There’s no doubt that the Honda City is one of the most beloved sedans in the country. The car has an aspirational value not only amongst the middle-class, but also the youth. In a way, we can say that Honda City is the face of the brand in India (like Santro for Hyundai and Alto for Maruti).
In 2017, Honda City completed 20 years in India and we take a look back at how the Honda sedan has evolved over the years.
1998-2003: First Generation Honda City
1998 is when India first welcomed the Honda City. Though the present generation looks all fancy, the first Honda City was very simple and subtle and was compared with the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Esteem.
It was introduced with two engine options – the 1.3 litre and the 1.5 litre petrol. Two years later in 2000, the VTEC engine was introduced in the new 1st generation Honda City, which was a facelift variant.
The market was tough at that time with cars like the Opel Corsa and Astra, Mitsubishi Lancer, Hyundai Accent, Ford Escort and Ikon in the same price segment.
2003-2008: Second Generation Honda City
The second generation Honda City was launched in 2003 in India and was completely different from the first generation in terms of design and aesthetics.
The second generation Honda City had more bulk and looked more chubby than its previous sibling. There was only one variant launched at that time which was the 1.5 litre variant with just 77 bhp of power. A CVT variant was also added in 2003.
Honda also launched the City ZX version in 2005 with a 1.5 litre i-VTEC engine that delivered 99 bhp of power and 132 Nm of maximum torque.
In 2007 the 10th anniversary edition of the Honda City was launched with had some added cosmetic changes to the older 3rd generation variant.
2008-2015: Third Generation Honda City
Third generation Honda City was a breath of fresh air for Honda fans and a massive upgrade. The car has a bit of an intimidating look to it thanks to its beefy front grille and large headlamps.
The rear also got bigger tail lamps and the car came with ABS and airbags as standard offerings.
The third generation Honda City received a 1.5 litre i-VTEC engine and was the first in the segment to receive a sunroof. Some more additions made to the Honda City in that era were a full-touch infotainment display and also a CNG variant was introduced.
2014 Onwards: Honda City Fourth Generation
This is the fourth generation Honda City and the one that you mostly see on Indian roads today. The car was launched in two engine variants being the 1.5-litre i-VTEC (Petrol) and the 1.5-litre i-VTEC (Diesel).
Also Read: Honda City 2017 First Drive: Same Power With a Design Reboot
It was launched in January 2014 with a starting price tag of Rs 7.42 lakh. With this car, Honda finally introduced a 1.5-litre diesel i-DTEC engine variant in India.
It also received additional features like LED headlamps and a larger infotainment system.
It’s been tough for Honda in the last couple of years with cars like the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and the Hyundai Verna snapping the the heels of the Honda City. Yet, it’s a popular car and most refer to the market segment in which the City competes as the Honda City segment.
With the new Honda City scheduled for 2019, the next year could be crucial for the Japanese automobile giant.
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