The Honda City needs no introduction and it is a household name since it was introduced back in 2002. Since then over 380,000 units have found homes and have become the gateway to Honda’s other products. Up to now, the Honda City is only available as a sedan with the Jazz shouldering the hatchback duties. And while the Jazz continues to soldier on in other countries, the compact car makes way for the new Honda City Hatchback.
At launch, the City Hatchback is available in four variants. Going from the base spec to the full spec car, the variants are S, E, V and RS e:HEV. Prices for the City Hatchback, on-the-road and without sales tax, are:
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- S variant : RM75,760.00
- E variant : RM83,080.00
- V variant : RM87,860.00
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The price for the RS e:HEV has not been announced yet as the variants will only launch early next year. If the City sedan is any indication, the price of the hybrid City Hatchback will hover around the RM100,000 mark.
The RS e:HEV Hatchback looks sportiest
The Honda City Hatchback looks nearly the same as the sedan except for the rear, for obvious reasons. The top-line RS e: HEV variants will be dressed in the exclusive ‘RS’ sporty exterior design. Gloss Black front grille, solid wing and door mirrors feature prominently for a two-tone body colour expression. The lower grille, fog garnish and rear bumper are also designed exclusively for the RS e: HEV.
LED headlights with LED DRL are available for the RS e: HEV and V variants. Completing the set are LED Front Fog Lights, LED Rear Combi Lights and tailgate spoiler. You’ll find 16-inch alloy wheels fitted on both variants as well.
The ULTRA seats have a new home
Just as the exterior, the City Hatchback’s interior is trimmed according to the variant level. Starting at the top with the RS e: HEV, the Hatchback features red-stitched Ultrasuede Seats. The top variant also features a seven-inch interactive TFT meter cluster and eight-inch display audio complete with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Auto air-conditioning, rear air-conditioning and two USB powers at the lower pocket can be found in the RS e: HEV. The top-spec model also comes with the Electric Parking Brake (EPB).
Moving on, the V variant sets itself apart from the E and S specs with its leather seats. In addition, the V and E variants are equipped with eight-inch display audio with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, auto air-conditioning and two USB ports at the lower pocket.
For convenience, the City Hatchback in RS e: HEV, V and E variants can remotely turn on the engine and air-conditioning before entering the car. This Remote Engine Start feature is perfect when the day is hot and you want a cool interior to go into.
One of the defining features of the Honda Jazz is the ULTRA seats, which the City Hatchback will also feature. You can configure the seats in the same way as you did for the Jazz, namely Utility, Long, Tall and Refresh modes. These modes expand your cargo area, starting with the boot space of 289 litres.
Two drivetrains – one hybrid and the other a standard ICE
The 1.5-litre DOHC I-VTEC workhorse powers the City Hatchback in its V, E and S forms. The engine produces 121PS and 145Nm. Honda claims that this engine delivers the ideal balance of ‘fun to drive’ performance and exceptional fuel efficiency.
For the more performance-minded among us, the RS e: HEV presents the more powerful drivetrain. Motivated by a 1.5-litre Sports intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (I-MMD), the powertrain produces 109PS and 253Nm of torque. The hybrid engine is paired with an e-CVT that is said to deliver smooth acceleration and excellent fuel efficiency.
Honda’s hybrid system consists of two motors that regulate between three driving modes — EV, Hybrid and Engine. The system switches between these modes automatically to suit the different driving conditions.
Honda has also increased the City Hatchback’s rigidity by six per cent compared to the Jazz to improve collision safety. Furthermore, to enhance the cabin’s quietness, the City Hatchback’s A and B pillars are filled with polyurethane spray foam to enhance cabin quietness. In addition, a variable thickness sound absorber fitted under the engine compartment reduces noise and vibration.
Honda Sensing and sensibility
Although it plays in the B-segment, the City Hatchback is packed with safety features. It starts with the six airbags and the Honda LaneWatch, which are available in the RS e:HEV and V variants.
The Honda LaneWatch uses a camera to monitor vehicles on the left side of the car. The video is projected onto the infotainment system whenever you indicate left or activate the feature’s button on the indicator stalk. The video aims to eliminate the biggest blind spot in the car while improving road safety for all.
The RS e:HEV variant comes standard with Auto Brake Hold and Honda SENSING. This active safety system consists of seven technologies, and they are:
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- Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
- Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
- Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
- Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS)
- Road Departure Mitigation (RDM)
- Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
- Auto High Beam (AHB)
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All City Hatchback variants come with all the standard safety features you’d expect. Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS) and Hill Start Assist (HSA) are available with the car. The Rear Seat ISOFIX ISIZE Type and rear seatbelt reminder round up the standard safety features.
The Honda City Hatchback can link up with Honda CONNECT, a smartphone application that calls up the car’s information on demand. A first in the segment, Honda Connect allows owners to interface with their car through Telematics Technology. Among the Telematics’ key functions are Vehicle Diagnostics, Remote Applications, Security Applications, Vehicle Tracking and Support Services.
The Honda City Hatchback comes in several new colours. Variants V, E, and S have Platinum White Pearl, Lunar Silver Metallic and Crystal Black Pearl to choose from. The RS e:HEV variant will only have two exclusive colours — Ignite Red Metallic and Meteoroid Grey Metallic.
Although the Jazz nameplate is no more in the region, it is doubtful that people will miss it much, not when the City Hatchback has much more to offer.
