Reference Auto

Honda’s City is fast changing and the Japanese company has unveiled its fourth generation car, the USP of which is that it also has a diesel model along with a petrol one, so this, also with its snazzy looks, could give Honda a headstart in emerging markets like India.

The world premier of the new City was held today in Delhi, and although it is the fourth generation car on Indian roads, it’s actually the seventh generation car in the global market.

The new Honda City.

The new City will come in diesel as well as petrol 1.5 litre engines. The 1.5 litre i-DTEC diesel engine propels the Amaze and will also drive the City.

The current Honda City belts out 100 PS peak power and 200 NM torque while the new model may be a tad better at 110 PS and 220-240 NM.

The 1.5 litre i-Vtec petrol engine will, however, be offered with the ditto 118 PS power and 146 NM torque.

It will have the option of both manual and automatic transmissions with paddle shifters as standard. One of the USPs of the new City would probably be its fuel efficiency.

The new City may be judiciously priced (could be around Rs 9 lakh-Rs 9.5 lakh) so that it can put the leader in its segment, Hyundai Verna, along with others like Skoda Rapid, Fiat Linea, Volkswagen Vento and Ford Fiesta far behind in sales. But will the new City lead the pack in the near future?

Honda has played it smart so far as the new City’s exteriors go. It has given some distinct creases and curves that make it look more luxurious compared to the current version. (After all, it has to make up for the Civic, which had gone off the hook recently).

A look at the City from the front reveals that there is chrome on its grille in abundance as well as in the chrome festooned headlamp cluster.

The bumper design gives it a sporty look along with an air dam and two large supplementary grilles that hold the fog lamp assemblies.

The front fenders come with a muscular garb and have a distinct line that runs all the way from the bottom of the bumper to the rear view mirrors.

The mirrors have integrated clear lens turn indicators that are surely one of the USPs of the new fourth generation Honda City.

The City offers 175/65 R15 tyres and this is a dampener since they are too small for a car in the Rs 9 lakh-Rs 11 lakh bracket. Also, the wheels are too plain for a car of this size.

From the rear, the huge horizontal tail lamps give the City’s looks a fillip and are connected by a large chrome accent piece. The tail gate itself has a distinguished design and is one of the highlights of the new City.

The City’s interiors, too, have undergone a makeover. There is a new 5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with 8 speakers and a rear view camera along with rear AC vents.

The front seats are very well curved, to give it a distinct look and leg space at the back is more. The new City is 5 cm longer and about 1 cm higher.

So, with a diesel model, snazzy looks, interior and exterior makeovers, more space, and may be intelligent pricing, the fourth generation Honda City could be on a roll.