The 2020 Honda City is set to be launched in the Indian market next month, and the sedan will retain its rivalry with the Hyundai Venue, Maruti Ciaz, Skoda Rapid, Toyota Yaris etc
Honda first debuted the new-gen City in Thailand last year, followed by a subsequent launch, and we have been waiting to get our hands on the sedan ever since. Now, Honda Cars India has finally revealed the upcoming new-gen City in our country as well, with the car slated for a launch in July.
While you would think that the Thai-spec model and the recently revealed Indian version would both be same cars. However, this is not true since the India-spec model features a few noteworthy changes as compared to the former, both over and under the skin.
We have compiled a list of five of those changes that have been made to the upcoming India-spec 2020 Honda City, as compared to the Thai-spec version, take a look –
1. Size
The Thai-spec Honda City has a length of 4,553 mm, a width of 1,748 mm, stands 1,467 mm tall and has a 2,589 mm wheelbase.
| Dimensions | India-spec Honda City | Thai-spec Honda City |
| Length | 4,549 mm | 4,553 mm |
| Width | 1,748 mm | 1,748 mm |
| Height | 1,489 mm | 1,467 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,600 mm | 2,589 mm |
In comparison, the model that will be sold in India has a length of 4,549 mm, a width of 1,748 mm, a height of 1,489 mm and a 2,600 mm long wheelbase. As compared to the Thai-spec model, the Indian version of the City might be 4 mm shorter, but is 22 mm taller and has a 11 mm longer wheelbase, while the width of the two versions remains the same.
2. Powertrains
The Thai-spec Honda City was revealed with a sole 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with a max power output of 122 PS, and a 173 Nm peak torque rating. You can only have the City in Thailand with a 7-speed CVT automatic gearbox.
| Powertrain (Petrol) | India-spec City | Thai-spec City |
| Engine | 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder, NA petrol | 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder, turbo petrol |
| Power | 121 PS @ 6,600 rpm | 122 PS @ 5,500 rpm |
| Torque | 145 Nm @ 4,300 rpm | 173 Nm @ 2,000 – 4,500 rpm |
| Transmission | 6-speed MT/6-speed CVT | 7-speed CVT |
In comparison, the India-spec City will be offered with a BS6-compliant petrol engine, which puts out 121 PS of power and 145 Nm of torque. The engine comes mated to a 6-speed manual transmission, along with an optional 6-speed CVT auto.
Also on offer with the India-spec 2020 Honda City will be a BS6 1.5-litre oil burner, rated at 100 PS/200 Nm. The said engine will be linked to a 6-speed MT as standard.
3. LaneWatch camera & more features
While the India-spec City retains the Thai-spec model’s cabin layout, the former gets a few additional features over the latter. The sedan comes equipped with features like LED headlamps and tail lamps, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, Honda Connect connected-car tech, an automatic climate control, push button start/stop, electrically adjustable wing mirrors etc.
On the other hand, the India-spec model has been equipped with a few additional features like an electric sunroof, a 7-inch screen in the semi-digital instrument cluster which displays a G-Force metre to show the magnitude and direction of acceleration, Honda’s LaneWatch camera and a tyre pressure monitor as well. Also, the India-spec City gets 16-inch wheels, as compared to the 15 inchers on the Thai model.
4. Alexa Remote Compatibility
The 2020 Honda City is the first car in the Indian market to be offered with Amazon’s Alexa remote compatibility, which is a part of the Honda Connect telematics system. The connected car-tech allows a total of 32 connected car features including remote engine start/stop, unlock, sunroof operation and more.
5. Price
The pricing for the new-gen Honda City in Thailand start from THB 579,500, which converts to approx. Rs 14.18 lakh, which goes up to THB 739,000 (Rs 18.08 lakh) for the range-topping RS model. However, we do not expect the India-spec new-gen Honda City to carry a similar price tag. Instead, the 2020 City will likely be priced between Rs 11 – 16 lakh (ex-showroom).