Honda Malaysia has been teasing us with the new City for quite awhile now - sometimes it shows the sedan’s headlight and other times its taillight. We won’t deny the fun we had seeing new City and Vios digital word war amidst all the teasers. Moving on, today, Honda Malaysia opened its order books for 2020 City. The automaker has also spilled out some information about the upcoming sedan, though a lot remains undercover.

Here’s what we know so far about the Malaysian-spec new City -

• The all-new City will debut in Q4 of 2020 in the country
• The 5th-gen City will not feature the eco-car spec 1.0-litre turbo engine available in the Thai market
• On the powerplant front, we’ll get a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated mill along with an i-MMD (Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive) hybrid version
• The City RS i-MMD will be the range topping-variant, Malaysia is the first to receive City with a hybrid powertrain. It will make a debut in Q4 of 2020, and it will be a world premiere

Honda Malaysia, MD and CEO Toichi Ishiyama, on the arrival of the new City, said, “The City has proven to be an important model for HM, a favourite among many Malaysians for its spaciousness, practicality and safety features. Since its introduction to the Malaysian market in 2001, the model has an accumulated total sales of 351,000 units, with the most sought-after fourth-gen City which was launched in 2014 contributing more than 205,000 units and upholding its No.1 position in the B-segment,” Further, on the introduction of the all-new RS trim he said, The launch of the all-new City RS with the new powertrain in Malaysia will be the world premiere and being introduced for the first time ahead of other countries. We believe that this new model will excite the market with its advanced styling and engineering as Honda continues to lead the way in pioneering benchmarks and introducing Next Generation Advanced Technology that is ahead of its time.”

Now, many reads would be curious to know the difference between the old and new City. Since most of the information about the Malaysian-spec model is yet to be revealed, we are basing our comparison on the Indian-spec City, as it resembles both on the design and powertrain front. So, let’s get started -

Variants & Price

The ongoing City is offered in four trim levels - S, E, V, and Hybrid. As for the upcoming 5th-gen model, we are only sure about the all-new RS variant, the range-topping model. The names of the rest of the trims might get revealed soon. However, we are hoping for three to four trim options in total.

The current City model’s price starts at RM 75,295, and it goes up to RM 87,600. As for the upcoming model, we have no clue; however, a little hike won’t surprise us.

Dimensions and Design

Specifications	Ongoing Honda City	2020 Honda City
Length	4,442 mm	4,549 mm
Width	1,694 mm	1,748 mm
Height	1,477 mm	1,489 mm
Wheelbase	2,600 mm	2,600 mm
Ground Clearance	135 mm	135 mm
Boot Capacity	536L	506L

From the table, it’s clear that the new City is lengthier, wider, and taller than the older version. The two cars showcase identical wheelbase and ground clearance figures. However, the ongoing version has 30-litre bigger boot capacity.

On the design front, the two models, new and old, show substantial differences. The new City, without a doubt, is a substantial improvement over the former. Here are a few of its design highlights -

• A wider upper grille that presents the company’s signature Honda Solid Wing Face
• Integration of full LED headlamps with 9 LED array inline shell, LED DRL, and L-Shaped LED turn indicator
• Z-shaped 3D wrap around LED taillamps with uniform edge light & LED side marker lights
• 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels

Interior

Improvements continue to show on the inside. The new City showcases ‘SO-KAI’ or ‘Invigorating’ cockpit design that creates a balance of openness and security. The cockpit is based on the ‘Dynamic View’ concept wherein the instrumental panel is designed for the driver to grasp the car’s sensation easily. Furthermore, the car now comes with premium leather seats and hand-crafted tailoring that gives a sense of luxury and opulence. Here are the key interior features -

• Best-in-class interior space
• Leather shift knob & real stitch soft-touch knee pad
• Ambient lighting
• Number of smart storage options
• 7.9-inch advanced touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Fully automatic climate control with Max Cool

The 2020 City also features several first in segment features, like

• 17.7 cm HD full-colour TFT meter with driver information interface
• G-meter, digital speed, and cruise control display
• ECO assist and ECON mode indicators
• 8-speaker providing premium surround sound system
• All auto power window with keyless remote optional
• Walk away auto-lock

Engine

Specifications	Ongoing Honda City	2020 Honda City
Type	4-CYL, 16 Valve, SOHC, i-VTEC	Water Cooled Inline 4-CYL i-VTEC DOHC with VTC	Water Cooled Inline 4-CYL i-DTEC DOHC
Displacement	1,497 cc	1,498 cc	1,498 cc
Power	120 PS @ 6,600 rpm	121 PS @ 6,600 rpm	100 PS @ 3,600 rpm
Torque	145 Nm @ 4,600 rpm	145 Nm @ 4,300 rpm	200 Nm @ 1,750 rpm
Transmission	CVT	6 Forward & 1 Reverse  CVT	6 Forward & 1 Reverse

The 2020 Honda City is offered in both diesel and petrol engine options; we are not which one will get in Malaysia.

Safety

The all-new City excels in safety too. It utilises ultra high strength tensile steel plates that absorb impact and provide better rigidity. The sedan also comes with the world’s first i-SRS aIRBAG sYSTEM with Quick Development Technology along with segments of the first LaneWatch camera system. Here are a few safety highlights -

• Segments first agile handling assist
• Vehicle Stability Assist
• Type pressure monitoring system
• 4 rear parking sensor
• Emergency stop signal
• Hill-start assist
• Multi-angle rear camera
• Headlamp with auto-off timer, lead-me-to-car, & follow-me-home function
• Auto-dimming interior mirror
• ABS with EBD
• ACE body structure

The all-new 2020 Honda City is a significant improvement over the ongoing model. The presence of the RS i-MMD flagship model and several first in segment features make the new City range even more impressive.

Also Read: Buy or Hold: Should you buy Toyota Vios or wait for the new Honda City?