Car Similar to Honda Fit will be Offered to American Market in 2006

Hoping to capitalize on the success of Toyota Motor Corp.'s entry-level Toyota Scion, Honda announced it will be offering a new entry level compact in the U.S. in 2006. "We are bringing a car from Japan for entry level and young people in the U.S.,'' Honda President Takeo Fukui is reported as saying in an interview recently. "The U.S. first-time buyers' market has been left 'vacant' by Honda," he added.

The compact car is expected to be smaller than the Civic model "Toyota had success in the U.S. with its Scion brand and Honda will probably succeed, too,'' one industry analyst said.

According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Honda has filed for U.S. trademarks based on the Fit compact car in 2003. The Honda Fit compact car in currently sold in Japan with either a 1.3-liter or 1.5-liter engine. The five-door hatchback was Japan's most successful vehicle model in August and September. The Fit is also sold as the Honda Jazz compact car in Europe and is also exported from Japanese production facilities. Analysts indicate these models have begun to offset impact of the popular Toyota Scion.