Honda's WR-V, a sport utility vehicle produced in India, has gained popularity in the Japanese market, with sales reaching about 18,000 units between April and September. Priced below 3 million yen, the WR-V has been strategically positioned to appeal to a younger demographic of Japanese drivers seeking affordable yet stylish SUV options.
The WR-V, available in multiple variations as front-wheel-drive gasoline models, has seen the most success with its least expensive option priced at under 2.1 million yen. Honda's decision to develop the WR-V in Thailand for export to various markets, including Japan, has proven to be a successful strategy, with the SUV also being sold in countries like South Africa and Nepal. In Japan, there is a trend of increasing imports of vehicles assembled overseas by domestic companies, with about 155,000 new vehicles being shipped to Japan over a six-month period through September according to the Japan Automobile Importers Association. Honda has been a notable player in this trend, importing approximately 25,000 vehicles, a substantial rise from the previous year.
In addition to the WR-V, Honda has expanded its range of imported vehicles in Japan to include models like the Accord sedan from Thailand and the Odyssey minivan from China. Despite the Accord sedan not being as popular in Japan, sedans are highly favored in Southeast Asian markets, leading to Honda importing them from Thailand since 2020. The Odyssey minivan, although facing a halt in sales when a domestic factory closed in 2021, remains a favorite among Japanese consumers, prompting Honda to introduce models assembled in China to meet the demand. Honda's production figures also reflect a significant shift towards manufacturing more vehicles overseas, with 3.41 million units produced outside Japan compared to 700,000 assembled domestically in fiscal 2023. Honda's history of importing models produced abroad dates back to the introduction of the U.S.-made Accord Coupe in 1988 in response to trade tensions with the United States.