Honda is refreshing its product line-up with the global unveil of Honda City hatchback following last week's showcase of New-Gen Civic prototype. The premium hatchback was revealed in Thailand ahead of a possible launch in the South-East and ASEAN countries next year. The sedan continues to be popular among consumers for its design, styling, features and engine options as the brand will further try to drive positive sale numbers.
The unveiled hatchback is certainly inspired by the Honda Civic sedan with which it shares its design elements. For instance, Honda City hatchback borrows the grille, fog lamps, bumper and bonnet design from the sedan. Its C-pillar is different as it offers an up-kept tailgate rather than a boot visible on the sedan. The Japanese manufacturer has completely redesigned the taillights, bumper and spoiler to give the vehicle a distinctive look. Plus it rides on 16-inch alloy wheels.
Moving on-to interior layout, the Thailand-spec model comes loaded with features like an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. This unit comes compatible with Android Auto Sand Apple CarPlay. It also offers a premium 8-speaker sound system with multiple parking cameras. Safety features onboard the vehicle include 6 airbags, Hill-Start and Stop Assist, Vehicle Stability Control among others. The car is powered by a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine delivering 120 bhp of maximum power output and 173 Nm of peak torque. Transmission duties is being taken care by a 6-speed manual gearbox and a 6-speed CVT stick.
In the Thailand, the Honda City hatchback retails at a price tag of THB 599,000 (around Rs 14.59 lakh in Indian currency) for the S+ trim. While the SV variant costs THB 675,000 ( approx Rs 16.44 lakh) and the RS verson has a price of THB 749,000 (Rs 18.25 lakh). Chances of it arriving in the Indian market is slim considering the manufacturer recently launched the Honda Jazz Facelift here. The tax relief on sub-4 metre cars in India won’t be given to the Honda City hatchback thus making it expensive than the rivals.
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