Honda Cars India to reveal the much-awaited City Hybrid on the 14th of April 2022
Wait for a robust mass-market hybrid ends now. After much delay, Honda Cars India will finally introduce its i-MMD hybrid tech with the 5th generation City on the 14th of April 2022. Once launched, the City Hybrid will be India's most affordable hybrid offering. Here is a quick look at all the details about the New Honda City Hybrid.
What type of engine will it have?
Honda will continue to offer the 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine with the City Hybrid but paired with two electric motors. The first motor works with the engine as an Integrated Starter Generator (ISG), while the second motor drives the front wheels through a single-speed, fixed ratio gearbox. The petrol engine is rated for a power output of 98 bhp with 127 Nm of peak torque, while the electric motor can generate a peak power of 109 bhp and 253 Nm torque. The hybrid sedan will continue with the familiar 6-speed manual and the 7-step CVT gearboxes as seen on other Honda models. The hybrid powertrain will also come with a multi-drive mode selector that will help the driver switch between pure EV, pure ICE and ICE+EV combined mode.
What will the New Honda City Hybrid look like?
The New City Hybrid is expected to come with a sportier design on the outside. We can expect it to wear all the attire of the RS trim at launch like its international counterpart. In this trim level, one can see the chrome on the car getting replaced with gloss black elements. Thus, the sportier design will complement the added power of the City Hybrid.
What would it be like on the inside?
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Expected to be made available only in the top-of-the-line ZX trim, the City Hybrid will come with bells and whistles like a large 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital driver display, leather upholstery and Amazon Alexa integration, among others. A significant change to the City's interior will be the 90 litres reduction in boot space and the 110 kg increase in weight due to the added battery for the hybrid tech. With its hybrid tech, the City Hybrid is believed to offer a segment-leading fuel economy of 18-20 kmpl. As reference, the City's international model (Thailand and Malaysia) offers a claimed economy of 27.5 kmpl.
Safety equipment likely to be offered in the City Hybrid?
The company has confirmed that the sedan will come equipped with its Honda Sensing Technology, which features active and passive safety technologies. We expect the car to provide a lane departure warning system, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, auto high beam assist, emergency braking and front collision warning. In addition, it will have 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, ESP, blind-spot monitoring, and more which will be carried over from the standard City. The Japanese manufacturer will also equip the vehicle with disc brakes at all four corners to counter the added weight and power to the sedan.
New Honda City Hybrid Pricing and Sales
Being the first significant hybrid model in the country, the City Hybrid will ask for a premium over its ICE counterparts. We expect Honda City Hybrid to be priced at Rs.20 lakh (ex-showroom). Bookings will open once the vehicle is launched, and deliveries are expected to start from May 2022. Due to its premium pricing, Honda expects sales of around 200-300 units monthly and aims to attract 8-10 percent of the City buyers towards the hybrid tech version.
