The all new Honda City has made its Malaysian market debut today, the third country after Thailand & India to have received the 7th generation City sedan, call it 5th gen if you disregard the first two generations that were produced as hatchbacks during the 1980s.
Related: 2020 Honda City’s Rich Features & Equipment in Indian Market
The 2020 Honda City in Malaysia is available in 4 variants –S, E, V and the range topping RS. The first three grades are 1.5L petrol variants, and are priced at RM74,191 (PKR 29.28 lac), RM81,664 (PKR 32.23 lac) and RM86,561 (PKR 34.17 lac) respectively. Despite rich in equipment, the prices are set lower than the previous model. The flagship City RS which gets e:HEV dual-motor hybrid system hasn’t been priced yet. Bookings of the new sedan in Malaysia are open with deliveries set to commence from January 2021.
Under the hood there is a new 1.5 liter DOHC naturally-aspirated i-VTEC engine that punches out 121 hp of power and 145 Nm of torque with power channeled to the front wheels via a CVT gearbox. Top speed is rated at 196km/h with a claimed fuel economy of up to 18.5km per liter.
Related: Will Honda Introduce 6th Gen City to Replace the 5th Gen?
As for the flagship RS, Malaysia is the first country in the world to have the City with the dual-motor Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) hybrid system, called e:HEV that debuted with the latest Fit/ Jazz. This is understandable since Malaysia is the leading market for Honda’s hybrids in the Asia-Oceania region, reportedly accounting for 40% of sales in the past 5 years.
The flagship Honda City RS
This particular hybrid powerplant is different from most other systems since the 98 hp/127 Nm 1.5 liter i-VTEC four-cylinder petrol engine does not power the car. Instead, it functions as a range extender with the help of an integrated electric motor, which also acts as a starter. It’s actually the larger second motor that propels the car while churning out 109 hp and massive 253 Nm of torque which is even more than that of Toyota Camry. More interestingly, all that torque is produced at zero rpm, just like a battery electric vehicle.
All variants get keyless entry with push start, rear air-con vents, multi-function steering wheel and Bluetooth (with a call button). Features standard from the E variant onwards are remote engine start, paddle shifters (deceleration selector paddle for the RS e:HEV), cruise control, single-zone auto air con and an 8.0-inch touchscreen head unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The V variant gets a leather-wrapped steering and gear knob, leather seats (ivory highlights on door cards, center tunnel and dashboard) and 8 speakers.
Related: 2020 Honda City Scores 5-Stars in Latest ASEAN NCAP Crash Tests
Features exclusive to RS variant include a 7.0-inch digital meter panel with hybrid-specific displays, semi leather and suede seats, red stitching (steering wheel, gear lever, center tunnel and dashboard) and aluminum pedals. The RS is the only one to get a black headliner while the rest of the variants get beige colored one.
Honda City V
Also exclusive to the RS hybrid is Honda Sensing, which makes its debut in the segment for Honda in Malaysia. The full suite of driver assist and active safety features includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS is autonomous emergency braking or AEB), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Auto High-Beam (AHB).
Related: Honda City Hatchback Spotted Testing in Thailand
The all new Honda City also comes with vehicle stability assist (VSA), hill start assist (HSA), emergency stop signal and 4 airbags (dual front and side) as standard. The V and RS add on curtain airbags to make it 6 in total, as well as Honda’s LaneWatch left-side camera. All except for the S get a reverse camera hooked up to the center screen. There are now seat belt reminders for the rear seats as well.
The all new Malaysian-spec Honda City
There are 5 exterior colors to choose from– Crystal Black Pearl, Lunar Silver Metallic, Modern Steel Metallic, Passion Red Pearl and Platinum White Pearl with the RS only available in the three latter colors – grey, red and pearl white. Plus there is a Modulo five-piece bodykit (front/rear under spoiler, side skirts, boot spoiler) and other utility options also available with the all new City. The car is backed by Honda’s 5 years/ unlimited km warranty while hybrid’s lithium-ion battery comes with a separate 8 years/ unlimited mileage warranty.
Images & info: Paultan
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
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