Honda ZR-V hybrid a sell-out success

HONDA Australia’s important new ZR-V medium SUV is already proving extraordinarily standard with potential consumers, and the model says the petrol-electric hybrid is the automotive that almost all clients need.

It’s excellent news for a model with the acknowledged purpose of reaching 20,000 gross sales per yr however has to this point failed to take action – solely simply scraping a 3rd of that quantity within the first half of 2023.

The brand new Honda ZR-V vary encompasses 4 variants – the three most reasonably priced are turbo-petrol powered, whereas the top-spec e:HEV LX grade scores the model’s petrol-electric hybrid system acquainted from the Civic e:HEV.

At $54,900 drive-away, the ZR-V e:HEV LX mannequin represents a $6400 leap over the almost-equivalent VTi LX petrol-turbo model, however that seemingly isn’t dissuading clients, who’re prepared to spend massive to get right into a extra future-friendly, eco-conscious SUV.

Honda Australia director Carolyn McMahon mentioned that the model has very sturdy curiosity within the hybrid mannequin significantly – a lot in order that its provide is basically absolutely accounted for till subsequent yr.

“The order financial institution for the brand new Honda ZR-V for petrol variants is a few months out, and our hybrid is out to December. So, we’re seeing actually sturdy demand,” she mentioned.

“I simply received again from Bangkok earlier within the week, and we’re locking in some actually nice assist, and our Honda Centres are preparing to have the ability to ship at that 20,000 mark in This autumn of this yr, Q1 subsequent yr,” mentioned Ms McMahon of the model’s beforehand acknowledged aspiration to realize 20,000 automobile gross sales in Australia per calendar yr.

“So, I’m actually wanting ahead to that as a result of demand is basically actually sturdy for the time being for us. Though you are not seeing it within the retail numbers, actually our order financial institution could be very, very sturdy,” she mentioned.

“However we are going to see a major uplift in our quantity later this yr,” mentioned Ms McMahon.

Thus far in 2023, Honda Australia’s gross sales numbers – or, as Ms McMahon suggests, the model’s automobile registration numbers – are nicely behind the required tempo they’d have to be to realize that stage.

Via the primary half of the yr the model had solely delivered 6135 models, with year-to-date numbers down 9.0 per cent in comparison with 2022.

Final yr’s numbers, although, have been bolstered by sturdy provide out of the outgoing HR-V small SUV in runout, whereas the new-gen mannequin can also be in large demand on the subject of the hybrid powertrain providing, which was not beforehand accessible.

Already in 2023, Honda has registered the sale of 205 examples of the brand new ZR-V medium SUV mannequin, and certainly, the corporate has indicated that there are greater than 1000 orders held for it thus far.

2023 Honda ZR-V pricing*: