Honda Launches Mini Crossover

Honda Motor Corp. intends to go global with the new Vezel subcompact crossover it introduced this month in Japan.

The vehicle debuted in production form last month at the Tokyo auto show. The Vezel (rhymes with bezel) was inspired by the Honda Urban SUV concept the company unveiled at the Detroit auto show last January.

The 1.87 million-yen ($18,100) vehicle is intended to compete in the fast-growing small crossover market with such models as the Mazda CX-5 and Nissan Juke.

The Vezel rides on Honda's subcompact Jazz/Fit platform. The vehicle is scheduled to debut with a different name in the U.S. in the second half of next year and in Europe in 2015.

The new model is about seven inches longer than the Fit but nine inches shorter than Honda's CR-V crossover. The company says the vehicle was designed with the roofline of a coupe and the lower body of an SUV.

The standard Japanese version is powered by a 1.5-liter Earth Dreams gasoline engine and continuously variable transmission. All-wheel drive is optional for the front-drive vehicle. In Japan, Honda also is offering an optional hybrid powertrain consisting of the same 1.5-liter engine but coupled with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and 22-kW electric motor.

A turbocharged version of the standard powertrain may be added later, according to Honda. The company has not indicated when or if the hybrid system will be offered in the U.S. or Europe.