To tap the growing market of diesel cars segment in India, Honda is expected to launch its first diesel car that could be Honda City sedan or Honda Brio small car in the country in 2013. The demand of diesel car has increased as the prices of petrol in the country have touched new high recently. Earlier, the company was planning to launch the diesel car in 2014 but as the market of petrol cars in the country became grim after Government of India increased the petrol prices, Honda proponed the launch of the car.

The media reports suggest that it’s not just one car from Honda would be made available in diesel variant but there is a list of three cars which would hit the showrooms in 2013 with diesel engines. Among these cars would be Brio, Honda Brio sedan and City sedan. Also, Honda Siel Cars India is planning to introduce the new Honda Jazz hatchback with a diesel engine. The auto industry figures show that the sale of Honda cars has declined in 2011-12 in comparison to the figures of 2010-11. In 2011-12 around 54,427 cars were sold with a fall of 8.46% in sale in comparison to corresponding period in 2010-11. From January to April, around 28,731 cars have been sold. It’s a good sign for Honda as riding on the success of Brio; it has registered increase of 71% of sale from January to April than a year earlier. Honda has plans to introduce six new cars in the Indian market by the end of 2015.

The introduction of six new cars would include re-launches. Recently, the figures of car sales in India shows that the sale of diesel car has increased by 35% but the petrol car sale decreased by 15% during the last financial year. Apart from Honda, Hyundai has plans to launch the diesel variant of its vehicles in the Indian market.