2020 Honda City gets thoroughly updated exterior and interior along with the addition of a new turbocharged petrol engine
The long-awaited new generation City has debuted in Thailand today. Having been spotted testing on Indian soil as well, the brand new Honda City is expected to enter our market towards the second half of next year. The heavily updated sedan will be introduced in Thailand first before expanding its reach to other ASEAN markets.
It must be noted that the City nameplate plays a big role in Honda’s domestic sales in India and thus the new model carries a lot of weight to revive the shrinking numbers in the C-segment. The Japanese manufacturer has incorporated a whole host of exterior and interior changes to differentiate itself from the outgoing model.
The fifth-generation Honda City adorns a sportier front fascia with a clamshell-like bonnet structure and an inward tilted chrome grille. The newly designed front bumper possesses redesigned fog lamp housing and the central air intake is wider and slightly more imposing in downward position.
The sharper headlamps and slick integrated LED Daytime Running Light treatment are in line with the latest crop of Honda models sold elsewhere. The overall silhouette of the 2020 Honda City is identical to the outgoing model that has been in the business for more than four years.
The rear end comprises of notable revisions with a more matured wraparound LED tail lamps grafted below the stubby tailgate. The 15-inch diamond cut alloy wheels and side creases add to the glitter as well. It has bigger dimensions to offer roomier cabin as it measures a length of 4,553 mm, width of 1,748 mm and stands 1,467 mm tall (100 mm longer, 53 mm wider and 28 mm shorter than the outgoing model).
| 2020 Honda City | Dimensions In mm |
| Length | 4,553 mm |
| Width | 1,748 mm |
| Height | 1,467 mm |
As for the interior, Honda has certainly upped the game with the use of more upscale materials and the less use of physical buttons meant it is a plush place to be. All the activities are centred around the larger eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system enabling Honda Connect, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
The refreshed vibe reminiscing the new Jazz is further compounded by the black theme and new seat upholstery along with subtle aluminium and piano black finishes across different parts of the cabin. Notable features include an automatic climate control system, new leather-wrapped steering wheel with mounted controls, engine start/stop button, dual pod instrumentation, etc.
The safety suite contains six airbags, multi-angle rearview camera, ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution), ISOFIX child mounts, VSC (Vehicle Stability Control), HSA (Hill Start Assist), etc. The range-topping RS package of the new City is priced 7,39,000 THB (Rs. 17.52 lakh) and it has contrast red interior stitching.
| 2020 Honda City | Engine & Performance |
| Engine | 1.0L turbo petrol/1.5L petrol/1.5L diesel |
| Power | 122 hp/117 hp/100 hp/ |
| Torque | 173 Nm/145 Nm/200 Nm/ |
| Transmission | CVT/six-speed manual & CVT/six-speed manual & CVT |
The powertrain department has equally been thought through with the addition of a new four-cylinder 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine for select markets including Thailand. It gets a Borg Warner turbocharger and is good enough to deliver a maximum power of 122 horsepower and 173 Nm of peak torque.
It will be mated to only a CVT auto transmission with paddle shifting function with claimed fuel economy of 23.8 kmpl. The recently debuted new-gen Honda Jazz that won’t make its way into India features a e:HEV mild-hybrid system paired with a 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol motor.
It has also been added to the new Honda City’s lineup, connected to a CVT and perhaps a six-speed MT could be offered as well. The hybrid unit is bound for India in 2021 as previously reported and the existing 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol making 117 horsepower and 145 Nm will get BSVI compliance.
The upgraded and more refined engine will continue to be on sale in the existing City before the new generation arrives along with the 1.5-litre diesel mill. The oil-burner will gain a CVT automatic only when the brand new model hits the market. The new City will continue to rival Maruti Ciaz, Hyundai Verna, Skoda Rapid, VW Vento and Toyota Yaris.
