designed to fuse together the values of two- and four-wheel mobility. Honda Project 2&4 was the winning entry from Honda's 'Global Design Project'. Featuring the RC213V competition motorcycle engine, which has been modified to run on public roads, Honda Project 2&4 provides the freedom of a motorcycle and the manoeuvrability of a car. Featuring a Cabin-less structure with floating seat design for immersive driving experience, the concept model is a combination of global creativity and craftsmanship.

With the renewed participation in Formula 1 racing which Honda views as an "experimental laboratory on wheels" to feed back technologies to mass production models, the company also displayed the McLaren Honda MP4-30 Formula 1 racing machine at the expo. McLaren and Honda's reunion has resulted in the MP4-30 racing machine which is a bold step forward in terms of packaging, concept and design philosophy. Honda's RA615H power unit sits beneath tightly packaged bodywork designed to improve aerodynamic performance.

Another model on display - Honda Jazz Racing Concept is a study model which has been prepared by the R&D team in India - HGID and aims to bring the racing DNA of Honda closer to the general public.

One of the most fascinating and attractive feature of the Honda Pavilion is the Honda ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility). The world's most advanced humanoid robot which represents cutting-edge agility and intelligence capabilities is remarkable autonomous machine for practical use in an environment where it coexists with people.

Honda has continuously challenged to create technologies and make products that bring joy to the customers around the world. The display of Honda Goldwing at the HCIL booth demonstrates the capabilities of Honda as a distinct player in mobility business which has product offering in Motorcycles, Automobiles and Aircrafts. Honda Goldwing Bike is considered as the world's best touring motorcycle offering the riders a unique luxurious, powerful, balanced and fully featured machine ready for every journey.

HCIL also displayed their current production models including the premium SUV Honda CR-V, premium hatchback Honda Jazz, premium sedan Honda City, the very successful entry sedan Honda Amaze, stylish mid-size MPV Honda Mobilio and hatchback Honda Brio.

• Announcement of HCIL's new brand direction "Advanced & Exciting"
• BR-V and Accord to be launched in India during FY 2016-17

To know more about Honda Cars, at Solitaire Honda Showroom in Mumbai.

Contact Us :

Telephone : | Boriwali  : (+91) 22 6738 5555 | Andheri : (+91) 22 6151 6151 | Vashi : (+91) 0250 6904444 |
Email : info@solitairehonda.com

Guide to Replace Brake Oil

Brake oil is used by hydraulic braking systems of automobiles. Read to know the characteristics of brake oil and when to replace it.

Automobile braking systems work on hydraulics and a lubricating fluid called brake oil is necessary for them to function. Brake oil over the years has evolved greatly to ensure better operation and reliability of the system. The different types of brake oils according to their application include grades like DOT 3, DOT 4, DOT 5 and DOT 5.1. These types of brake oil listed correspond to their boiling points as they work in very high temperature and pressure environments. DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake oils are most commonly used in both India and internationally.

The boiling point of brake oil needs to be high to avoid vapourisation, as vapour is compressible and will hamper the effectiveness of a hydraulic system. Vapour in the hydraulic system will also result in pressure differences which in the case of brake oil can cause problems like juddering. This can also cause uneven pressure differences in the brake system and can lead in rupturing of the brake lines. Over time, due to moisture content in the atmosphere brake oil absorbs moisture. The boiling point of brake oil after absorbing moisture is known as its wet boiling point.

DOT 3, DOT 4 and DOT 5.1 are able to absorb water to an extent (hygroscopic) under normal humidity levels. DOT 5 is silicon based and cannot absorb water (non-hygroscopic). DOT 5 brake oil is not compatible with anti-lock braking systems. Silicone brake oil, which contains additives that prevent the oil from becoming sludgy under low temperatures, is used in very cold climates.

Most modern cars, if not all, come with brake fluid reservoirs that allow one to see through so you can check on the level of brake fluid without physically opening the cap. Usually, the reservoir is located on the engine firewall or towards the back of the engine bay towards the driver’s side. The reservoir is also higher up in the engine bay so that it is easily accessible. Once you locate the reservoir, it is easy to identify certain markings on it to know if you need to fill more brake fluid or if it is at an acceptable level. As the container is in the engine bay and is often exposed to elements like grime, heat and oil, one might need to clean off a little grime on it to ensure correct levels.

