BANGKOK: The latest Honda City is launched today here. It is available in four variants with pricing from RM80,000 to RM103,000.
The 5th-gen City will be coming to Malaysia in early 2020. The exterior is designed with sporty elegance in mind while the interior is said to be roomy and more premium beyond its class.
New is the 1.0 litre VTEC TURBO 3-cylinder engine that delivers 122 PS or 120hp. This powerplant replaces the 1.5-litre engine used in the previous City.
An RS variant is available for the first time, offering a sportier look with a full RS package.
The four variants of the City are :
> RS 739,000 THB (RM102,084)
> SV 665,000 THB (RM91,862)
> V 609,000 THB (RM84,126)
> S 579,500 THB (RM80,051)
The 1.0-litre DOHC, 12-valve, VTEC Turbo engine delivers 122 PS at 5,500rpm and maximum torque of 173Nm at 2,000 to 4,500 rpm.
The new engine is billed as providing driving performance superior to the 1.5-litre engine in the previous generation and powerful torque equivalent to a 1.8-litre engine. The engine is mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and fuel efficiency is rated at 23.8km per litre.
There are 7-speed paddle shifters and a cruise control system. The new engine meets the EURO 5 standard and is compatible with E20 fuel.
Considering that the 1.5-litre City is outputting 120PS and 145Nm, it could happen that Honda Malaysia might continue to sell the new City with a 1.5l-engine while offering the 1..0-litre version as a more premium grade, that is lighter and has a greater torque advantage. This would be a similar marketing approach with the Civic, where the 1.8-litre is the base variant while the turbocharged 1.5-litre version is pitched as the range topper.
The latest City has projector headlights with LED daytime running lights (DRLs), LED tail lights, chrome front grille, shark fin antenna, and new 15-inch alloy wheels.
There's also a more spacious cabin with a black interior or leather seats with a two-tone ivory/black interior (SV variant only), a Piano Black console, and chrome interior door handles.
The kit list includes a Multi-information Display (MID) with illumination, 8-inch Advanced touch display audio with Apple CarPlay and Siri Voice Control, multi-function steering wheel with HFT, Bluetooth connectivity, and an automatic air-conditioning system.
Safety features include a G-CON (G-Force Control) body structure, six airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Hill Start Assist (HSA), and Multi-angle Rearview Camera.
For the first time, an RS variant is available, offering a sportier look with a complete RS package, the latest-generation Honda CONNECT technology, and a new exterior colour “Ignite Red.”
The RS variant comes with a sporty aeroparts including a gloss black front grille with RS logo emblem, sporty front bumper and grille, LED headlights with LED DRLs, LED fog lights, black power-retractable side door mirror with turning light, black trunk spoiler with “RS” logo, and new 16-inch alloy wheels.
For the RS variant, the cabin has suede leather seats with red stitching, and a Multi-information Display with red illumination.
“Honda City, one of our most important models, was developed and launched as a regional model back in 1996. It has consistently received overwhelming feedback from the 1st through the 4th generation, with accumulated sales of four million units in 60 countries worldwide," said Asian Honda Motor Co Ltd president and CEO Masayuki Igarashi.
"The Asia & Oceania region is an important market for the City, with more than 100,000 units sold in the region in 2019 (January to September 2019), which accounts for almost 70% of City sales worldwide. We also consider Thailand a key market for the City because of the country’s strong market potential and because it is Honda’s largest production base in the region. As Thailand is the leading market for City, today Thai people will be the first to witness the world premiere of the 5th generation all-new Honda City.”
