The Honda City has received a stylish makeover, with the facelift of the popular B-segment model making its debut in India. Registration of interest (ROI) is now open for the model in Thailand. With the new City launching soon in the Kingdom, there’s a high possibility it will debut in Malaysia soon. This could be one of the five remaining models Honda Malaysia plans to launch locally, following their previous announcement to introduce six new cars, one of which has already been launched.
As the teasers suggest, the Honda City now sports a new swanky front design, with its front fascia completely redesigned, featuring new headlights and black trim connecting to give the illusion of a full-width setup, which is emphasised by segmented daytime-running lights.
The front fog lamps found on the outgoing model are removed on the facelift, and overall, this gives the Honda City a design that resembles those from Kia, with its Stormtrooper-esque look.
Towards the side, the new Honda City does not have many changes other than a new set of alloy wheels. For the rear design, similar to the front, it also gets a redesign. While it retains the outgoing taillight layout globally, the Indian market specifically receives clear taillights. The main changes are found on the rear bumper, which now features a faux rear diffuser with a black plastic trim in the middle, flanked by vertical reflectors on both ends.
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On the hatchback variant, it shares the same front design as the sedan, and its rear has received a nip-and-tuck as the changes revolve around a redesigned rear diffuser.
Inside, the cabin remains largely similar to the outgoing setup, but the facelift introduces a new floating-style 10.1-inch centre infotainment display, ambient lighting, dual-tone leather upholstery in white and black, and a wireless charging pad. Ventilated front seats are also added to the mix, though this comfort feature is exclusively reserved for the range-topping variant.
Powertrain-wise, the facelifted Honda City is expected to carry forward the current 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine producing 121 hp and 145 Nm of torque, paired with either a six-speed manual transmission or a CVT gearbox driving the front wheels.
The e:HEV setup features a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine making 98 hp and 127 Nm of torque, which is paired with an electric traction motor producing 109 hp and 253 Nm, enabling series-parallel capabilities.
Safety systems remain mostly unchanged, with the facelifted Honda City equipped with the Honda Sensing suite of ADAS features. This includes the LaneWatch camera setup alongside a 360-degree surround-view camera, adaptive cruise control, and a tyre pressure monitoring system.
With the new Honda City open for ROI in Thailand, it is highly likely that the updated sedan and hatchback will make their way to Malaysia shortly after their debut in the Kingdom. With the upcoming Kuala Lumpur International Mobility Show (KLIMS), perhaps we will see the debut of the marque’s refreshed B-segment contender as a public preview.
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