Honda SUV RS Spied In Near-production Form

Back at the 2021 GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS), Honda had revealed the sporty SUV RS in concept form. Fast forward a year later, and images of what look like the subcompact SUV in near-production form have surfaced, hinting at debut sometime in 2023 as a potential successor to the WR-V cross hatchback and a potential rival to the likes of the Tata Nexon and Hyundai Venue. 

Looking at the images, the SUV RS seems to have retained the concept’s sporty SUV crossover proportions with cladding all over as well as an upright stance. At the front, there’s definitely a bit of City inspiration in how its headlights merge with the front grille which sports an interesting mesh that features pixel-like splashes of chrome. 

While we’re yet to have a look inside, it's safe to say, the SUV RS will come with the latest bells and whistles, as well as the Honda Sensing suite of ADAS safety features.  

It's still too early to talk about what’s under the hood of the SUV, but we can definitely expect hybrid tech to be one of the standout bits. For India, it could come with Honda’s 1.2-litre i-VTEC petrol engine along with the Amaze’s 1.5-litre diesel.

So how does India come into the picture regarding the Honda SUV RS? Well, the carmaker confirmed the development of an Indian-specific SUV which will be introduced here in 2023. While it had not specified which segment the car will be positioned in, this subcompact SUV could be the first one to show up followed by a compact SUV that rivals the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq, VW Taigun and the like.

We already know that Auto Expo 2023 is scheduled to run between January 13-18, 2023. So that could be the place where Honda’s new SUV for India might show up. 

Image Source