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Updated: Honda sets Nigeria’s sub-compact SUV market aglow with 2023 HR-V versatility

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Updated: Honda sets Nigeria’s sub-compact SUV market aglow with 2023 HR-V versatility

Honda Automobile Western Africa Ltd has created some excitement in the Nigeria’s auto market, particularly the sub-compact SUV segment, with the introduction of the latest (third) generation HR-V.

The expectations are high that the segment is in for a stiff competition and the automaker has dubbed the latest entry as ‘The Standard’, expecting other players to copy the unique features in the 2023 High-rider Revolutionary Vehicle

Some units of the all-new Honda HR-V were made available to the motoring journalists in Lagos on Wednesday for a test drive and it was indeed a pleasant experience.

The coupe-inspired design, assembled at the Honda plant in Ota, Ogun State, is a beauty to behold with its stylish and sporty look.

Its new distinctive features personally experienced during the test drive including Electric Parking Brake and Brake Hold make driving the 2023 HR-V a fun especially. The Brake Hold is particularly found useful and engaged when driving through ‘stop and go’ traffic. Little wonder the vehicle is described as a combination of beauty and utility.

Before the test drive, Remi Adams, manager in charge of Sales Marketing and Logistics at Honda Automobile West Africa, while presenting detailed features of the new vehicle, said the latest HR-V is expected to follow the trail of success blazed by its predecessor.

According to him, the new-generation HR-V comes as a smart versatile SUV that represents another step in the Honda’s commitment to a greener world with less emission.

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This explains while it comes with a 1.5-litre engine technology delivering a blend of efficiency and responsive performance.

He said it was built with the concept of meeting the exact needs of modern consumers – to achieve a rare balance of premium SUV styling and exceptional spaciousness, with compact dimensions and easy entry and exit for passengers.

Exterior

According to Adams, the car’s design has a unisex appeal, for both male and female.

The front side is bold, stylish and aesthetically appealing, thus giving owners/users a lot of confidence.

The clean simplicity of design is realised through the car’s smooth surfaces, with exterior design features incorporated into the body shape.

Its headlights, unique body-coloured grille and distinctive lower mesh grille seamlessly are found to integrate with the forward-protruding nose shape and front quarter panels, giving it a more sculpted appearance and creating a sleek, bold expression.

The body sides present a contemporary, noiseless aesthetic, with a crisp horizontal shoulder line running from the rear as far as the front headlights, generating a sense of forward momentum.

The protruding front section and pulled back A-pillar combine to create a premium long bonnet, visually moving the cabin volume rearwards and further accentuating the sleek coupe-like proportions.

The combination of utility and aesthetics is evident in the simple, elegant tailgate design, which neatly integrates the tailgate door handle within the three-dimensional rear panel.

Aerodynamic improvements are achieved without the need for unnecessary design features that often compromise styling.

Interior

The interior has been designed with a focus on space and light to elevate the sense of airiness in the cabin.

The automaker says the car comes with levels of comfort and practicality unrivalled in the sub-compact SUV segment.

For instance, contemporary fabrics and textured materials have been used to create a solid, premium feel, with the quality of soft-touch materials.

The automaker says the airy feeling is amplified by a unique ‘Air Diffusion System’ where L-shaped vents are positioned in the top corners of the dashboard.

It particularly notes the new driving position, which is 10mm higher than the previous model, adding that the windows are designed to admit as much light as possible, aided by the horizontally orientated, noiseless instrumental panel to the flat line of the bonnet.

The mirror attachment has moved lower down the door, improving visibility around the three-quarter area when turning, thereby preventing blind spot situations.

Seats 

Honda’s next-generation body stabilising front seats feature mat-structure support, replacing the previous spring set-up, which helps prevent fatigue on long journeys and increases comfort in everyday use.

The interior controls are positioned close to the driver’s field of vision for additional comfort while driving.

It also comes with exceptionally versatile rear Magic Seat set-up that offers fold-flat or flip-up seat flexibility.

Easy loading access has not been compromised by the coupe-inspired roofline. The clever packaging and Magic Seats, a lower tailgate edge, tailgate aperture, low, flat cargo floor all work in unison to provide this.

