Honda City: Top alternatives

It is well known that Honda is heading towards the launch of the 2020 Honda City in Malaysia, and there is a lot of fight talk coming out of the teasers of the upcoming model. The first teaser unveiled on July 24 came with the words, "Your time is up" and on the same day, another video teaser popped up with the caption, "The takeover starts now. Don't blink, you wouldn't want to miss this."

Later on, some other teasers also appeared with the tag lines, "No-match," "The showstopper," and so on. Not only these, but Honda also released a video of the 2020 Honda City and heralded its arrival as the game-changer in the arena having players like Toyota Vios and Nissan Almera.

Indeed, competition is required to make a market place better, and this sort of friendly fire makes things interesting. Let's check out the key highlights of the new Honda City as well as its top rivals.

For 2020, Honda has given the City a thorough overhaul to keep up with the changing times and demands. It features revamped headlights that incorporate an array of 9 LED units in a row, integrated with LED daytime running lights, and L-shaped LED turn signals. Also, the City comes with new wraparound taillights that have Z-shaped LED elements. The car rides on 16-inch aluminum wheels.

Under the bonnet, the new Honda City will not have a Thai-market's eco-car spec 1.0-litre turbo engine as expected; rather there will be an Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) hybrid mill producing 253 Nm of torque via the 109 PS electric motor along with the 1.5-litre petrol engine. Malaysia will be the first country to get the City with the said hybrid system, which is claimed to have more torque than the D-segment Toyota Camry. The new Honda City will have four variants, including the all-new RS trim.

Another big surprise is the addition of Honda Lane watch and electric parking brake, which are first in its class. Inside the cabin, it is likely to carry over most of the features from the outgoing model; however, this time the cabin is quieter, thanks to a thicker engine under cover insulator and polyethylene spray foam insulation.

Well, there is no confirm launch date as of now, but Honda has opened the ordering books of the model. Also, you can catch the all-new Honda City on a nationwide tour starting August 29.

Nissan Almera

Among the competitors of Honda City, Nissan Almera can be counted as one of the most popular and well-liked B-segment sedans in the country. While Nissan is planning to come up with a new iteration, the ongoing Almera seems to be holding its own quite well. It is available in two variants - E AT and VL AT, powered with a solo DOHC engine producing a maximum power of 102 PS and a peak torque of 139 Nm. It is paired with an automatic gearbox sending power to the front wheels.

Speaking of the equipment on board, the Almera flaunts a stylish exterior propped with a chrome grille, swooping headlamps with LED DRLs, 16-inch alloy wheels, and wraparound tail-lamps. Inside, Nissan Almera specs sheet is equipped with remote key/i-key, push-button ignition, five vision MID, a 6.5-inch touchscreen display, a silver-trimmed steering wheel with audio controls, and auto air-conditioning system. The safety feature list includes dual-front airbags, ABS with EBD and BA, and child ISOFIX points. Nissan Almera price starts at RM 65,699.

Toyota Vios

While the all-new Toyota Vios has arrived in the Philippine market, the Malaysian market still has the previous model on sale. But does the current Toyota Vios propose a better deal when compared to the upcoming next-gen Honda City? 

Toyota Vios specs sheet comprises multi-reflector halogen headlamps, LED taillights, 16-inch alloy wheels, a 6.8-inch touch-multimedia head unit, power-retractable, and auto-folding wing mirrors, multi-functional 3-spoke leather and tilt-adjustable steering wheel, auto air-conditioning with rear vents, and cabin illumination. Toyota Vios is loaded with a number of safety features, including seven airbags, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, vehicle stability control, hill-start assist, and so on.

Under the skin, it is powered by a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine generating a modest 106 PS of power and 140 Nm of peak torque. Coming to Toyota Vios price, the base variant starts at RM 86,132.

Kia Cerato

Kia Cerato flaunts a more styling flair and more exuberance as compared to the other B-segment sedans. It is kitted out with automatic HID headlamps, LED courtesy tail lamps, 17-inch alloys, hands-free trunk release, keyless entry with push-button start, dual-zone climate control with rear vents, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters, power-adjustable driver's seat, a touch-infotainment system with built-in navigation and cruise control.

Available in a single variant, Kia Cerato is powered by a 1.6-litre engine delivering 130 PS of maximum power and 157 Nm of torque. It is coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the front two wheels. Safety features include ABS with EBD and BA, six airbags, hill-start assist, parking sensors, electronic stability control, and a reversing camera. The price of the Kia Cerato starts at RM 99,754.

Summing up

While all these sedans have several high-end features, 2020 Honda City apparently outperforms with the highest torque numbers. Also, on the safety front where Toyota Vios and Kia Cerato shine and Nissan Almera lags behind, the upcoming Honda City seems to have an extra edge with Honda sensing. 

So, how the new Honda City will change the equations of the game will be exciting to watch.

Also read: Honda City - Old vs. New