Is Honda Going to Launch a Locally-Assembled Vezel in Pakistan?

Despite rising prices, the popularity of crossover SUVs in the domestic market continues to skyrocket. Honda Atlas Cars Limited (HACL) wants a slice of that market and is seriously considering launching a locally-assembled H-RV, also known as Vezel in Japan.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a senior official at HACL said that the company has been testing a petrol variant of Vezel in the country to assess its feasibility.

Images of a camouflaged Vezel on Pakistani roads went viral on social media platforms earlier this month, sparking a debate that HACL is finally set to enter the subcompact crossover SUV segment in the country.

The petrol variant of Vezel has a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. The subcompact crossover SUV is equipped with Honda Sensing equipment which has a number of features including blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera, lane keep assist, autonomous braking, traffic sign reading, and lane departure warning.

Locally-assembled Vezel is likely to be launched in late 2022 or early 2023 in Pakistan. It will rival Kia Stonic, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, Peugeot 2008, and MG ZS.

Coming to the most important part, pricing, Honda HR-V starts at $21,800 (Rs. 4,526,000) in the US. If international pricing is anything to go by, we might see the Honda Vezel cost between Rs. 5 – 6 million in Pakistan, rivaling Peugeot 2008.