Wondering what everyone's thoughts were regarding the future of Honda in Australia, and whether buying a new CR-V would seem like a dumb idea?
I remember hearing a few months back about the uncertainty surrounding their future, and how they since moved to some other fixed-price business model, but has anything else eventuated since then? Obviously wouldn't want to buy if they were going to end up like Holden at some stage.
They'll probably just reduce their range. Jazz is soon to be gone, wouldn't surprise me if the City and Accord stopped coming here too. Would probably just be left with a 4 model range - Civic, HR-V, CR-V and Odyssey.
i think they could even get rid of the HR-V
But the new Civics are basically the same size as the Accords of a few years ago!
Yes, the current Civics look nice, but they're not really in the same class as the small hatchbacks that they used to be.
Corolla aren’t small anymore either. They even had to bring in a smaller model to make up for it - Yaris.
Cars grow.
Cars grow
Yes, to accommodate people that get fatter and fatter.
I think it is called obesity epidemic.
The Accord has been dying a slow death here already, it took them 2-3 years to bring the current gen model out. It'll definitely be the first to go.
The Jap sourced Accord Euro was the last decent one methinks
Probably this. Subaru and Mitsubishi are doing this.
If they did leave they would leave behind a parts and service team to continue servicing existing cars. Holden has to do it for 10 years I recall - also as long as there is a demand someone will fill that void. If you like the car then go for it.
GM said they'd do it for at least 10 years but they've only given dealers a 5 year contract for servicing so I won't be surprised to see it completely gone after that. In fact I won't be surprised to see it happen sooner.
As for Honda, I don't see them leaving but I think they, and possibly others, will reduce the number of showrooms and move to centralised sales points and/or online sales.
I think they're legally obliged to provide parts availability for 10 years. You don't need a dealer to service your car, so they're probably going to stop bothering with contracts for that after five years and just let them sort themselves out.
I don't believe there's any specific legal obligation. ACL has something along the lines of parts and service must be available for a reasonable amount of time after sale of the product ends but I don't think there's any definition of what a reasonable time is. Even if there was how would you enforce it when they have no presence in the country?
They have to provide a service but there's no rule that says it has to be good. They will do the legal bare minimum.
How much do you hear about the SAAB and Opel exits? The parts become so expensive that the insurance premiums become huge and people scrap them
Buy a RAV4 instead.
Seems like Honda's giving up. Stuck in no man's land. Not value like Toyota and can't go premium because of Lexus. Cornered and consumer will be left paying for it.
I think the op kayaks so maybe more research required.
And thanks to christopher B, we are all now aware of the RAV4 and it's lack of rooftop kayak storage facilities…
Despite there being third party roof rack options… Oh dear.
Scrap the civic R 230kW 60k drive away for a Jazz GS at 200kW 40K drive away. simples
civics peaked during the EK9 series
New Civic R actually is amazing!
no love for ep3 ?
Maybe if they stopped making trash economy cars and kept funding their R&D. Integras, civics, accord and the nsx were some of the best cars of their time. I'm still driving a 17 year old honda as my first car. But yeah they've gone to shit. Their golden era was the 90s.
My godfather had an NSX and said he’d give it to me when I turned 18. Well, my dad vetoed that and I still hold a grudge!
Mate, the things I would do to be 25 in the early 90s instead of now. So many cool cars. Would love to pick up a low kms integra or accord at only a few yrs old and just love it forever.
Vtec bois. I was lucky and got an accord euro with 113km, full factory modulo body kit 2 years ago. Its going to be my forever car.
I just wish I was in the car buying age when falcons and commodores were being made :/
Fun cars have gotten so expensive. Only well priced one is the brz/86 nowadays.
I have a 91 Honda Beat. Even their tiniest car from that era is a hoot to drive.
I predict with the coming of Ev cars that Nissan will be the first ice car company to go the "Way of the Holden" or woth for short .
By the sounds of above messages then Honda will "woth". Lol
Bring on ev cars .
