New Honda City grows bigger and gets more tech

PETALING JAYA: Could the all-new Honda City that is due to be launched by the year end be even bigger than the current generation? We think so.

If you were to look at the previous Honda City, one of its main selling points was its abundance of space be it the 536 litre boot space which could be increased by folding down the rear seats and the legroom space with the 2,600mm wheelbase.

Currently, the City measures at 4,442mm x 1,694mm x 1,477mm (length x width x height).

The new, fifth generation City which has already launched in other markets have upped the measurements somewhat: 4,549mm x 1,748mm x 1,489mm. Although the wheelbase remains the same at 2,600mm, an increase in height could indicate more headroom space.

It was the third-generation City that started the slick arrowshot profile design in 2008, which continues to evolve to this day.


Honda Malaysia teased the new fifth-generation City with the introduction of a new flagship variant, the RS. Now, there are four variants to the new City.

Previously, it came in the entry level S variant, followed by the E variant, and the top-specced V variant.

The new, upcoming City boasts a new 1.5L DOHC i-VTEC engine and the RS includes the new i-MMD powertrain which produces a beefy 253Nm of torque.

We tried the Honda Insight last year during the Tokyo Motor Show period and it consisted of a 1.5 litre engine with the Sport Hybrid i-MMD (intelligent Multi Mode Drive) consisting of an electric two-motor hybrid system mated to an E-CVT transmission.

The Insight electric motor produced 131PS and 267Nm of torque while the combustion engine outputs 109PS and 134Nm of torque.


It looks like the new City RS is getting a leaner version of the hybrid system but that's okay because there is so much more twisting force than you are getting at 145Nm with the current City.

The top two variants of the new City will also feature LED headlights, taillights and Daytime Running Lights and more importantly, it gets the Honda LaneWatch safety system.

Now, the LaneWatch is a camera system which projects the left side of the car when you engage the turn signal. This means the new City will probably come with a much bigger display on the dashboard (freestanding maybe).


Currently, the touchscreen display is at 17.3cm while the new City (according to the overseas spec) measures at 20.3cm.

We should also expect it to feature Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity and maybe even voice command and an improved sound system.

We sure hope so because that would mean the cabin will be better sound-proofed to cancel external noise and makes for a comfortable experience for the driver and passengers.


The new RS variant also features an Electric Parking Brake (EPB) and the picture provided by Honda Malaysia showed another interesting function: Brake Hold. By pressing the button and coming to a full-stop like at a traffic light, you are able to lift your foot off the brakes and just step on the accelerator when the lights turn green.

Speaking of digital displays, it may also be possible for the RS and V variants to feature an enhanced TFT digital instrument cluster display which features a host of information such as tachometer and speedometer, range and fuel and maybe even a low pressure tyre warning system which is always handy.

So there's a lot to get excited for with the upcoming City although we can't confirm anything other than what was announced by Honda Malaysia but thinking about it sure is fun.