Dealing with so many different publics is certainly one of the most important challenges for which every big automaker needs to be prepared. While low-selling markets accept imported vehicles at any time, the other kind demands much more complex strategies to reward the automakers with expressive sales. No one known for how long it’ll last, but the rule in China looks like it’s to offer the most complete line it is possible. Even though it often results in releases such as what the press claims it’ll be the next Honda City elsewhere.
While Brazil’s requirements converge into cost reduction and to keep internal competitions to a minimum, the Chinese market has a series of unique situations: some vehicles are freely sold even being explicit copies of other automakers’, the two companies producing Volkswagen cars compete also with each other, and the best-selling automakers decided to create one exclusive new car to place between almost every two which are also sold elsewhere, in order to reduce the price gaps. Saying Crider will be taken to other countries as the new City leads to think it’ll be nothing more than a three-volumes sibling to that minivan which has already been seen on leaked press material. After all, the car’s design presents the same visual identity with Fit as the other phases did. The new sedan presents very aggressive lines, which start to express Honda’s new design language through the impressive front grille, whose graphics is continued by both headlights as this fascia’s main elements. The sides reveal the typical Eastern cars’ strong creases, with an interesting connection with the other parts. And the rear combines modern trends, like big lights with LEDs and reduced length, to classical elements such as the chrome line right above the license plate. What pictures can’t show, though, is what size Honda ended giving to this car.
Dacia Logan has started the strategy of offering cheap sedans whose internal space is comparable to the automaker’s bigger models, which was followed by names like Chevrolet Cobalt and Nissan Versa. But how about the one which is supposed to stay below Civic being longer and taller than it? Featuring the same height and losing only in wheelbase makes Crider look like a different-proportioned brother to the older sedan, rather than a cheaper car. What will help to separate each sedan’s public is the interior: as attractive as Crider’s might be, it’ll offer less technology. There will be items like infotainment system and multifunctional steering wheel, but equipments like sophisticated safety systems and expensive comfort items aren’t expected. In other words, the car will still be cheap (in China it starts from ¥ 184,000), but this will be showed mostly in the inside. This is basically what the old City did compared to the previous Civic, but in that case there was also a considerable size difference. The Chinese market will receive Crider with a four-cylinder 1.8L engine, which produces 139 hp and can be paired to manual or automatic five-speed transmissions. Like every foreign automaker’s cars, in that country this sedan will be produced by the joint-venture Guangqi Honda Automobile Co.
