New Honda City e:HEV (Hybrid) TVC Video Out, India Launch in Offing

A few months back, the Honda revealed the hybrid version of the fifth-gen City. And now the sedan is finally on sale in the Thai-market. It is only offered in the RS variant, which is offered at a price tag of Rs 20.42 lakh. The new hybrid RS trim is Rs 2.43 lakh costlier than the gasoline-powered RS version. One major difference between the two City RS variants is that the standard RS model of the sedan is powered by a 1.0-litre, 3-pot V-TEC turbocharged petrol engine, while the e:HEV is powered by an i-MMD (Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive) hybrid power plant, which is coupled to a 1.5-litre petrol unit. The former puts out power and torque outputs of 98PS and 127 Nm, while the latter is capable of shredding out 109 PS of peak power and 253 Nm of twisting force.

The new City e-HEV RS comes coupled to a CVT gearbox and is rated to offer 27.8 kmpl of fuel efficiency. It is around 10kmpl more than the standard India-spec City petrol CVT. In terms of looks, the new Honda City hybrid RS looks quite similar to that of the regular RS model of the sedan. It features honeycomb mesh grille up front, two-tone 16-inch alloy wheels, sporty-looking front bumper and boot lid spoiler. But, it gets some added features like electric parking brake with auto hold, Honda sensing range of safety features, collision mitigation safety system, auto high-beam, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist and lane departure warning.

One can expect that carmaker to introduce the new City hybrid in India by next year. It is expected to become the top-spec trim of the sedan in our market. Once launched, it’ll become the most fuel-efficient car in its segment. Currently, the fifth-gen Honda City is retailed at a starting price of Rs 10.89 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). It’ competes with the likes of Hyundai Verna, Maruti Ciaz, Toyota Yaris, VW Vento and Skoda Rapid.