Japanese auto giant Honda has begun work on the next generation of its bestselling sedan, the City. The company is expected to launch the new sedan in India, by 2020. The current one on sale is the fourth-generation model, which was launched in 2014, so it’s about time for Honda to develop a new model.
The current model has gone under the knife (read facelifted) many times during its lifetime to stay competitive. Though much is not known about the new car as of yet, it is expected that the car will take styling cues from the new Honda Civic and sport a sharper design language.
The design of the next-generation Honda City has not been revealed as of now. However, designer Paultan has created the renders you see here, as he expects the City would acquire some of the look of the Honda Insight plugin hybrid.
According to various sources, Honda is also working on a petrol-hybrid powertrain for the City. However, it will not be a full-fledged hybrid technology but a milder one to keep costs in check. Whether Honda will bring the hybrid version here is still not clear, but if it does the car will be a great alternative for people who care more about efficiency.
The new City will also meet the upcoming BSVI norms, and Honda is ready to bear the high expenditure of upgrading the current diesel powertrains. The new car is also likely to feature a diesel-CVT duo as in the Amaze. This will help Honda to take on rivals, such as the Hyundai Verna, who sport a similar configuration. The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz will also be a rival to watch out for as its expected to come with Maruti’s in-house BSVI-ready 1.5-litre diesel engine.
The current-generation city starts at Rs. 8.77 lakh (ex-showroom) going all the way up to Rs. 13.92 lakh (ex showroom). Expect the pricing of the upcoming model to not change much as this is a highly competitive segment where pricing is one of the major factor involved in sales.
The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz has already beaten both the City and Verna to grab the most selling title. The C-segment sedan has been the main model for Honda to rely on and so we expect Honda to equip the new car with all the equipment and safety features required to take on the competition.
Via AutocarIndia, Render courtesy Paultan
