Honda recently announced its future roadmap with plans to launch 10 new models in India. The automaker set up shop in India in December 1995 and began local manufacturing soon after.
The company launched the City sedan here in 1998. Debuting with a mid-sized sedan was a gamble in a market that was full of small cars at the time, but the move paid off and the model soon became the face of Honda in India.The city’s success was no accident. At a time when the market was crowded with hatchbacks, the City offered a spacious cabin, improved engines and a luxurious interior. Over two decades, the City has become a consistent seller and crowd favourite: by 2022, Honda reported that the City had crossed several cumulative sales milestones in India including a domestic dispatch of over 9 lakh units since its debut.Building on this momentum, Honda has expanded its range in India with models carrying a more premium image: Accord, Civic and CR-V at the higher end. The company launched the Amaze (first diesel car in the Indian market) in 2013, Mobilio MPV in 2014, BR-V crossover in 2016, and WR-V in 2017 as part of a drive to win more buyers. Some of these models performed well early on, but Honda struggled over time to keep up with competitors who moved faster into hot segments like compact SUVs.
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Structural changes followed. In December 2020, Honda halted production at its Greater Noida unit in 1997. The period sparked talk about whether Honda would scale back its ambitions in India.But the story turns again. And now Honda has signaled a comeback: a dedicated plan for India promises 10 new models by 2030 (seven of them SUVs) and a stronger mix of petrol, hybrid and electric cars. The road map includes cars developed in India, produced locally, and some imported models. Among the new batches is Honda’s ‘0’ series, with the 0 Alpha prototype unveiled at the Japanese Mobility Expo set to be launched in India as an accessible electric vehicle.
Honda India’s lineup includes the Elevate, Amaze and City models as well as a hybrid version.
Behind the headlines are clear numbers that show why India is once again important to Honda. In FY 2024-25, the company reported total sales of 1,26,151 units (combined domestic and exports), and in September 2025 completed 2,00,000 cumulative exports from India. However, Honda’s market share in India has shrunk in recent years, as competitors have expanded their model lineups faster, leaving the brand with a smaller range than many competitors.
Why is it a new mindset?
What is different this time is the scale and intent. Not only is Honda promising electric cars like the 0 Alpha, it also offers the option of petrol and hybrid launches, and a local play aimed at keeping price-sensitive buyers in its fold. The vehicles developed for India will be manufactured in India and we will also get some premium vehicles that will be imported. This shows that the company is no longer holding back or trying to play it safe to survive for a short time.
Instead, it’s going into full attack mode to offer customers the Honda product across powertrain and budget options.
Honda 0 Alpha e-SUV
The new EV’s design may not immediately appeal to everyone but it looks better in the flesh than on paper and gives the 0 Alpha a distinct identity without a polarizing look. Of course, this is just the beginning and there is a lot more for Honda to do but it certainly looks like they got the strategy right this time. For any volume seller, surviving with just a few models is an invitation to death, so while Honda needs to get many things right, one thing we know for sure is that it is going to be in India for the long haul and it intends not just to survive but to grow. For Honda enthusiasts and the Indian car market, this is simply a huge positive result.