Honda City Hybrid To Launch In Q2 2022. Will Offer Claimed Efficiency Of Nearly 30kmpl

The hybrid powertrain will be able to run on pure EV, hybrid, and engine-only modes

The fifth-gen Honda City elevated the compact sedan space to the next orbit when it arrived with its premium styling and upmarket features. Its appeal only grew when Honda introduced the hybrid powertrain to it, which is now set to come to India.

It’s a proper hybrid, not a mild-hybrid like Ciaz

We’ve seen carmakers like Maruti offer mild-hybrid setups in the mass segments, adding a small electrical component to the combustion engine powertrain, usually as a starter generator motor. However, they do not offer true electric propulsion. Honda’s i-MMD eHEV hybrid powertrain, meanwhile, uses two electric motors that allow the City to operate in pure EV mode as well. The next most affordable self-charging hybrid on sale in India is the far-more-premium Toyota Camry, priced at Rs 41.7 lakh (ex-showroom).

It’s got adequate performance

The City Hybrid uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine good for 98PS/127Nm, which kicks in at higher speeds where it would be more energy-efficient than the EV setup. The main electric motor makes 109PS and 253Nm, which is plenty for city use and should offer zippy acceleration. The only transmission with the hybrid setup is the CVT automatic.

It’s extremely efficient

The City Hybrid operates in three modes: pure EV, hybrid, and engine-only. While Honda has not announced figures for the electric range, it claims the Thailand-spec powertrain can return, on an average, up to 27.78kmpl in ideal conditions. In comparison, the standard Honda City’s 1.5-litre diesel-manual has an ARAI-claimed figure of 24.1kmpl, while the petrol-manual has a claimed efficiency of 17.8kmpl.

It has been a long time coming

It was back in 2018 when Honda announced its plans to launch a mass-market hybrid in India. Understandably, plans were likely delayed by the pandemic but the Honda City Hybrid is now ready for Indian customers. We have it on good authority that the clean and frugal sedan is set to arrive in the second quarter of 2022.

It’s not Honda’s first hybrid offering in India

While the City Hybrid might be the first of its kind in the mass-market segment, Honda has previously offered hybrid sedans in India. The most recent one was the Honda Accord, which was a premium executive sedan on par with the Camry with prices north of Rs 40 lakh. Before the Accord, Honda, in 2008, tried introducing Indian buyers to hybrid powertrains with the Civic, which was priced at an astronomical Rs 21.5 lakh due to all the imported components.

Expected pricing

The price spectrum for the compact sedan space has inflated in recent years, not only due to rising input costs for the manufacturer, but also because of improved build quality, performance and premium features.

Also read: Skoda Slavia vs Rivals: Price Check

The standard fifth-gen Honda City currently retails from Rs 11.23 lakh to Rs 15.18 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The City Hybrid, a first-in-segment hybrid option, is expected to be quite pricey. If offered in a single fully loaded variant, it could be priced at around Rs 17.5 lakh (ex-showroom).

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