The Honda City is a subcompact automobile that has been produced by the famous Japanese car manufacturer, Honda, since 1981. Although Honda had already used the City moniker on a subcompact hatch in the 1980s and early 1990s, the heritage of the present Honda City sedan can be dated back to the original sedan version, which had its local introduction in the late 90s. Designed primarily for Southeast Asia, the 4-door City was Honda's entry-level replacement for the Civic hatchback, which had already started to move premium.
History of the Honda City
Honda City First Generation (AA/FV/FA; 1981–1986)
In November 1981, Honda launched the first generation of the City hatchback. People now refer to the City's style as "tall boy" because of its vertical seating configuration, which provided legroom similar to that of bigger cars. Honda powered the City with a 1231cc CVCC (Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion) engine that guzzled down gasoline at an unmatched rate in the category. The car manufacturer used a 4-speed manual and a 2-speed automatic gearbox with an overdrive to operate the engine. Since Opel owned the trademark to 'City' after employing it on the Kadett C hatchback for several years, it was sold in Europe as the Honda Jazz and regarded as a popular vehicle in Japan. On the other hand, the City struggled in European markets because of its massive price.
Honda City Second Generation (GA; 1986–1994)
The City 2 debuted at the Thailand International Motor Expo in November 2002. With an 88-PS 'i-DSI' engine, it was the most fuel-efficient car on the market when it went on sale in the same year. Later, the company released a VTEC model with a CVT automatic transmission and a seven-speed Multimatic gearbox. The 'City ZX' was released in Malaysia in October 2005 as a sportier copy of the classic ZX. The front and rear bumpers and lights were updated, as were the headlights, fog lights, and rearview mirrors. In addition to a CVT gearbox that resembles a 7-speed automatic transmission with paddle-shift controls on the steering wheel, the new vehicle also features the same 1.5-liter VTEC engine from the previous model.
Honda City Third Generation (3A/SX; 1996–2002)
New beginnings started in 1996 when Honda reintroduced the "city," this time under the working title SX8 for the Markets in Asia. Honda Thailand developed it instead of Honda Japan, and the City was released as a sophisticated subcompact sedan rather than a hatch. An altogether new car would have required more resources, but Honda decided to use the 4th generation Civic EF chassis and D-series engines that were already well-proven and give it a new look inside and out. Honda's goal was to provide a low-priced car in the Asian market that offered a Civic-like driving comfort and performance to its customers. Because of its third-generation ancestor, Honda launched a successful subcompact sedan that has since become a household brand in various regions worldwide.
Honda City Fourth Generation (GD/GE; 2002–2008)
In Malaysia, the fourth generation City debuted on January 23, 2104. Better aesthetics and a larger wheelbase were available for the third-generation Honda Jazz. Honda's 'Exciting H-design' was also used to give it a more modern look than its previous versions. The City's fourth generation was available with a slew of high-end equipment, including a 5-inch LCD navigation display, a touch-panel auto climate control system, rear AC vents, Bluetooth music, an eight-speaker system, a rearview camera, and four power outlets.
Honda City Fifth Generation (GM2/3; 2008–2013)
An all-new model of the City was introduced in Thailand in September 2018. It had an all-new look and feel, a more roomy interior, and a brand-new engine. The 'Arrow Shot Form,' as Honda dubbed it, gives the City a more powerful and athletic appearance. The 1.3L and 1.5L VTEC engines of this City were the most popular, whereas the i-DSI engine of the prior generation was discontinued. However, a 140 hp 1.8L R18A engine was also available with the 5th generation City in China. Five-speed manual and five-speed automatic transmissions were available in this model. Although the facelift appeared in foreign markets in 2011, it came to Pakistan a few years later but has undergone many revisions with slight aesthetic variations. For 12 years, this City has been on the market, and Honda has just lately stated that it would be phased out in favor of the newer 6th generation model.
Honda City Sixth Generation (GM4/5/6/8/9; 2014–2020)
First shown on the third-generation Fit/Jazz in September 2013, Honda's sixth-generation City—fourth-generation as a sedan—is the second vehicle to have the new "Exciting H" appearance. The 2014 Middle East Car of the Year award went to this vehicle. The company still based the car on the Fit/Jazz framework.
It was slightly bigger than the previous generation, but it had better handling. It had a more sporty driving experience because of its lower sitting position. In terms of powertrains, there were three 1.5L petrol engines, a 1.5L petrol hybrid, and a 1.5L turbodiesel, each with a 5-speed manual, 5-speed automatic, or a 7-speed continuously variable transmission (CVT). In January 2017, the facelift was unveiled, including new styling and equipment. In Japan, the car was referred to as the Honda Grace, but in China, it was referred to as the Honda Greiz, which had a distinct look. Additionally, the sixth generation City has a 5-star Latin NCAP crash test rating.
Honda City Seventh Generation (GN; 2019–Present)
Thais got their hands on the new 7th-generation Honda City in November 2019. Even though it's longer than the 9th gen Civic in length, the company still categorized the City as a subcompact or B-segment vehicle.
The City is available in various engine combinations depending on the market in which it is sold.
