After presenting the global Fit/Jazz at the 2019
Tokyo Motor Show last month, Honda is now getting ready to launch its sedan
variant, the City. Limited to select markets, the fifth generation City wants to build
on the success of its predecessors, which were chosen by more than 4 million
people, and will be unveiled on November 25.
The subcompact model will have a “sporty and
luxurious exterior design”, as well as a “more spacious cabin”, according to
Honda. It will also pack a new turbo engine with 33 percent better fuel
efficiency, while offering more powerful performance.
We will have to take the company’s word for the
styling and practicality parts, and quote the local media when it comes to the
possible specs of the car. Thus, expect a new 1.0-liter, turbocharged engine,
probably developing around 120 horsepower, connected to a 6-speed manual gearbox
or a CVT; a 1.5-liter mild-hybrid could be on the agenda too.
It’s unlikely that Honda’s redesigned City will
adopt the 2-motor hybrid system from the Jazz/Fit, but markets outside
Thailand, primarily India, might get an updated version of the outgoing
1.5-liter diesel, with improved fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions. The
unit currently makes 100 HP and 200 Nm of torque. Don’t expect the new City in
Europe or North America, though, as it will probably be limited to the Middle East,
Asia and South America, like the iteration before it.
