January 2014 was an important month for Honda as it launched their very first City with a diesel engine in the Indian market. The all new Honda City with the powerful 1.5-liter i-DTEC engine was launched on 7th January after a much-anticipated wait. The buzz created was overwhelming with dealerships getting inquiries about the new car even before the global unveiling on 25th of November. Powered by Amaze’s 98.6 bhp engine, this car did create a lot of uproar in the sedan category in Indian market. The pricing by Honda was very competitive with the base diesel model of Rs. 8.5 lakhs and the top model stretching it all the way up to Rs. 11.6 lakhs.
The new City is Honda’s reply to its customer’s feedback especially when it comes to cabin space, interior quality and equipment; not to mention the requests for the addition of a diesel variant to its all-time favorite City range. With five options in the diesel line-up, Honda is leaving no stone unturned in delighting its customers and allowing them the freedom to take their pick. The customer's happiness can be seen quantified when one looks at the booking status with over 9000 of the New City’s booked even before its launch. Honda claims a mileage of 26 kmpl for its diesel variant with a six-speed manual transmission. However, the mileage will not be as the company promises but is higher than its rivals in the same segment.
The launch of a diesel variant comes after Honda started to lose customers who started opting out of their all petrol range for diesel variants. The decision to launch a diesel version of the City has worked out very well for the Japanese auto maker when one looks at the sales figures of the City.
