Honda turns to China to boost lineup for Europe sales push

Honda will import three new crossovers into Europe from China as the Japanese automaker looks to expand its lineup and reverse sliding sales.

The three new models are:

• The e:NY1 all-electric small crossover that will be sold alongside the HR-V hybrid small crossover.
• The ZR-V compact hybrid crossover that will be positioned between the HR-V and CR-V compact crossovers.
• The sixth-generation CR-V that includes a plug-in hybrid version for the first time.

All three models are currently on sale in China and are built by Honda’s Chinese joint ventures with GAC and Dongfeng.

Currently all Honda models imported into Europe come from Japan.

Global automakers are increasingly using China as an export hub as they lose sales in the market to Chinese brands. Another advantage is that China has a lower cost supply chain, particularly for batteries.

Other models exported to Europe from China by Western automakers include the BMW iX3 full-electric crossover, the Spring small battery-electric car from Renault’s Dacia brand and the Citroen DS 9 plug-in hybrid sedan.

The CR-V will be available in Europe in the autumn and will replace the current Japanese-built model, which was the brand's second-biggest seller in the region after the Jazz small car in the first three months, according to market analysts Dataforce.

The new model will be available as a full hybrid or plug-in hybrid, both with a 2.0-liter gasoline engine. The plug-in version has a bigger battery that gives it an electric-only range of 83 km (52 miles), Honda said in a statement.

The new generation CR-V is wider, longer, and taller than the outgoing model, Honda said, without giving specific measurements.

The ZR-V strengthens Honda’s compact offering by giving the brand a smaller crossover below the CR-V. The car will be available only with a hybrid drivetrain centred around a 2.0-liter gasoline engine.

The e:NY1 small crossover is based on the HR-V but its design has been updated to differentiate its electric drivetrain, Honda said.

White 'H' badges around the vehicle signify that it is all-electric. The 15.1-inch central touchscreen is much larger that the HR-V's 9-inch screen.

The e:NY1 uses a 69 kilowatt-hour battery to gives it a range of 412 km (256 miles), Honda said. Power is 201 hp.

The car is badged as the e:NS1 and e:NP1 in China depending on which joint venture partner builds it.

Honda has not released European prices for the e:NY1 but it could be cheaper than the premium-priced Honda e city car, which costs from 39,990 euros in Germany.

The HR-V starts at 32,600 euros in Germany.

Honda has said it will launch 10 e:N series electric models in China by 2027 and will go all-electric in the country by 2035.

At the Shanghai auto show in April, the company showed off three concepts previewing new electric models, including the e:NS2 crossover due in 2024, the e:N SUV due in the same year and the e:N GT that previewed a possible sedan to be launched after 2025.

The new European launches will expand Honda's lineup in the region to seven. 

Honda's European sales fell 10 percent to 16,612 in the first quarter in a market up 17 percent, according to Dataforce figures.

Honda was hit by weak sales of the HR-V small crossover, which was down 57 percent over the quarter. The HR-V was Honda’s best-seller in the same quarter last year. Last year Honda introduced the new hybrid-powered Civic compact car.