Honda Unveils Concept M, CRIDER and SUV-X at Auto Shanghai 2013

Last week we promised you coverage of Auto Shanghai 2013, and this week we get to start things off with a bang. If you’ll remember from our Auto Shanghai Preview Primer, we’d anticipated two new vehicles from Honda and Acura. But, we were wrong – they brought us three.

As you continue reading, we’re going to quickly go over each of the three new Japanese cars Honda unveiled at Auto China 2013 in Shanghai.

Honda Concept M Minivan

With one the most bulbous front clips I’ve ever seen, especially on a minivan, the Honda Concept M is designed specifically to appeal to the Chinese market. Non-commercial minivans aren’t a very popular vehicle class in China, but with an equally compact and energetic design Honda hopes it can ignite a spark of desire.

If you really want to know more about the Concept M, I highly recommend you turn down your volume (I mean turn it WAY down) and watch the techno-themed preview video below:

If everything shown in the video makes it into a production model, you’re looking at a three-row minivan with sweet features like reclining middle seats, an interactive and graphically enhanced center console, a digital speedometer display, and a generally well-thought out interior space. I can’t wait to see how this one turns out when it finally makes it to market in 2014.

Acura SUV-X Concept

Next up, Honda’s luxury arm unveiled a brand-new small SUV concept called the SUV-X. According to Acura, while the SUV-X will eventually be sold globally, it was tailored for the Chinese market first and foremost. CarScoops noted that this is the first vehicle ever that Acura’s debuted outside of the US, which speaks volumes about the importance of the growing Chinese market.

You can get a much more reasonably volumed preview of the SUV-X below. Unfortunately, Acura says this vehicle won’t see production for at least three years.

Honda CRIDER Production Model

Finally, this is the vehicle that no one saw coming from Honda – The Honda CRIDER. To be fair, this isn’t technically an all-new vehicle, as it’s loosely based on the Honda C-Concept we saw exactly one year ago in Beijing. The vehicle has changed substantially in that time, but I think we’re all pretty happy with how it turned out.

Specs-wise, the CRIDER shares its architecture with the Honda Civic. It’ll feature a 1.8L four-cylinder VTEC petrol engine capable of ~140hp when paired with either a standard or automatic transmission. We don’t have any info on the interior of the car, but we also don’t doubt Honda’s ability to maximize interior space. The CRIDER will go on sale in China this June, and will make it’s way into the global market at some point thereafter.

Let’s just hope it’s pronounced “see rider” and not “cry-der”, as that would be a crying shame.

All in all, Honda had a very good showing across-the-board at Auto Shanghai. Each of these three new vehicles looks great, and I’m sure they will do well in China. I can’t wait to see more of the two concepts, and it will be really interesting to see how the CRIDER performs compared to other mid-size sedans. Either way, stay tuned tomorrow for more Auto Shanghai 2013 coverage.

Sources: Car Scoops, CarScoops, Autoblog