Honda shelves plan to launch 2012 Civic in India

                                                                  

All-new Civic won’t make it to our shores, due to lack of diesel option and high production costs. 
There is no doubt that Honda has been facing a tough time, ever since early 2011. The Japanese brand, which was country’s number one premium carmaker for more than a decade has endured more than its share of problems, ranging from Tsunami in Japan to floods in Thailand to shortage of components and parts and more recently, the rising cost of petrol and the subsequent rise in demand for diesel cars in the Indian market.

The company’s highly potent Brio and Jazz hatchbacks failed to keep up to company’s expectations due to the lack of a diesel engine. The Honda Civic too, which has been the company’s top-selling sedan has seen better days in the past. However, while the diesel versions of the Jazz and the Brio are definitely coming to Indian market by the end of 2012 or early 2013, the situation of the Civic sedan is likely to remain bleak in the coming months, especially with Honda’s decision to can its plan of launching the new 2012 Honda Civic in the Indian market.

The ninth-generation Civic, which is currently available in the U.S.A, Thailand, Australia and other countries will not be introduced here because it’s proving to be too expensive for the company. Also, what’s not in favor of the decision to replace the ailing sedan is the fact that it does not come with a diesel engine. Honda sold just 2,296 units of the Civic last year. Toyota meanwhile sold nearly 9,000 units of the Corolla Altis (helping matters, of course is the availability of diesel version.)

Honda though, in a bid to revive its glory days, which is an obvious eventuality is extensively working on bringing its new series of highly efficient engines into the Indian market under the new ‘Earth Dreams Technology’ banner that was first announced at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. The company also plans to launch the Brio diesel soon, which is currently doing its pre-determined test rounds across the country. Along with the Brio, the diesel version of the Jazz hatcback and the Honda City sedan is also expected to hit the market. But as of now, India will have to let go of the anticipation of the 2012 Honda Civic sedan.