Honda, GAC begin sales of China-only crossover

Honda Motor Co. has launched sales of a crossover developed specifically for China -- part of the Japanese automaker's plan to stoke red-hot demand in that segment.

The Honda Avancier has a starting price of 269,800 yuan ($39,700). It is 4,816 mm (189.6 inches) long, 1,942 mm wide and 1,669 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,820 mm.

It comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and a nine-speed automatic transmission. In March, Honda will add a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine.

The Avancier is produced at Honda's joint venture with Guangzhou Automobile Co. in the south China city of Guangzhou. It is Honda's fourth crossover in China, following the CR-V, Vezel and XR-V. 

For the first nine months, Honda sales in China jumped 26 percent from a year earlier to 872,104 vehicles. With a number of small cars in its model lineup, Honda has benefited from China's 50 percent purchase tax cut for vehicles with engine sizes of 1.6-liters or smaller.