The new 2017 Honda City has been launched for the price starting from 5.5 lakh Baht (approx. Rs 10.6 lakh) in Thailand. The same car is expected to come to India as the mid-life facelift of the new generation Honda City that was launched in India in 2014.
Being a mid-life update, the changes are largely cosmetic. The front fascia has been completely redone and the front bumper now gets the three-part treatment in line with the new bumper design on the recently updated Amaze and the Brio. The air-dam gets a horizontal slat and is blacked out. The front grille now gets thick mesh and flows into the tweaked headlamps. The LED DRLs stand out now with the headlamps turned on. The profile is the same thanks to the same body shell but the alloy design is new and might make it to India as well. The rear bumper also gets a sharper look.
On the inside though, not much has changed. The dashboard is now all-black with silver accents but the tacky gloss-black plaque holding the 6.8-inch touchscreen continues with its presence. Bluetooth telephony will be standard with the infotainment system. The equipment list will be largely unchanged with sunroof, adjustable steering, electrically foldable mirrors, split and folding rear seat and rear parking sensors continuing with their presence.
When it comes to India, the City will continue with its existing engine and gearbox options. The 1.5-litre petrol i-Vtec that churns out 115bhp of power works well with the five-speed manual and the CVT automatic gearbox options. The frugal 1.5-litre i-Dtec engine develops 100bhp of power and comes mated to a six-speed manual transmission. ABS and dual front airbags should be standard with the facelift keeping in mind the safety regulations that are soon going to be enforced.
The new shade of blue reminds you of the cobalt blue on the Type 2 Honda City, the first generation of the City launched in India. The 2017 Honda City has already been spotted in India while shooting a TV commercial which means the launch is just around the corner. We can expect a slight price hike with the tags starting from about Rs 8.5 lakh for the base petrol all the way to about Rs 13 lakh for the top-spec diesel.