The new HR-V offers greater leg room and shoulder space, for an enhanced feeling of spaciousness and comfort. In addition to the 35mm increase in rear leg room, there is a two-degree recline compared to the previous generation HR-V.

Engine

The vehicle comes with a 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine with a CVT transmission that helps to drive with peak power output of 119hp/6600rpm and a torque of 145Nm/4300rpm.

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Best in-class fuel economy is guaranteed with the vehicle’s Econ button that allows the owner to have a fuel usage of as little as 18.4Km/L, depending on driving condition and terrain.

 Connectivity

The new HR-V provides seamless in-car connectivity allowing owners to connect to their everyday lives with ease.

It says the intuitive 8” LCD touchscreen interface is designed to minimise driver distraction, with a simplified and fully customisable menu layer enabling easy access to convenience features and controls.

Also, the HMI operation time is greatly improved compared to previous model, making it quick and easy to switch between apps and providing fast response to inputs and commands.

The interface, which is navigated using familiar smartphone-style controls, also enables smartphone mirroring via Apple CarPlay (through Bluetooth, WiFi or cable) and Android Auto (cable). Over-the-air software updates allows upgrades to the latest features and apps.

Safety

Its innovative safety features include the On/Off headlights that automatically come on when the car gets into a dark environment; go off when it is bright; changes the low beam headlights to high beam headlights when necessary.

It also has a Hill Descent Control, available for the first time in some markets on the HR-V. This operates from a minimum speed of just 3km/h.

“This technology enables greater and smoother control on low-grip surfaces and steep descents to increase driving confidence in a wider range of conditions,” says Honda. 

After-sales support/warranty

The new generation HR-V is supported by a five-year/100,000 warranty. This is addition to five-year free service including labour and parts within the period of the warranty.

The automaker says the same warranty and after-sale support will be offered for other Honda vehicles from HAWA and THP Limited (The Honda Place).

Adams also disclosed that a survey recently conducted among the HR-V customers gave competitive price, fuel economy and status enhancement as top reasons for their sticking to the vehicle.

Updated: Honda sets Nigeria’s sub-compact SUV market aglow with 2023 HR-V versatility

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Jetour Unleashes F700 Hybrid Pickup as Abuja Experience Begins Tuesday 

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Jetour Unleashes F700 Hybrid Pickup as Abuja Experience Begins Tuesday 

Jetour is taking its premium pickup game to Abuja as the automaker prepares to showcase the powerful F700 hybrid pickup at the Jetour Experience Abuja, bringing a blend of electrified performance, luxury and rugged off-road capability to the Federal Capital Territory.

The three-day event, scheduled for September 22 to 24 at Maha Event Centre, Area 8, Garki, comes on the heels of strong reception in Lagos and is expected to draw commercial fleet operators, corporate buyers and luxury pickup enthusiasts keen to experience Jetour’s latest hybrid workhorse.

Following high-impact reception in Lagos, the Abuja activation, which holds at Maha Event Centre, Area 8, Garki, answers massive demand from commercial fleet leaders, corporate buyers, and luxury truck enthusiasts eager for an electrified workhorse built without compromise.

Jetour’s rapid ascendancy as Nigeria’s Fastest Growing Auto Brand and Auto Brand of the Year is backed by nationwide after-sales infrastructure, certified technicians, and genuine parts availability through its authorized dealer network including Elizade Nigeria Limited, New Era AutoVehicle Services, Germaine Auto Centre, Kojo Motors, Mandilas Autos, R.T. Briscoe and
Tab Autos.

The Ultimate Hybrid Powerhouse
Engineered on the heavy-duty platform of Jetour’s G700 luxury SUV, the double-cab F700 redefines utility.

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Stretching nearly 5.5 meters, it commands road presence via a high-tensile ladder-frame chassis and independent double-wishbone suspension engineered for punishing industrial demands and refined highway cruising alike.

Under the hood lies the revolutionary Kunpeng Super Hybrid CDM-O powertrain—pairing dual high-output electric drive motors with an onboard turbo petrol generator that seamlessly feeds the battery pack on the fly, eliminating range anxiety entirely.

