PUBLISHED ONDecember 03, 2024 2:42 AMByBen ChiaSingapore's official Honda distributor, Kah Motor, is looking to boost its fortunes with the launch of two new models, the latest third-generation Freed MPV, as well as the hybrid-powered version of the Civic sedan.
The new cars come amidst a challenging year for the brand, in the face of high Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums, as well as the entry of several new Chinese electric vehicle (EV) brands which have quickly gained market share at the expense of traditional mainstream Japanese marques like Honda.
Kah Motor sold 526 Hondas in the first half of this year, which puts it in 10th position on the charts. In contrast, Chinese carmaker BYD, which was the best-selling brand for the first half of 2024, shifted 2,587 units during the same period, nearly five times as many as Honda sold.
Nicholas Wong, CEO of Kah Motor, acknowledged that while the Chinese EV brands are making aggressive progress in Singapore, there remains a segment of the market that is not ready to embrace full electrification as of yet.
He told AsiaOne at the sidelines of the Freed and Civic Hybrid's launch event that he hopes that Honda can help fill the gap with its new lineup of hybrid models that offer premium features at a competitive price.
The latest third-generation Freed is one of the few compact seven-seater MPVs in the market that is eligible for a Category A COE. The car is powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine mated to a hybrid drivetrain, and produces a total of 130hp and 253Nm of torque.
Fuel economy is rated at 5.1 litres per 100km, which is not far off from that of the Freed's closest competitor in the market, the Toyota Sienta Hybrid, which has a claimed fuel economy figure of 4 litres per 100km. The only other Cat A seven-seater currently available in the market is the electric-powered BYD M6.
Two variants of the Freed are available, the HS7 and HE7, which retail for $161,099 and $166,099 respectively, both inclusive of COE as of December 2024. A Kah Motor spokesperson revealed that they have already sold "at least 100" units of the Freed before the car's official launch on Nov 29.
Standard equipment for both include the Honda Sensing suite of driver assistance systems, which comes with features such as adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, and collision mitigation and braking systems.
The higher-spec HE7 variant includes additional equipment such as automatic folding door mirrors, leather upholstery and steering wheel, rear air con vents, adaptive high beam headlamps, and LED cornering lights.
The Civic Hybrid, meanwhile, joins the regular petrol-powered Civic in the lineup, which incidentally has also been given a mid-life facelift to keep it refreshed.
Power for the Civic Hybrid comes from a 2.0-litre petrol engine that is paired with two electric motors, for a combined power output of 141hp and 315Nm of torque.
Unfortunately, this means that the car gets bumped into COE Cat B, but the Civic Hybrid compensates for that with its excellent fuel economy figure of 4.6 litres per 100km.
The facelifted Civic models get a revised front end look, with a sportier grille design. In addition, both also get the Honda Sensing suite of driver assistance systems as standard, which includes features like adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and forward collision warning with automatic braking.
The Civic Hybrid is priced at $218,099 inclusive of COE, while the regular Civic, which qualifies for a Cat A COE thanks to its 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 129hp, is retailing for $172,099 with COE.
Honda hopes that the new Freed and Civic Hybrid models will help it regain its competitiveness in the market, by appealing to those looking for hybrid-powered cars that are efficient, practical and fun to drive in the transition towards electrification.
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benjamin.chia@asiaone.com
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