・Winning in all three key business areas of Honda - motorcycle, automobile and power products

March 31, 2022 - Honda announced that four of its products, namely all-new NT1100 sport-tourer, ADV350 mid-size scooter, HR-V compact SUV (Vezel in Japan) and EU32i portable generator (EU26iJ in Japan) were named Red Dot winners 2022 in the Product Design category of the Red Dot Design Award*1, one of the most respected design awards in the world. This is first time for Honda to win this award in the same year in all three of its key business areas - motorcycle, automobile and power products.

About Honda's award-winning products

NT1100

NT1100 is an all-new sport-touring model that balances "comfort" and "versatility" at a high level and realizes both ease of handing for everyday use and outstanding comfort for long-distance touring. With the compact body proportion designed with a rider-centric approach, wind protection performance was thoroughly pursued. The NT1100 features an upright riding position that enables the rider to enjoy riding more casually and comfortably, and due consideration was given to feature a slim/narrow seat as well good footing for the rider.

Key features

  • NT1100 features a simple yet sophisticated design that generates an elegant and modern image. The character lines are emphasized to create a sharp and sporty impression.
  • Equipped with a 1,082cm3 liquid-cooled inline 2-cylinder engine, NT1100 features ample and broadly available torque from low-speed range and engine characteristics that ensure smooth rotations all the way up to the high-speed range, with which the rider can enjoy powerful and sporty riding.

[NT1100] Received Red Dot Award : Product Design 2022

ADV350(exclusive model sold outside of Japan)

ADV350 is a mid-size scooter designed to combine a sophisticated city scooter with the styling of an adventure model and offer new value of "city adventure," that enables sporty riding in city and on rough pavement and flat dirt roads as well. The active image is expressed by the upright silhouette realized by the body design that emphasizes the "condensed" look from front to back and longer suspensions. Moreover, the edgy surface design generates a stylish look.

Key features

  • ADV350 features the styling design that suits both sophisticated urban environments and lush green suburban environments.
  • ADV350 is equipped with a 330cc, enhanced Smart Power+ (eSP+)*2 single-cylinder SOHC four-valve, liquid-cooled engine, which features excellent fuel economy and environmental performance realized by the low-friction design.
  • ADV350 also is equipped with the Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC)*3 which enables riding in accordance with road conditions. The HSTC also realizes suitable torque output for city and suburban riding.

[ADV350] Received Red Dot Award : Product Design 2022

HR-V(Product name in Japan: Vezel)

With the grand concept of "AMP UP YOUR LIFE" and with a focus on improving the quality of people's daily lives, HR-V was developed as a model that offers not only practicality but also additional experience-based value for customers who enjoy active lifestyles and are open to new things. Adopting Honda's original center-tank layout based on Honda's M/M concept*4, a spacious cabin bigger than the average cabin space of compact SUV models*5, occupant comfort and versatile seat arrangements were realized enabling a comfortable mobility experience for all HR-V occupants.

Key features

  • As for the exterior, HR-V features a "sleek and long cabin" that highlights coupe-like proportions and offers exhilarating visibility for all occupants. HR-V features horizontally-oriented styling with lines on the side of the body running from the front to the back of the vehicle.
  • Equipped with the e: HEV, Honda's 2-motor hybrid system, which drives the vehicle primarily with an electric motor during everyday driving and realizes fuel efficient and smooth driving, HR-V offers top level fuel economy in the class*6.

[HR-V] Received Red Dot Award : Product Design 2022

EU32i(Product name in Japan: EU26iJ)

EU32i is an all-new portable generator that features both 3kVA-class high output and lightweight, compact and highly portable packaging. EU32i accommodates a diversity of generator uses, including as a power source for various outdoor and recreational activities, and backup power supply during emergency situations such as a disaster. Moreover, with the use of a dedicated smartphone app, the user can check the status of the EU32i generator and remotely control the generator, which increases user friendliness.

Key features

  • EU32i is equipped with a newly-developed dedicated 130m3 GX130 engine. The development team pursued the compact and lightweight size and also improved combustion efficiency by tracing back to the structural design.
  • Designing with a focus on user-friendliness made it possible for the user to start EU32i with only two steps - turn the engine switch to on and pull the recoil starter handle. The elimination of the need for choke operation makes it easier to handle the EU32i even for users with limited experience.
  • By downloading a dedicated "Honda My Generator" app to a smart device*7 and connecting the smart device and EU32i using Bluetooth, the user can check the operating status and turn off the engine of EU32i remotely, which will contribute to the improvement of work efficiency.

[EU32i] Received Red Dot Award : Product Design 2022

Comments by Toshinobu Minami, Chief Operating Officer, Design Center,

Honda R&D Co., Ltd.:

"We were able to receive awards in the Product Design category of the globally-recognized Red Dot Design Award for the third consecutive year. Our motorcycles, automobiles and power products are filled with our passion to "help people with our technologies, ideas and designs," which is the passion Honda was founded on, and we believe our success in the Red Dot Design Award was made possible because our customers understand that. We will continue following our passion and taking on new challenges so that we can continue offering more surprise and excitement to our customers."

  • *1The Red Dot Award was founded in 1955 and has become one of the most respected design awards worldwide. The award is administered by Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Essen, Germany. For the Product Design awards, 51 categories of industrial products are judged on 9 criteria including the degree of innovation, functionality, durability and ergonomics.
  • *2The enhanced Smart Power+ (eSP+) is a collective name for the new-generation environmentally-responsible scooter engines which feature both high output and outstanding environmental performance. eSP+ was developed by adopting value-added technologies to the original "eSP," environmentally-responsible scooter engines, which resulted in excellent environmental performance, increased output and reduction of friction.
  • *3Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) is a system designed to assist the rider's accelerator inputs, and it is not a system to eliminate wheel slips. Therefore, HSTC cannot address reckless riding, as with the motorcycle/scooter without HSTC.
  • *4Honda's "man maximum, machine minimum" concept is a basic approach to Honda car design calling for maximizing the space available for people and minimizing the space required for mechanical components, which increases the space efficiency of the vehicle.
  • *5Honda internal research as of April 2022.
  • *6Within the compacta SUV category. Honda internal research as of April 2022.
  • *7Smartphones or tablets operating on iOS or Android.

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Honda Motor Co. Ltd. published this content on 31 March 2022 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 31 March 2022 06:05:06 UTC.