Honda Urban SUV for 2014

Honda's new Jazz-based compact 'Urban SUV' is almost certain to come Down Under, says Honda Australia Director Stephen Collins, who told motoring.com.au "I've got a fair degree of confidence [we'll get it here]."

The trendy new compact SUV would slot in underneath the CR-V, and though it's only been called a concept car thus far -- dubbed the Honda Urban SUV concept at its January reveal in Detroit (pictured) -- Honda has already confirmed the production version will hit Japanese dealerships at the end of this year, with other global markets to follow in 2014.

"The Urban SUV is very, very important for us," said Collins, "We're actively pursuing that Urban SUV."

Collins didn't say where Australian-bound Urban SUVs would be sourced, but wouldn't dismiss the possibility of Thai-built models being offered here, given that Thailand is where Australia's Jazz models are currently manufactured.

"It's very much a global car for Honda so I would suggest it will be built at a variety of different production facilities. For us it's way too early to know whether it will come from Thailand or not but most importantly we're putting the business case forward now to secure it," he said.

Collins confirmed to motoring.com.au that the all-new Jazz will arrive in Australia in mid-2014 and the Urban SUV with which it shares its Global Compact Series platform, is also tipped to arrive next year.

The production version of the Honda Urban SUV is likely to make its global debut alongside the new generation Jazz at the 2013 Tokyo motor show in late November, and is expected to be fitted with the similar engines as the upcoming Jazz light car; compact petrol engines likely to displace between 1.3 and 1.5 litres. There's also a chance the company's new 1.6-litre 88kW/300Nm diesel engine could be offered, which has just been launched locally in the new Civic DTi-S .

It's no surprise Honda is eager to expand its SUV range with an affordable compact model, because the market segment is booming in Australia. SUV sales rose by 25 per cent in 2012 and, more importantly, sales of compact SUVs were up by more than 50 per cent last year.

Honda's Urban SUV will duke it out against upcoming micro-SUVs such as the Ford EcoSport and Holden Trax, both due in Australia later in 2013, and the Mitsubishi ASX which is already available here.

"Clearly that small SUV segment is a growing segment and I saw that [Urban SUV] in Japan a little while ago and I think it would fit very nicely underneath CR-V. So it is a model that we're actively pursuing and it would complement our existing line-up very well," said Collins.

"It's a good car for us. I think what's also important is new models in new segments, and clearly that car would fit that bill."

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