Honda Jazz Opens Doors for Superhatches

Honda Jazz has finally launched and has put to rest the speculation on its pricing. Jazz is offered with a price tag of Rs 7 lakh, the same as the price quoted when Honda Motors announced that a small car for India was on the anvil.

Honda Jazz is set to redefine the small cars segment in India. It is the first of the super hatchbacks to be launched in India this year. Honda Jazz, is marketed in 130 countries across the world and has arrived in India eight year after it was first launched in Japan. Honda has sold more than 25 lakh units of the cars on the globe.

When Honda decided to bring the car to India, it made sure that car has a new engine that delivered higher fuel economy and better performance. They called it the "Made for India Engine". What is significant about Honda Jazz is that it is venturing into a segment that has strongly support cars with value. Earlier, when Skoda launched their small car Fabia with a price of Rs 7 lakh onwards it received a limited response. Now Honda brings in Jazz with the same price tag. It was called the superhatch due to its pricing which is second most expensive after the costliest Fiat 500.

After Honda Jazz, four other super hatchbacks - Volkswagen Polo, Hyundai i30 and Renault Sandero are set to roll into the country. Fiat Grande Punto will hit the stands next week. All these cars are priced between Rs 6 to Rs 8 lakh bracket, these are larger, more spacious and offer typical hatchback comfort. However, these super hatches are promise multi-airbags, anti-lock brake system, climate controls, high quality audio system and sunroof options. These features were only seen on luxury cars like the Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Corolla Altis and Skoda Octavia.

The car manufacturers are looking to aggressively market their products by showcasing their features and technology. Honda has given Jazz a 1.2litre i-VTEC engine which will be widely publicized in India. Volkswagen too has given the Indian bound Polo a 1.2 litre petrol powertrain and a 1.6 litre diesel engine to make it appealing to a wider section of society. Volkswagen promises more fun and more style with the Polo.

The car manufacturers are expecting small car owners upgrade to premium hatchbacks segment. Most of these are expected to be owners of Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai small car owners. They are also targeting people who would mind the cost of its ownership.

In the last fiscal year only 10,000 units of the premium hatchbacks including Skoda Fabia, Ford Fusion and Chevrolet SR-V were sold. The new superhatch launches are expected to push the sales to 40,000 to 50,000 units annually. A large portion of these sales will be Honda Jazz.

Honda has a reputation for comfort and performance through its sedans. This is likely to play a key role in the sale of Jazz.

Carazoo.com