- Thailand - 1.0L three-cylinder turbo
- India - 1.5L turbo diesel
- Other markets - 1.5L petrol engine (L15B1, L15Z1C, L15ZF)
CVT and 6-speed manual transmissions are available for this model's customers. Twenty-six years after the last time Honda utilized the body type, the hatchback variant debuted on November 20, 2020. Although the hatchback is somewhat shorter than the sedan, it is in line with the European ninth-generation Civic hatch in terms of overall size. Since its comeback in 1996, the company has sold more than 3.6 million copies of City worldwide in more than 60 countries. The City's overall sales in India peaked at 700,000 as of 2017. The City is Honda's best-selling vehicle in the country, accounting for 25% of global sales.
Price
Honda retails its 2022 Honda City from Rs 11.29 lakh to Rs 15.24 lakh, which is $14,570 to $19,667.
Features of the Honda City
Interior Features
Even though the Honda City can accommodate up to five passengers, including the driver, the optimal number for passenger comfort is simply four. The V and S variants use black cloth as far as seating goes, while the top model RS includes suede and leather seats. The comfortable upholstery of this sedan makes it stand out from the rest of the competition. The company redesigned the Honda City's air conditioning vents and temperature control buttons. Manual air conditioning controls are used in base models, while automatic air conditioning functions are used in the V and RS versions. All models include four bottle holders and two cup holders as a standard, with the RS model having four of each. However, this sedan has a problem when it comes to providing enough headroom. The carmaker has included a slew of contemporary technologies, a roomy interior, and plenty of storage in this model. There are controls and knobs for the driver's comfort and simplicity of use in the console. In addition to these amenities, more standard features for all other models are height-adjustable driver's seats, a day and night rear mirror, a seat back compartment for the front passenger, one push-button start, truck lights, a map, a dome, and adjustable headrests.
Exterior Features
The current Honda City model features an all-new, streamlined, and energetic design. The company reworked the front of the car to match the styling of its bigger siblings. The S and V models have halogen projector headlights, while the RS model has LEDs. S and V models come with a chrome grille, but the RS model has a distinctive high-gloss appearance with an RS symbol on the grille. Auto-off timers are standard in all models, and they kick in 15 seconds after turning off the engine. A sporty-looking fog light garnish is available for the Honda City RS, but only in the RS model. The E and S models feature side turn signal lights on the fenders, whereas models S and RS have them built into their door mirrors. Standard on all models are LED taillights and high-mounted stoplights. The RS model comes with a sportier bumper for those who want a sportier look. The door handles are sports-style in the RS model, whereas the door handles are chrome in the V model. The RS model's door mirrors are a high-gloss black, whereas the ones on the other models match their body color. The Honda City comes with power-adjustable mirrors across all trim levels, although only the RS and V models include a power fold option. In addition, only the RS and V versions have a trunk release button on the back, unlike the rest of the lineup.
Exterior colors for the Honda City are as follows:
- Ignite Red Metallic
- Modern Steel Metallic
- Platinum White Pearl
- Crystal Black Pearl
- Lunar Silver Metallic
- Taffeta White
Standard and Technology Features
- An 8-inch touchscreen audio infotainment system (S CVT, V CVT, and RS CVT)
- A 2-DIN Audio system (S variant)
- Apple CarPlay
- Android Auto
- WebLink
- 1 USB port for the S Variant and 2 for other models
- Audio controls and HFT without voice recognition (S Variant)
- Audio and hands-free telephone (HFT) with voice recognition
- A 4-speaker sound system
- A 4-speaker, 4-tweeter configuration sound system (RS Variant)
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Automatic air conditioning system (RS and V)
- A manual air conditioning system (S variant)
- Air controls with rotary knobs
- Rear ventilation (RS and V)
- Trip meter
- Tachometer
- Fuel level
- Speedometer
- Fuel consumption meter
- Range computer
- A one-push start system
- Temperature and illumination control
- Cruise control and a multi-view camera (RS and V)
- Smart entry (RS and V)
- Keyless entry system with wave key functionality (S)
Safety Features
The Honda City is well-equipped in terms of safety features. Side airbags and driver and front passenger airbags are standard equipment. Meanwhile, side curtain airbags are standard only on the RS model. Also standard are vehicle stability control, hill start assist, G-CON body structure, emergency stop signal, ABS with EBD, three 3-point ELR seat belts in the back, and adjustable 3-point ELR seat belts in the front. Seat belt warnings for the driver and front passenger, a child lock, power door locks with speed-sensing auto lock, a knee bolster for the driver, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and a security alarm with an immobilizer are all included in the Honda City's list of standard safety features.
Specs of the Honda City (1.5 RS CVT)
The new Honda City delivers 119 hp (89 kW) of horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 107 lb-ft (145 Nm) of torque at 4,300 rpm. This model accelerates from 0-62 mph (100 kph) in 5.2 seconds, with a top speed of 109 mph (175 kph) and a curb weight of 2,348–2,568 lbs (1,065–1,165 kg). Honda installed a front-wheel-drive (FWD) drivetrain for the model, available in different transmissions like a 6-speed manual, CVT, and eCVT. Under the hood, the engines are available in different variants:
- 1.0L P10A6 I3 turbo
- 1.5L L15Z1C I4
- 1.5L L15ZF I4
- 1.5L LEB8 Atkinson cycle i-MMD I4
- 1.5L LEB-H5 Atkinson cycle i-MMD I4
- 1.5L N15 I4 turbo (India)
Release Date
Honda released the first generation of Honda City in 1981, and it has been on the market until today, in 2022.