Honda City e:HEV sedan has just been launched in Thailand – alongside the City Hatchback. Just like in Malaysia, the e:HEV will be offered in the Land of Smiles in just a single full-spec RS variant, priced at 839,000 baht. That’s a significant premium over the standard petrol-powered RS, which retails at 739,000 baht, although the latter is with a 1.0 litre VTEC Turbo three-cylinder engine instead of the 1.5 litre naturally-aspirated four-pot we get over here.
The e:HEV receives the smallest version of
Honda’s Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) hybrid system, utilising a 108
PS/253 Nm electric motor that drives the wheels. It is juiced by a 1.5 litre
Atkinson-cycle DOHC i-VTEC engine that develops 98 PS from 5,600 to 6,400 rpm
and 127 Nm between 4,500 and 5,000 rpm, with an integrated electric motor
acting as a generator and a starter.
There’s no traditional gearbox driving the
front wheels, but the petrol mill can clutch in through a single-speed
transmission to provide direct drive at higher speeds, where it is most
efficient. Honda is claiming a fuel consumption figure of 27.8 km per litre on
the NEDC cycle.
Befitting a range-topping model, the e:HEV
gets a few additional features over the petrol RS, such as steering wheel
paddles to adjust the amount of regenerative braking, a seven-inch instrument
cluster display, an electronic parking brake (facilitated by the addition of
rear disc brakes) and rear air-con vents (standard on all Malaysian-market
models).
The e:HEV is also the only model to come
with the Honda Sensing suite of active safety features, including autonomous
emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane centring assist, lane keeping
assist and automatic high beam. Also exclusive to the e:HEV in Thailand is the
LaneWatch blind spot camera (our top petrol model, the 1.5 V, gets it too).
Beyond that, the standard equipment is as
per the petrol RS. The “Road Sailing” models come with a unique look that
consists of a honeycomb grille, a carbon fibre-look front bumper lip, straked
fog light surrounds, a black boot lid spoiler, a rear diffuser, a gloss black
grille bar and door mirrors, and 16-inch two-tone alloy wheels. Inside, you get
faux leather and suede upholstery, red stitching and alloy pedals.
Standard equipment includes LED
headlights, fog lights and taillights, keyless entry with remote engine start
and walk-away automatic locking, push-button start, single-zone automatic
climate control, an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay
connectivity, eight speakers, a reverse camera. Safety-wise, the e:HEV comes
with six airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist and stability control.
Unique to the e:HEV in Thailand is the
Obsidian Blue Pearl paint you see here, which we don’t get. The RS models also
substitute our Passion Red Pearl for the less orange Ignite Red Metallic, but the
Platinum White Pearl, Lunar Silver Metallic, Modern Steel Metallic and Crystal
Black Pearl hues are identical to ours.
