Honda 'ZR-V' trademarked

Honda has applied to trademark the name 'ZR-V' in Australia and the fresh nameplate could be applied to an all-new compact SUV being developed for markets including ours.

Unearthed this week, the ZR-V trademark filing was lodged in Australia by Honda Motor Co in Japan on April 17 under goods and services Class 12 (automobiles).

However, HMC first registered the ZR-V trademark in Australia in 1999, before it was removed from the register in 2009 after Honda failed to pay for its renewal in 2008.

The ZR-V badge dovetails nicely with HR-V and CR-V nameplates sold in Australia – as well as the BR-V, WR-V and China-only UR-V and XR-V – and has also been filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Reports from India speculate the ZR-V name will be used for an all-new sub-compact SUV measuring less than four metres long, to rival the sub-$20,000 Hyundai Venue and upcoming Kia Stonic, based on the new-generation Jazz that won’t be sold here by the Japanese brand’s restructured retail network.

Any such vehicle from Honda Australia would have to be positioned beneath the HR-V, which is currently priced from $25,490 here.

However, last week Autoevolution reported the ZR-V name will replace the long-running CR-V name on an all-new mid-size SUV being developed for Asian and European markets from 2022.

Alongside its report were these renderings by Brazilian automotive artist Kleber Silva, whose computer generated image is based on the Chinese Changan Uni-T.