Brake oil must be changed every two years as the oil gets saturated with moisture. The moisture content can also corrode seals and metal inside the braking system. Old brake oil is flushed out completely and replaced with new oil. Always remember to bleed the brake system of all air bubbles before using the car. Forgetting to bleed the brake system can lead to catastrophic brake failure and can result in an accident.

Ensure an adequate level of brake oil is refilled according to the marking on the container located in the engine bay. If the level drops, top up with the grade of brake oil recommended by the car manufacturer. Always remember to thoroughly clean the rim of the container and the cap before putting it back on to ensure no stray particles enter the reservoir. Do not use brake oil from an opened bottle as it will have absorbed moisture from the atmosphere. Wash off any brake oil residue that might have spilled in the engine bay while refilling as it can corrode the paint.

To know more about Honda Cars, at Solitaire Honda Showroom in Mumbai.

Contact Us :

Telephone : | Boriwali  : (+91) 22 6738 5555 | Andheri : (+91) 22 6151 6151 | Vashi : (+91) 0250 6904444 |
Email : info@solitairehonda.com

Tips to increase the mileage of your Car!

Do what you don’t do…’ - With the prices of petrol rising up, everyone is ignoring the petrol cars for economic efficiency and is opting for diesel. In the days ever rising fuel prices, the fuel bills are digging deep into the pockets of a common man. But the fact more often than not, it is how you drive, rather than which car you drive, which determines how much mileage you get from car. So Solitaire Honda is here to share some practices by giving some car maintenance tips which can get you more miles out of your fuel with experiencing the best economical efficiency by increasing the fuel average or fuel mileage of your Car.

Observe your fuel Economy

Observing your car’s fuel economy might be boring, but it is just a matter of time. For over multiple tanks of fuel measuring fuel economy helps you to see if making changes to your driving has a considerable effect on your fuel gas mileage. Don’t just drag your car while in a rush as it affects the car economical performance badly. This tip is required for maintaining your Car.

Don’t drag your Car

Once you get to about 30 mph (48 km/h) a car uses more power to overcome wind resistance than it does fighting rolling resistance. So you want your car to be as aerodynamic as possible for highway driving with economical performance. Having your sunroof open or windows down can increase drag a little at higher speeds. Leaving a roof box or bike rack on will have a larger effect, but estimates vary widely on this from a 1% to a 15% reduction in fuel economy.

Have a watch on your Top speed

According to the researchers, Gas mileage normally peaks at a speed of 40-55 mph (64-89 km/h) while using your cars top gear. It varies significantly between cars based on the gearing, engine, weight and drag, but after 60 mph it generally declines quite significantly. In general sense, from 50 to 60 mph fuel economy drops by 12%, from 50 to 70 mph it drops by 25%, and from 50 to 80 mph it falls by 36% gives economical performance respectively.

Don’t accelerate too fast

Quick acceleration consumes too much which results in bad economical ratio, so it is advised to accelerate slowly and gradually as it will save quite a significant amount of fuel in city driving.

Avoid using clutch too much

If you use a manual transmission car, as is mostly used by people in India, do-not drive with clutch pressed, or use clutch only when needed, too much use of clutch will waste a lot of fuel.

Service your Car Regularly

Get your car for servicing in regular intervals or get your car serviced according to manufacturer’s recommendation at least as it is very significant. This will ensure good health of engine, and also reduce your maintenance cost.

Maintain Constancy

Irrespective of driving in city or highway, try to maintain a constant speed while driving that will help the engine put less effort to accelerate or decelerate unnecessarily. This will help reduce fuel consumption and maintain your Car.

Put the feet off the accelerator

If you have to stop your car after next 100 or 200 meters due to a red signal, keep your feet off the accelerator and car will slow down on engine’s resistance, saving on fuel as well as the brake shoes, apply brakes only when about to stop. This is a great help to save that extra drop of fuel and for car maintenance.

