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87accordlxi
01-01-2014, 03:05 AM
<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/economy/" rel="tag">Budget</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/crossovers-cuvs/" rel="tag">Crossover</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/honda/" rel="tag">Honda</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/india/" rel="tag">India</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2014-honda-vizil-tokyo-2013/#photo-1579384"><img alt="Honda Vezel" data-credit="Copyright 2013 Noah Joseph / AOL" data-mep="71862" src="http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/storage/adam/15762fba3c00a0c3556108d82928ec44/honda-vezel1a.jpg" /></a><br />
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The new <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/honda+vezel/">Honda Vezel</a> was designed as a global product. Unveiled at the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tokyo-motor-show/">Tokyo Motor Show</a> in November, the compact crossover is already going on sale in Japan, will soon reach Europe and will eventually hit the North American market as well - albeit with a different name and engine lineup. But it won't be sold everywhere.<br />
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According to <em>Autocar India</em>, the Vezel was originally earmarked to reach the emerging market on the subcontinent, but the declining value of the rupee has apparently forced <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/honda/">Honda</a> to rethink its strategy. Instead, the Japanese automaker is now expected to develop a second compact crossover - one more cost-effective to produce locally - for sale in India and other, nearby developing markets.<br />
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The new model would be based on the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/30/honda-reveals-new-brio-city-car-prototype-in-thailand-w-video/">Brio</a>, a hatchback that's smaller than the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/honda/fit/">Fit</a> (on which the Vezel is based) and built in India, Thailand and Indonesia. Honda has already enlarged the Brio's platform to create the Amaze sedan and <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/09/19/honda-mobilio-mpv-brio-satya-hatchback-revealed-for-asia/">Mobilio</a> minivan. Building a crossover on the same platform would reportedly require some re-engineering - particularly around the wheel wells - but would apparently still be more cost-effective than importing the Vezel.<br />
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The resulting vehicle would compete with the likes of the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/ford+ecosport/">Ford EcoSport</a> and <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/duster/">Renault Duster</a>. If Honda keeps its length under the four-meter (13-foot) mark, it could benefit from tax benefits that could make it that much more competitive when it reaches the Indian market around 2016.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/12/31/honda-vezel-brio-crossover-india-report/">Honda planning a second Vezel for developing markets</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Tue, 31 Dec 2013 08:59:00 EST. Please see our <a href="/rss-term-of-use/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/12/31/honda-vezel-brio-crossover-india-report/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20796834/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/12/31/honda-vezel-brio-crossover-india-report/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>

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