According to Jetour, an advanced CATL 800V architecture surges the battery from 20% to 80% in just 10 minutes, achieving ultra-fast charging.

The vehicle delivers a monumental combined cruising range of up to 1,300 km on a single charge and tank, and achieves exceptional fuel economy, sipping as low as 1.39 L/100 km.

Conquering Terrain in First-Class Luxury
Engineered for unforgiving terrain, the F700 deploys Jetour’s intelligent XWD all-wheel-drive system governed by front, center, and rear mechanical differential locks.

With 9.5 inches of ground clearance and an imposing 900 mm water-wading capability, the F700 glides through deep water crossings, unpaved construction corridors, and rocky trails effortlessly.

Inside, the cabin abandons utilitarian compromises for bespoke executive refinement, featuring
35.4-inch Panoramic “Sky Screen” dominating the dash architecture.

Also, it features the 15.6-inch Central Command Touchscreen for seamless telematics and vehicle dynamics, Sculpted Luxury Finishes combining aviation-grade acoustic insulation, premium materials, and active driver-assist safety suites.

The three-day Jetour Experience Abuja will feature live technical walkarounds, rugged dynamic tests, and hands-on driving trials at the capital.

 

Jetour Unleashes F700 Hybrid Pickup as Abuja Experience Begins Tuesday

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26th Abuja Motor Fair: NADDC, BKG Set November 10 Date for Auto Industry Show

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26th Abuja Motor Fair: NADDC, BGK Set November 10 Date for Auto Industry Showcase

The National Automotive Design and Development Council and BKG Exhibitions Ltd have unveiled plans for the 26th Abuja International Motor Fair, scheduled to hold from November 10 to 13, 2026, at Eagle Square, Abuja.

The four-day event is expected to bring together major players across the automotive value chain, such as vehicle manufacturers and assemblers, component producers, financial institutions, technology firms, transport operators, logistics companies, development partners, investors and government agencies.

A three-day conference will also feature prominently at the fair, with the theme, “Driving Nigeria’s Automotive Transformation: Policy, Production, and Prosperity.”

A statement on Friday by BKG Exhibitions said the conference would examine key issues shaping the development of Nigeria’s automotive industry, with speakers drawn from various sectors of the industry and related fields.

Chairman of the Organising Committee and Managing Director of BKG Exhibitions, Mr Ifeanyi Agwu, said the conference would feature a keynote address by the Director-General of NADDC, Otunba Joseph Osanipin, alongside presentations and speeches by leading stakeholders in the automotive and transport sectors.

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According to him, the fair will provide participants with opportunities to engage industry leaders, investors, government officials and business executives while exploring emerging vehicles, technologies, products and investment opportunities.

Other highlights of the event are the Nigeria Automotive Excellence Awards Night, Abuja Automotive Road Show, Ultimate Test-Drive experience, exotic automobile displays and the Automotive and Future Mobility Arena.

Visitors will also have access to professional advice, technical papers and a showcase of some of Abuja’s finest cuisine.

The Abuja International Motor Fair has, over the years, evolved into one of Nigeria’s major automotive exhibitions and platforms for industry and policy dialogue.

The organisers said this year’s edition would further strengthen the platform’s role in promoting investment, innovation, local production and sustainable growth across Nigeria’s automotive sector.

 

26th Abuja Motor Fair: NADDC, BGK Set November 10 Date for Auto Industry Showcase

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Replace Fuel Subsidy With Vehicle Credit to Drive Mobility, Jobs,LCCI, Ilekuba tell FG

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L-R:Tanko Kyumnom Principal Information Officer, representing the DG, NADDC; Cosmas Maduka Jnr, Executive Director, Special Duties & Aftersales at Coscharis Motors; Otuyemi Olatunde Head, Technical Risk Management at Leadway Assurance; Dr Femi Eghuaikhide, Chairman LCCI Auto Sectoral Group and Deputy Managing Director, R.T. Briscoe Nigeria Plc; Engr. Opeyemi Aminu, Vice President, LCCI; Mmesoma Christabel llekuba, CFO & Head, Accounts & Strategy, CedricMasters Group, Kunle Jaiyesimi, Deputy Managing Director, CFAO Mobility, Victor Oguamalam, MD, Globe Motors and Abiona Babarinde, GM, Corporate Communications & Marketing, Coscharis Motors during the LCCI Auto Sectoral Group Symposium on Thursday, September 17, 2026 in Lagos.

