The latest rumour is that Thailand will host the world premiere of
the next-gen Honda City, and too before the 2019 Thai Motor Expo that will open
on 24 November. After all, it's the country where the car has been designed and
its R&D has taken place.
The 2020 Honda City will sport a completely revamped
front fascia with new headlamps, redesigned front bumper, wider grille and a
slightly bigger Honda logo. Spy shots suggest some level of influence of the
tenth-gen Honda Accord in the fresh design. On the inside, too, a completely
new design is expected. It should pack a slew of new/enhanced comfort and
convenience creatures including wireless charging, new touchscreen infotainment
system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and connected car solutions.
The Thai-spec next-gen Honda City is expected to be
launched with a 1.0-litre VTEC Turbo petrol engine (120 PS/200 Nm) mated to a
6-speed MT or CVT and in a Hybrid variant with the i-MMD system that uses a
1.5-litre iVTEC petrol engine and two electric motors.
In India, expect the 2020 Honda City to be offered
with BS-VI 1.5L i-VTEC petrol and BS-VI 1.5L i-DTEC diesel engine options. As
standard, these engines will be linked to a 5-speed manual transmission and a
6-speed manual transmission respectively. A CVT option will be available with
both these upgraded engines. A hybrid variant is said to be launched in 2021,
although there's no clarity on the level of electrification yet. Some reports
have spoken of a full-hybrid powertrain like in the international markets,
while others have refuted those claims and speak of a lower cost, mild-hybrid
powertrain.
