Honda City RS e:HEV (Hybrid) Launched in Malaysia

Honda Malaysia has finally launched the City RS e:HEV hybrid model which had made its debut alongside the petrol with-gen City in October last year. It’s launch, which was scheduled for January had to pushed further due to the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Honda City hybrid is the flagship variant of the sedan and has been priced at RM 105,950 (INR 18,64,607), on-road without insurance and sales tax exemption. This makes the hybrid version RM 19,000 more expensive than the top variant of the petrol.

The Honda City hybrid is powered by an intelligent multi-drive mode(i-MMD) powertrain which replaces the i-DCD. The powertrain comprises of a 1.45-litre Atkinson-cycle engine DOHC i-VTEC four-pot engine that churns out peak power and torque figures of 98 PS and 127 Nm and comes mated to two motors. In this setup, the internal combustion engine acts as a generator with assistance from an integrated electric motor which also doubles up as a starter. The second and larger motor makes 108 PS and 253 Nm of max power and torque figures. Furthermore, the engine can offer direct drive under high-performance conditions, and it is more efficient than the motor at this. Honda claims that the electric-hybrid setup enables the City to reach 100 kmph in 9.9 seconds, with a top speed of 173 kmph. Claimed fuel economy of this powertrain is 26.5 kmpl.

To differentiate it from the regular petrol-powered models, the Honda City hybrid comes with an exclusive design pack which includes a  gloss-black front grille, carbon-pattern trim on front and rear diffuser, new foglamp garnish, new mirror covers and a ducktail spoiler in a gloss-black finish. The City hybrid also gets 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels and rear disc brakes. The fifth-gen City already comes loaded with features like of automatic LED headlamps, LED daytime running lights, LED rear lights, keyless entry with push start, single-zone auto air-conditioning, rear air-con vents, steering audio buttons and an 8.0-inch touchscreen head unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity with an eight-speaker audio system.

The Honda City RS e:HEV additionally gets more features like a 7.0-inch digital meter panel with hybrid-specific displays, “Ultrasuede” seats, deceleration selector paddle for i-MMD, red stitching on leather steering wheel, gear lever console, centre tunnel and dashboard, and aluminium sport pedals. Safety features on offer include six airbags, VSA, hill start assist, emergency stop signal and the automaker’s LaneWatch left-side camera. The City hybrid also comes filled to the brim with a suite of driver-assist and safety features which include Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Collision Mitigation Braking System (autonomous emergency braking, or AEB), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Auto High-Beam (AHB).