Ps the police just love the sound of v8 cars , every time some twit in a v8 puts the foot down the police go thanks for the donation. Lol ev cars are stealth, ie no noise, on one knows if you are driving hard……
@nebula98 Nissan is not going anywhere.They have a lot of development going on,which Australia will benefit from.Considering also,they have just completed a new HQ in Mulgrave,Melbourne as well.
Japan scene have had hybrids for years, they just have been stubborn to release In aus.
Swift hybrid, Mazda 3 hybrid, note hybrid, accord hybrid ect.
There are so many choices for vehicles these days…. who cares… just get another make
If Honda AU continue to bring in crap, will continue to shrink in terms of market share.
Bad idea not to bring in the Jazz. $20k base will be acceptable given how versatile the car is. Interior space for cargo is second to none.
The new Jazz costs the equivalent of AU$34,000 in the UK and it would be similarly priced here. No way Honda is going to bring it in anywhere close to $20k when it comes as a Hybrid Auto only and most people don't see the value in spending over $30k on a city car. The business case for the new Jazz is non-existent.
Toyota Yaris is $36kAUD in the UK, and $25kAUD in AU.
25k + ORC which brings the total cost to around 28k on the road. People haven't been particularly thrilled about that sort of pricing and if we assume the Jazz is around 2k cheaper on the road at $26k, this still doesn't make it particularly enticing to those that bought the current model Jazz during their $15,990 driveaway sales. Not to mention the competition on a price scale (and warranty) it has from larger cars such as i30 and Cerato then you can see why it no longer makes sense for them to bring it in. City cars have been unprofitable for countries that don't sell enough volume and unfortunately Australia is one of those countries. The current fad is with the far more profitable SUV segments and it'll probably be like that for years to come.
@justaperson: Hm… maybe. Volume is always tricky. Don't think $26k is unfair.
I find it difficult to replace the Jazz and was looking forward to the new one. Nothing in the market offers the practicality as the Jazz - day to day shopping trolley. Small/easy to drive with plenty of space.
Apparently the same issue amongst a few that I know as well. Looking for a small get around car as a spare, but very practical and well equipped.
Add to that, suzuki jimny is the closest thing in terms of practicality and reliability. The 4 speed auto is well dated and car is not quiet long enough for Ikea run (which is an issue for the same class or a size larger competitors - think i30 and the like).
The word most likely is that "Honda Australia" will pull out but they will appoint a distributor like Ateco like SV like Rick Damelian (LOL) and obviously slim down the portfolio.
On this alone I wouldnt buy any Honda given that uncertainty… further with their poor offterings and some engine issues why would you?
Problem is they dont have the popularity they used to have, they dont have the tech, they dont have the 4x4 utes people want.
Witness how the Ranger is keeping FOrd up. Notice how NIssan have SUVs and trucks everywhere. Notice how the Koreans are cleaning up.
Holden spent 1 billion dollars designing the last Commodore car……………
Without drought it was world leading at the time, and would be one of the best all time cars …………
Because of pollution laws in Europe it is very hard and cost 100's of millions of dollars to design an engine to pass these laws.
Ev cars do not have this cost as they have a zero emissions electrical motor.
I belive that Nissan will be the first car manufacturer to go bust or combine with another company to survive………..
The current line-up of internal combustion engine (ice) will be the last ever designed……no new models.
Despite what our funked government says……..Australia no longer has any say in what is sold here , we now take what we can get.
Having worked on hybrid cars , I can say that I hate them , look it sounds like a good idea , and when it works its great, however things go wrong………
I know a taxi owner who spent 15 grand on repairs to a hybrid Toyota prius and Toyota didn't fix the problem, 2 weeks later he scrapped the car……he was so pissed with Toyota…..
Hybrid cars are to complicated….is it the engine/electrical moter or some computer.?
Less likely to disappear as they are Japanese right hand drive anyway. GM used the ‘we don’t wanna built right hand drive’ as their excuse.