Somehow, this year became the one to give Honda fans everything we want. We’re on the eve of the Geneva Auto Show where Honda will reveal the Civic Type R teased in the photo above. As you can see, Honda is really going for the “Xtreme” look.
The innovative “Other Side” videographic that Honda produced last year to show off the Type R hinted at this. We now know that the U.S. will get the Type R, probably in 2016. We also know that it will be one of the first, if not the very first, Honda to offer a turbocharged engine, with about 276 horsepower.
However, we’re also on the cusp of the Chicago Auto Show where the all-new Pilot SUV and HR-V light SUV will be given their American introductions. Recent numbers show that even though the Pilot is about to get a major refresh, that didn’t stop consumers from creating a 98 percent jump in January purchases.
Ninety-eight percent is a ridiculously high number that’s begging for an update. It shows how much consumers love their cheap gas and large SUVs. The CR-V and Fit also had rocket-fuel sales syndrome in January, showing that U.S. buyers are basically done with traditional sedans and minivans.
People like the look and feel of a large SUV when they’re driving. They want to feel like they can toss stuff in the back and have plenty of space, whether they use it on a daily basis or not. It’s important that it’s there.
The Fit is a curious example of this since it’s not a large car. Honda made the Fit to feel large, which it somehow manages to do, like that scene in Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka movie. With the light SUV HR-V arriving this April, taking the previously undetected spot between Fit and CR-V, Honda will have an unbroken chain of four SUVs for consumers to choose from. It’s almost too easy.
Be sure to check back here and on our social channels for when we receive these new models. Interest will likely be super high, so you might have to fight to get one. Head over from Raleigh to check out our brand-new, just-opened facility.