This morning (September 25th), GAC-Honda’s new compact SUV, Honda BREEZE, was officially debuted. At the same time, the official announced that Honda BREEZE will start pre-sale from now on, the pre-sale price is 180,000 yuan (~US$25,292). As the sibling model of Honda CR-V (from Dongfeng Honda in Chinese market), Honda BREEZE maintains similarity in size and power system, while continuing to provide 1.5T fuel version and 2.0L PHEV.
Compared to the prototype, Honda CR-V, GAC Honda BREEZE has redesigned the entire front face, side skirts, rims, and the entire tail. In the front part, Honda BREEZE adopts a design language similar to Honda AVANCIER and ACCORD which are also manufactured by the same JV, GAC-Honda, the chrome strips going across the left and right are integrated with the sleek LED headlights, the bottom is the inverted trapezoidal grille and trapezoidal bumper, the air intake with small opening holes on both sides, looks sportier. On the side of the body, the new car completely retains the shape of Honda CR-V. In order to distinguish, the BREEZE is surrounded by the same color side skirts, which makes the visual center of gravity lower.
In the rear part, the biggest highlights of Honda BREEZE is the taillight group, he lower half of the slender and sharp L-shaped design looks more fashionable. Among them, the 1.5T fuel version uses a hollow LOGO, 240TURBO tail letter badge, bilateral flat mouth exhaust, and a black lower guard; while the 2.0L PHEV uses a solid tail LOGO, single-sided single-out hidden exhaust, and silver lower guard.
Size comparison of Honda BREEZE and CR-V:
Honda BREEZE: 4634/1855/1679mm, wheelbase: 2660mm (4WD)/2661 (2WD)
Honda CR-V: 4585/1855/1679mm, wheelbase:2660mm
In terms of size, Honda BREEZE has very similar size as Honda CR-V except the length is increased due to the shape of front and rear bumper, the wheelbase also keep the same as Honda CR-V.
In power section, Honda BREEZE has the same power combination that powered by Honda CR-V in Chinese market, the L15BT 1.5T 4 cylinder engine generates 193ps, it is expected to match the CVT gearbox, features 2WD or 4WD; the BREEZE will also powered by 2.0L PHEV, powered by the same 2.0L i-MMD hybrid system that combined by 2.0L Atkinson cycle naturally aspirated engine and dual e-motors, max. comprehensive power is 215ps.
In Chinese market, Honda has too many sibling vehicles, such as Honda ACCORD + SPIRIOR, ACCORD + INSPIRE, ODYSSEY + ELYSION, AVANCIER + UR-V, VEZEL + XR-V, CITY + GREIZ, New CRIDER + ENVIX, now the hot-selling 5th-gen Honda CR-V also comes with its sibling, as we mentioned the relationship between CR-V and BREEZE above, they share three major parts and adopting two appearance schemes to benefit Honda’s two joint ventures in China. It is the multi-layered significance of Honda’s strategy of implementing a two-car strategy, for consumers and car companies, it can be said that it is a win-win situation.
