Published : 26 January 2023
Read Time : 5 min
Author: Amit Saraswat
Honda are likely to launch the 5th-gen City facelift in India soon. The facelift will come equipped with BS6 phase 2 compliant petrol and strong hybrid powertrain options along with a couple of cosmetic updates. The 2023 Honda City facelift is not likely to be offered with the 1.5L turbo diesel engine. Read on to know why.
2023 Honda City Facelift Cosmetic Updates
Honda launched the 5th-gen City in India in 2020 and introduced the strong hybrid powertrain option in 2022. With the facelift, we expect Honda to offer a couple of cosmetic updates to differentiate it from the current City. The top-spec variant could also get the RS-inspired body kit, which is currently only available with the City strong hybrid.
Note: Check out the list of Electric Cars in India
City e:HEV Likely To Get Multiple Variants
Currently, Honda offer the City e:HEV strong hybrid in a single variant, the top-spec City ZX.. In addition to the strong hybrid powertrain, the City ZX e:HEV also offers additional features like rear disc brakes, electronic parking brake and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). With the facelift, Honda are likely to offer the strong hybrid powertrain in lower variants as well. The lower variants will make the strong hybrid variants a lot more affordable for potential buyers. Currently, the prices of the City start from Rs. 11.87 lakh and go up to Rs. 15.62 lakh ex-showroom. The City ZX e:HEV strong hybrid sedan retails at Rs. 19.89 lakh ex-showroom.
Honda Likely To Discontinue City Diesel
Honda are not likely to offer the City facelift with the 1.5L turbo diesel engine. The 1.5L turbo diesel engine was available in various Honda models, including the Amaze B2-segment sedan and the WR-V B2-segment SUV. However, Honda stopped offering the Amaze with the 1.5L diesel engine when it received a facelift and we expect the carmaker to do the same with the City facelift. Currently, the Hyundai Verna is the only other C-segment sedan that offers a diesel engine option. While Hyundai will offer diesel engines even in the BS6 phase-2 era, Honda are unlikely to update the 1.5L turbo diesel engine to meet the new norms.
Take a look at the engine specifications of the current Honda City:
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Honda City Facelift Launch Timeline
Honda are likely to launch the City facelift before March 2023. It will continue to rival other C-segment sedans like the Hyundai Verna, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Volkswagen Virtus and Skoda Slavia. Meanwhile, Hyundai are currently working on the new-gen Verna sedan, which is likely to launch in the coming months.
Also Read: Next-Gen Hyundai Verna Spotted Again — ADAS Sensor Visible