Re-fuel your car when tank is close to half

For car maintenance, it will help reduce the vapors formation in tank, which moves out as you open the lid to re-fuel, thus saving some amount of fuel in the tank.
If you follow the above mentioned Car maintenance tips then you there is no doubt of your car achieving the fuel efficiency up to 15-25% If you currently drive quite aggressively, or at high speeds, even greater gains might be possible. This can be also beneficial for carbon footprint and your wallet.

To know more about Honda Cars, at Solitaire Honda Showroom in Mumbai.

Contact Us :

Telephone : | Boriwali  : (+91) 22 6738 5555 | Andheri : (+91) 22 6151 6151 | Vashi : (+91) 0250 6904444 |
Email : info@solitairehonda.com

Honda Cars India introduces new grade in Honda City with Premium & Luxurious Black Interiors

Dual SRS Airbags as standard equipment in City

Honda Cars India Limited (HCIL), leading manufacturer of premium cars in India, today introduced a new VX(O) BL grade of Honda City with all-new Premium and Luxurious Black Leather Interiors. The new grade is positioned alongside existing VX(O) grade available in Beige Leather Interiors and is offered in Manual Transmission in both petrol & diesel in Premium White Orchid Pearl and Alabaster Silver colours in the line-up. The 4th Generation Honda City has appealed to a large number of young buyers and the introduction of VX(O)BL is in response to the younger customer's voice. The grade also comes with Sunroof and Advanced Integrated Touchscreen Audio Visual Navigation (AVN).

Dual SRS Airbags has been made as standard equipment for all grades in Honda City in addition to standard ABS & EBD. The company has also introduced Rear ISOFIX & Top Tether Anchor for Child Seats as standard equipment in the City. The newly introduced Rear ISOFIX feature in the Honda City is an international standardised system, which provides a safer, easier and quicker way to install a compatible child car seat correctly. Along with ABS & EBD already offered as standard equipment, the City now ensures maximum safety as standard equipment to customers in its segment.

Announcing the newly enriched City line up, Mr. Jnaneswar Sen, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India Ltd said, "Our endeavour has always been to offer best-in-class products to our customers & we are happy to offer Premium & Luxurious Black Leather Interiors in the City. We are thankful to our customers for their tremendous response which has made the 4th Generation Honda City a huge success in India. We hope the mix of premium, luxury and safety enrichment to the City line-up will also be appreciated by our customers," he further added.

Honda City is one of the most successful car brands in India with very high brand equity. First introduced in India in January 1998, Honda City has brought joy to almost 6 lakh customers across the country. Since its launch in January 2014, the 4th generation Honda City has sold more than 1.6 lakhs units across the country in just 2 years since its launch. 

To know more about Honda Cars, at Solitaire Honda Showroom in Mumbai.

Contact Us :

Telephone : | Boriwali  : (+91) 22 6738 5555 | Andheri : (+91) 22 6151 6151 | Vashi : (+91) 0250 6904444 |
Email : info@solitairehonda.com

Honda Accord to Return to India With Hybrid

The Honda Accord was once the darling of the Indian sedan market. Not only the bestseller in its class, but also a benchmark sedan for many buyers - from the driving enthusiasts to those driven by a chauffeur. But since 2013 we have not seen this nameplate in India.

The full-size sedan segment has been drying up these past few years, with buyers opting for entry premium brand offerings or SUVs. The full-sizers were also getting more and more expensive over time which was also a turn-off for buyers. (Gone are the days when the Skoda Superb or Accord started at Rs 17-18 lakh).

But now as the Toyota Camry, especially its hybrid version, has started to gain ground, and Volkswagen and Skoda prepare their new generation cars for India - namely the Passat and Superb, respectively. Toyota has sold over 700 units of the Camry hybrid in India since its launch 8 months ago, and this is why the new Accord will come to us with the hybrid option from the very start.

