2011 Honda Brio City Car on Track

Japanese automaker Honda is rumored to plan the launch of a new entry-level hatchback in India next year. This follows the release of a concept car codenamed CV2 that appeared at the New Delhi Auto Show in early 2010.

The new small car that is set to conquer the Indian market is Brio, which means “funny small car.” This vehicle is likely to enter production next year for the Chinese, Indian, and Thailand markets.

Honda Brio will reportedly be smaller than the Honda Jazz, newcarproduct.com reports. The small car is expected to be powered by a 1.2-liter petrol engine that currently propels the Jazz, a 5-speed manual and an automatic CVT transmission option. A de-tuned version of this unit is set for providing higher fuel economy and decrease production costs.

Also, the Brio could also come with a three-cylinder 900 cc powered engine variant. The new city car from Honda boasts a futuristic design with rear door handles fixed to the frame, as on the Chevrolet Beat.

The Brio, when launched, is expected to be priced at around Rs. 5 lakh (about US$10,250), making it one of the cheapest Honda cars in the country. It will come as a competitor for the Nissan Micra, Toyota Etios, Maruti Alto or Hyundai Santro.

However, no launch dates have been announced by the automaker, with rumours pointing to a possible such event next year. There are also speculations that Honda will launch the Brio first in Thailand in March 2011 and then roll it out in India during the second half of 2011. Toyota Etios is expected to reach showrooms by December 2010 or January 2011.