Life & Work

Honda Throws Down Gauntlet to Luxury SUVs

Honda

Honda dealer principle Fareedh Kana at the dealership on April 19, 2017. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA | NMG

As European car makers leave no stone unturned in the luxury market, other dealers are not sitting on their laurels.

Honda, Chevrolet, Toyota and Nissan are unveiling better performing, safer cars with comfort and reliability.

For Honda, the CR-V, HR-V and Accord are three of the top-tier vehicles in the range of cars. Fareedh Kana, Honda Kenya GM, says their newer models cater for the discerning customer who has a penchant for fine features including leather interiors, high-tech sensors as well as external aesthetics.

‘‘The new models in the premium range like the executive CR-V comes with the inbuilt Bluetooth, cruise control and alloy rims— features found in luxurious Range Rovers, Jaguars, Mercedes and BMWs,’’ he said.

honda2

Honda Civic at the dealership. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA | NMG

“They also come with sensors that calculate the distance between itself and the next car and alerts drivers. If a driver has dosed of at the wheel, the vehicle will continuously tag on the seat belt at the shoulder until the driver is awake.’’ Such features are being used by premium automakers as selling points for the newer models.

Honda made its re-entry into Kenya four years ago, joining Nissan, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Toyota as well as Hyundai in the race for the sport utility vehicle (SUV) buyer.

Simba Colt Motors brought in the new Pajero Sport, to the competitive market. The model was the first full-redesign in eight years.

When Mazda unveiled the new CX-5, it was a shift by the car maker to the premium category.

Chevrolet brought in the range of Trailblazers while Nissan and Toyota revamped the X-Trail and RAV4 respectively to give them a bigger and more sleek look to compete with the new kids on the block.