Honda future looks promising

2011 has been a torrid year for Honda, globally and locally. At the launch of the company's new hybrid sports coupe, the CR-Z, incoming General Manager for Honda Australia Stephen Collins (pictured) revealed the company expects to lose an estimated 10,000 new car sales Down Under by the end of this year, due in large part to the natural disasters that have affected its manufacturing facilities in Japan and Thailand.

But Honda Australia is upbeat about the future and is predicting a rebound in 2012 as it prepares to launch a number of crucial new vehicles.

Arriving in March 2012 will be the all-new Civic sedan, a volume selling model that will be sourced from Japan, given the supply issues in Thailand. "There's no way we were going to let earthquakes or floods delay the launch of this product in Australia," stated Collins.

Honda Australia's GM also confirmed that during the first half of 2013 Australians would finally get to drive a diesel-powered Honda in the form of the European-sourced five-door Civic hatch: "We will introduce diesel engines in some models in the medium-term future," noted Collins. He said the Civic five-door hatch would be the first oiler to hit dealerships in early 2013 "...in response to growing customer demand for diesel in key segments."

Honda's product planners wouldn't say whether the Civic oiler would be offered with an automatic transmission. If it was a manual-only diesel it would potentially miss out on two thirds of potential buyers in the small car market, which heavily favours auto cog swappers.

The diesel motor is likely to be a 2.2-litre turbo unit worth 110kW/350Nm, and could be as frugal as Honda's current glamour coupe, the CR-Z hybrid, with figures of under 5.0L/100km.

After the new ninth generation Civic arrives in March next year, the second half of 2012 will see the updated CR-V compact SUV hitting local shores, another vehicle that delivers strong returns for Honda. A hybrid version of the Honda Jazz is also scheduled for the latter half of 2012.

Sales of the subtly updated 2012 model Honda Odyssey people mover will begin next week, with $2000 slashed from the price of the entry-level model, now going for $37,100.

Honda Australia will also begin importing Japanese-made Jazz light cars from February 2012 as supply from Thailand drags to a halt.

Collins says that the company is unlikely to see a return to its 2007 sales of around 60,000 units in Australia, due to the Thailand floods shutting down its production facilities.

"The Thai floods will result in more shortfalls in supply," explained Collins. "The extent of this interruption is still unclear today. The factory is still inaccessible."

The Thai facilities are still under about a metre of water according to sources, though the water is dispersing. "Our advice is that [the factory] will be recovered," said the Honda Australia chief, who added, "It's been a year we'd like to put behind us."

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