The Honda City subcompact sedan is back for a fifth generation, bringing fresh design inside and out as well as an all-new platform shared with the 2020 Jazz / Fit. Unveiled at the Thailand International Motor Expo 2019 in Bangkok (November 29 – December 10), the all-new Honda City adopts a sportier, more modern design that brings it in line with the brand’s larger sedans including the Insight and Accord.
It looks much better proportioned than in any of its previous iterations and therefore doesn’t look like a cheap car as much as it used to. AS standard IT comes with a chrome front grille, projector headlights with LED DRLs, LED taillights, new 15-inch alloys, and shark fin antenna.
Inside, the 2020 City is said to offer more space, more comfortable seats, and more upscale features. The latter include an 8-inch Advanced Touch Display Audio with Apple CarPlay and Siri Voice Control, Multi-information Display (MID) with illumination, automatic air conditioning, multifunction steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity. Customers can have it either in black fabric or a two-tone leather ivory-black combination with Piano Black console and chrome door handles.
For the first time, there’s an RS trim level that brings a sportier look compared to the standard model. Highlights include more aggressive bumpers, a gloss black front grille with RS emblem, LED headlights with LED DRLs, LED fog lights, black mirror caps, gloss black trunk spoiler with RS logo, new 16-inch alloys, and an exclusive Ignite Red paint. Inside, the City RS offers suede leather seats with red stitching and a multi-information display with red illumination.
It does not offer more power, as all variants get the same 1.0-liter VTEC Turbo three-cylinder gasoline engine delivering 122 PS at 5,500 rpm and 173 Nm of torque at 2,000 – 4,500 rpm. Honda claims the new engine delivers superior driving performance to the outgoing 1.5-liter unit and similar torque to a 1.8-liter power plant.
There’s only a CVT geatbox on offer, but it comes with paddle shifters allowing drivers to shift between seven simulated gears. Combined fuel consumption is 4.2 l/100 km (56 mpg US) and CO2 emissions are rated at 99 g/km, ensuring that the City complies with the Euro 5 standard.
When it comes to safety, the all-new Honda City packs a G-Con (G-Force Control) body structure, six airbags, ABS, EBD, Vehicle Stability Assist, Hill Start Assist and a Multi-angle Rearview Camera. The 2020 City will be available at Honda showrooms across Thailand from December 24 with a starting price of THB 579,500 (US$ 19,170).
