Honda well placed for more success

Trio of on-trend new crossovers set to arrive as business is thriving, says UK car boss

- FELIX PAGE

When its new e:Ny1, ZR-V and CR-V crossovers go on sale later this Honda will have one of the newest fleets of any mass-market manufacturer in the UK, and the firm is tipped to quickly start building its EV portfolio out into more crucial market segments in a bid to keep pace with fast-electrifying rivals.

However, Honda's targets in the UK centre on profit, rather than volume, and passenger car boss Rebecca Adamson has no plans to take the fight to best-sellers Volkswagen and Ford, or to chase the lofty six-figure volumes that Honda achieved at its peak here in 2007.

Speaking to Autocar at the Japanese brand's most important unveiling event in years, she explained why it's in good shape as it settles into its new positioning and embraces electrification.

How is Honda performing in the UK?

"We have over the last few years made a profit in the UK automobile business, which hadn't happened for at least a decade. And that's important for our sustainability and survival into the future.