One of the most noteworthy concept cars to be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, was Honda’s Urban SUV Concept. The rather pragmatically named concept car is based on a sturdy Honda Jazz platform and promises to open up crucial markets where the Japanese manufacturer has found itself lagging lately.
The crossover Urban SUV will take the underpinnings of a compact Jazz hatchback (the next generation model) and give the customer a taller body and added practicality. We think the next Honda Jazz underpinning couldn’t be better for a future crossover product in the same vein as the Renault Captur, Nissan Juke and Kia Soul.
Honda hinted at the production model of the Urban SUV Concept being due by 2014. The Urban SUV is 22 cm shorter than its uncle, the Honda CR-V soft-roader. As small as it may be, however, the Urban SUV Concept still manages to pack very sharp styling and futuristic detailing in between and outside its four doors. It’s a real looker in fact.
Where the concept gains most notoriety is in how it looks nothing like any other production Honda. The only thing it slightly resembles, in the details, is the sleek Honda NSX replacement (Acura in the U.S.), which has been shown off in Detroit as well. It’s hard to imagine the Honda Urban SUV Concept comes from the same company that gives us the shapeless Civic Sedan.
Under the bonnet a range of small, fuel efficient, 4-cylinder ‘Earth Dreams Technology’ engines will provide propulsion. Flexible interior space and practicality will be a priority, with ‘Magic Seat’ seating offering a variety of options. The production version will also adopt the Jazz’s centre-fuel tank layout for maximum practicality. Honda will hopefully also deliver on the promise of improved telematics, together with a more modern and funky interior.
The Urban SUV Concept isn’t self-gratuitously weird either, like the wacky Nissan Juke that favours oddball features over attractive, well-proportioned lines. We know the car is likely to be toned down by Honda for the production version, but we hope not by too much. The production model will be manufactured at Honda’s new plant in Mexico, alongside the next generation Jazz, with the plant’s annual capacity said to be around 200 000 units annually.
