Honda Car India is planning to increase prices of its vehicles by up to Rs 6,000 from April to offset the impact of adverse exchange rate that has resulted in higher input costs.

It is for the first time that Maruti Suzuki India made model is being exported to Japan where its parent Suzuki Motor Corporation is based.

Honda Cars India reported 22.96 per cent decline in domestic sales at 13,020 units in February. It had sold 16,902 units in the same month last year, Honda Cars India (HCIL) said in a statement.

The recall is part of the airbag problem that has forced parent Honda Motor Company to recall millions of cars worldwide and almost half a million cars have been affected in the Indian subcontinent too.

Honda Cars India reported a decline in its domestic sales at 17,135 units in January. It had sold 18,331 units in the same month last year, Honda Cars India (HCIL) said in a statement.

Besides an uncertain future on rising fumes over use of diesel for the long term in automotive, the industry witnessed an unprecedented emission scandal involving Europe's largest carmaker Volkswagen that could lead to unprecedented penal fine of up to $18 billion in the US.

HCIL has sold over 1,90,000 units till November this year with sales coming through strong performances of its products including the City, Amaze and Jazz.

The unprecedented rains in Chennai and adjoining areas also led to huge production losses for auto makers and suppliers, who had made that region a major auto hub.

Based out of a device to be plugged into a car, the new app would integrate car systems with the company servers allowing safer and convenient information flow to the customers.

The recall covers vehicles manufactured in India between December 2013 to July 2015 . It will affect only the diesel variants of the two models.

The country's largest carmaker may already be planning to add to its hatchback segment with a more powerful version of the 1.3-litre Multijet 200 DDiS diesel engine of Baleno.

This is a proactive voluntary action and no accidents related to the concern have been reported, the company added.

It will take on arch rival Hyundai's i20, the segment leader of premium small cars, amid the buoyant festive season, when car sales peak in the Indian market.

The company's Indian arm, Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) said the CVT variants of Honda City produced during the period are being recalled to update the software that manages the continuously variable transmission (CVT).

It's the market leader's third new car for India this year, after S-Cross and the new Alto k10.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno will be sold exclusively via the company's dealership range of Nexa showrooms.

Honda Cars India will voluntarily replace airbag inflators of 2,23,578 vehicles of previous generations of CR-V, Civic, City and Jazz, the company said.

Baleno will add to Maruti Suzuki's portfolio in the premium compact hatchback segment and it will take on the likes of Hyundai i20, Honda Jazz and Volkswagen Polo.

The data revealed that the total passenger vehicle sales, which includes cars, utility vehicles and vans, went up by 3.99 per cent to 222,476 units from 213,938 units sold in August, 2014.

Three big launches in July and August - Hyundai Creta, Maruti S-Cross and Honda Jazz - seem to have bucked the trend and help car firms post impressive sales.