Replace Fuel Subsidy With Vehicle Credit to Drive Mobility, Jobs,LCCI, Ilekuba tell FG

Nigeria’s automotive stakeholders have called for an urgent shift from fuel subsidy to affordable vehicle financing, saying the new model could make vehicle ownership accessible to more Nigerians while driving local production, creating jobs and reducing dependence on imported automobiles.

The call was made on Thursday at the LCCI/National Automotive Design and Development Council Automobile Symposium, themed, “From Subsidy to Credit: Can Vehicle Financing Replace Fuel Subsidy as Nigeria’s Mobility Equalizer?”

Chairman of the LCCI Auto and Allied Sector Group, Dr Femi Eguaikhide, said affordable vehicle credit could restore access to mobility, improve productivity and create a stronger market for Nigeria’s automotive industry.

He said fuel subsidy had for decades effectively functioned as Nigeria’s mobility policy by helping to keep transportation relatively affordable for millions of Nigerians, including commercial drivers, teachers and small-business operators.

However, following its removal in May 2023, Eguaikhide said mobility costs had risen sharply, resulting in higher transport fares and increased prices of goods and services, with knock-on effects on productivity.

“Subsidy made fuel cheap, but cars remained expensive. So only the rich owned productive assets,” he said, arguing that vehicle credit could enable more Nigerians to acquire income-generating vehicles and repay loans from the proceeds.

Eguaikhide called for affordable, preferably single-digit interest rates and longer-tenor lease-to-own schemes for commercial operators using buses, tricycles and motorcycles.

“Can we create a ₦50,000/month plan for a keke driver?” he asked, urging financial institutions to develop financing products around borrowers’ earning capacity rather than conventional lending models.

He also advocated the use of vehicle telematics, tracking systems and cash-flow data to develop “mobility credit scores” that could help lenders assess the repayment capacity of commercial transport operators.

But Eguaikhide warned that vehicle financing must not become a fresh channel for importing used vehicles.

“If we use credit to import more Tokunbo, we’ve solved nothing,” he said, advocating financing for CNG conversions, locally assembled electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as mass-transit buses.

He summed up the proposed policy shift: “Subsidy gave us consumption. Credit can give us production.”

In a special address, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cedric Masters Group, Chief (Sir) Anselm Ilekuba, also canvassed a fundamental shift towards vehicle financing, stressing that such a policy must simultaneously promote Nigeria’s automotive industrialisation.

Ilekuba, who was represented at the event by his Chief Finance Officer and Head of Accounts and Strategy, Christabel Mmesoma Ilekuba, decried the impact of high financing costs, short repayment periods and pressure on household incomes on vehicle ownership, despite strong demand for automobiles.

He urged the Federal Government to seriously consider the proposed National Automotive Bank being championed by NADDC, describing it as a specialised financing institution that could support consumers, vehicle assemblers and component manufacturers.

Ilekuba proposed longer-tenor financing for qualifying locally assembled vehicles, alongside industrial credit for manufacturers and funding for machinery, technology, certification and capacity expansion by component producers.

He also called for stronger localisation of automotive components, citing the proposed National Automotive Components Parts Gateway being developed by ALCMAN with Chinese partners.

According to him, the Automotive Bank and Components Gateway could create a cycle in which increased vehicle purchases stimulate local assembly, boost demand for locally produced components, expand factories and generate jobs, while reducing Nigeria’s exposure to foreign-exchange pressures.

Ilekuba said the success of vehicle financing should therefore not be measured merely by the number of loans disbursed, but also by growth in local vehicle assembly, component production, factory expansion, employment and foreign exchange conserved or earned.

“The old subsidy helped Nigerians consume mobility. The new approach should help Nigerians own mobility—and help Nigeria produce it,” he said.

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