A few months ago, Honda Malaysia suggested that they would be launching two models in 2022 besides the new Civic. Naturally, one of this models will be the hotly-anticipated Honda HR-V. We initially speculated that the second model would be the all-new Honda BR-V, but what if we’re wrong?
Is There No Case For A New BR-V?
The Honda BR-V was introduced in Malaysia near the end of 2016. At the time, Perodua did not have the Aruz to compete. Toyota did not have the Rush. Mitsubishi did not have the Xpander. Plus, the Perodua Alza was looking mighty long in the tooth with no successor model announced. The BR-V arrived below RM90,000 and served as an upgrade to buyers moving up the ladder from the Perodua Alza.
But today the situation in that particular market segment is much different. The Aruz, Rush and Xpander are all competing in the same space. What’s more, the Alza’s successor is real. If Perodua were to push that model out at a good price, the new BR-V could be dead in the water. So, what if Honda Malaysia aren’t even planning to introduce a new BR-V? What is Honda Malaysia’s 3rd and final launch vehicle for 2022? Here are the possible candidates.
Honda Integra
While there is no new ‘HONDA’ Integra, there is an ACURA Integra in the USA which is based on the same platform and powertrain as the Civic Si but with its own unique body-in-white. If Honda has globally planned for an Integra to follow suit for other markets, we could see the Honda equivalent to the Volkswagen Arteon arrive in Malaysia later this year.
That being said, we feel this is more unlikely versus a new BR-V because there is no indication that a right-hand drive Integra is being developed. Even if they announce one tomorrow, that leaves just 6 months for its introduction to Malaysia, cutting it very tight. We also feel that the four-door coupé market might be a little too low-volume to justify bringing it to Malaysia anyway.
Honda Civic Type R
This is a similar story to the Integra but even more behind. The new Civic Type R hasn’t even been shown yet. What’s more, this next Civic Type R will be built in the US. Previous Type Rs were either Japanese-built (FD) or UK-built.
Honda ZR-V (Concept SUV RS)
The ZR-V doesn’t exist yet, but the Concept SUV RS which was shown less than a year ago does indicate that a production car might come soon enough to the South East Asian market to take on the Ativa. If the 2nd generation BR-V was unveiled in Indonesia, maybe the all-new ZR-V will be a Malaysia-first launch. Can Honda go from nothing to launch in 6 months? Well, the 2nd gen BR-V went from being the N7X Concept in May 2021 to a production ready model in September 2021, so we think it’s possible.
Honda CR-V
Finally, there’s the possibility that the Honda CR-V will arrive in Malaysia before the end of 2022. This is the most likely as there’s definitely a new model on the horizon and it will be marketed here. What’s more the gap between the introduction of the previous generation Civic and the CR-V was just over one year. There’s a chance that Honda might be able to close that gap for this generation. But let’s wait and see.
Other Candidates
There are a few other possibilities. Honda might introduce the new STPWGN, Fit or even the all-electric Honda e to take advantage of the current sales break on electric cars.