Now when I say 'new' Accord, it's a bit relative, since the 9th generation car debuted globally almost 3 years ago. The facelift of that model has recently been unveiled too, and it is that car which will make its way to India. As has been tradition with the Accord in the past, we expect the US-specification Accord to touchdown in India.

The Accord will break cover at the Auto Expo in February, though a market launch and price announcement may only happen by April 2016. Honda will focus more on the hybrid model as hybrids have now started to gain some ground here.

The car is powered by a 2-litre, 16-valve i-VTEC petrol engine that's mated to the electric motor which derives power from the on-board lithium-ion battery. The petrol unit churns out 141bhp, but the system's combined output is a 196bhp with a generous 306Nm of torque. The transmission is an electronic CVT, which is designed to handle all that torque.

The facelift has given the face of the Accord a futuristic and athletic appearance, but the thick metal grille with the enhanced LED headlights is not carried over to the Hybrid version - at least in the US. So, we will have to wait and see what Honda decides to do with the Indian model next year. The Accord is expected to drive in with plenty of goodies like Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

I expect Honda to price the Accord competitively and possibly undercut Toyota with a Rs 29.99 lakh price tag. Traditionally though, Honda is loath to go below Toyota's pricing, and so it's safe to assume the Accord will return in fully-loaded variants at a price band that sits between Rs 28-32 lakh for the 189bhp, 2.4-litre petrol CVT and the aforementioned hybrid versions. I think the added sense of style on the car (as compared to the Camry in particular) and the affinity the name Accord carries in India will hold it in good stead.

Honda will assess the reaction to the car before deciding on whether or not it will also subsequently bring the 278bhp, 3.5-litre V6 variant to India as well.

To know more about Honda Cars Services, at Solitaire Honda Showroom in Mumbai.

Contact Us :

Telephone : | Boriwali  : (+91) 22 6738 5555 | Andheri : (+91) 22 6151 6151 | Vashi : (+91) 0250 6904444 |
Email : info@solitairehonda.com

Honda Cars India introduces new grade in Honda City with Premium & Luxurious Black Interiors

Honda Cars India Limited (HCIL), leading manufacturer of premium cars in India, today introduced a new VX(O) BL grade of Honda City with all-new Premium and Luxurious Black Leather Interiors.

The new grade is positioned alongside existing VX(O) grade available in Beige Leather Interiors and is offered in Manual Transmission in both petrol & diesel in Premium White Orchid Pearl and Alabaster Silver colours in the line-up. The 4th Generation Honda City has appealed to a large number of young buyers and the introduction of VX(O)BL is in response to the younger customer's voice. The grade also comes with Sunroof and Advanced Integrated Touchscreen Audio Visual Navigation (AVN).

Dual SRS Airbags has been made as standard equipment for all grades in Honda City in addition to standard ABS & EBD. The company has also introduced Rear ISOFIX & Top Tether Anchor for Child Seats as standard equipment in the City. The newly introduced Rear ISOFIX feature in the Honda City is an international standardised system, which provides a safer, easier and quicker way to install a compatible child car seat correctly. Along with ABS & EBD already offered as standard equipment, the City now ensures maximum safety as standard equipment to customers in its segment.

Announcing the newly enriched City line up, Mr. Jnaneswar Sen, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India Ltd said, "Our endeavour has always been to offer best-in-class products to our customers & we are happy to offer Premium & Luxurious Black Leather Interiors in the City. We are thankful to our customers for their tremendous response which has made the 4th Generation Honda City a huge success in India. We hope the mix of premium, luxury and safety enrichment to the City line-up will also be appreciated by our customers," he further added.

Honda City is one of the most successful car brands in India with very high brand equity. First introduced in India in January 1998, Honda City has brought joy to almost 6 lakh customers across the country. Since its launch in January 2014, the 4th generation Honda City has sold more than 1.6 lakhs units across the country in just 2 years since its launch.

To know more about Honda Cars Services, at Solitaire Honda Showroom in Mumbai.

Contact Us :

Telephone : | Boriwali  : (+91) 22 6738 5555 | Andheri : (+91) 22 6151 6151 | Vashi : (+91) 0250 6904444 |
Email : info@solitairehonda.com