The Honda Gear is a hipster-inspired hatchback designed for young drivers who don’t mind going small. The car gets its hipster street cred in two ways. First, its design was inspired by fixed-gear bicycles. Second, the Honda Gear made its debut at the 2013 Montreal Motor Show, not the more popular and larger 2013 Detroit Auto Show.
Details on the Honda Gear are scarce at best. Honda’s Design Director Dave Marek describes the hatchback as "customizable, connected and affordable." North American drivers have recently begun to embrace smaller cars. The Fiat 500 is here to stay and automakers are becoming less reluctant with regards to building compact and efficient cars. Chances are that the Honda Gear is nothing more than a design study, but the concept could be a preview of the company’s plans for the future.
Hipster-Inspired Hatchbacks
The Honda Gear is for Those Done with Conventional Eco-Cars
Trend Themes
1. Small Car Trend - The increasing demand for smaller, more compact cars presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for automakers to design and produce hipster-inspired hatchbacks like the Honda Gear.
2. Customization Trend - The rising popularity of customizable vehicles opens up potential for disruptive innovation in the automotive industry, allowing car manufacturers to create personalized and unique features for young drivers, as seen in the Honda Gear.
3. Connected Car Trend - The growing integration of technology in cars provides a disruptive innovation opportunity for automakers to develop connected hatchbacks, equipped with advanced connectivity features for a more seamless and interactive driving experience, similar to the concept behind the Honda Gear.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive Industry - Automakers have the opportunity to capitalize on the small car trend by developing hipster-inspired hatchbacks like the Honda Gear, which appeal to young drivers looking for compact and eco-friendly options.
2. Customization Industry - The customization trend in the automotive industry creates new opportunities for companies to offer personalized features and options, allowing customers to create unique vehicles similar to the customizable nature of the Honda Gear.
3. Technology Industry - The integration of advanced connectivity features in cars presents an opportunity for the technology industry to collaborate with automakers, enabling the development of connected hatchbacks like the Honda Gear that offer a seamless and interactive driving experience.