These days, everyone in the Indian car market is talking about the next generation Honda City. Expected to be launched on 25th of November, this automobile has caught the fancy of experts, customers and media. In fact, this car has managed to surpass the hype that surrounded the likes of Ford EcoSport and Nissan Terrano. Not only is this vehicle being talked about frequently, it is being touted as a game changer, which will take its segment by storm. Taking a closer look at the entire situation, the tremendous hype generated around this car is quite understandable. City, by far, has been one of the most successful models in the history of both Honda and the Indian car market. In an auto industry where the scenarios are really dynamic and keep changing, this sedan has been able to sustain itself quite well. Also, it has withstood tough competition, price rise and lack of a diesel version to clock excellent sales.
One of the key reasons for the success of Honda City has been its mileage, which is among the best in its segment. Since reports of launch of next generation have surfaced, analysts have tried to compare the prospective fuel economies of petrol and diesel version of new Honda City. It is no hidden fact that mileage is one of the most important factors that influence decisions of buyers. Fuel-economy has a direct impact on the cost of maintenance of a car, which is absolutely critical in a market like India. Also, it has been seen in the past that vehicles high on fuel-economy have performed exceptionally well. A clear indication of this is Maruti Suzuki, a brand that consistently produces cars that score high in terms of fuel-economy and is sitting pretty at the top of passenger vehicle segment.
At first, a comparison between mileages of diesel and petrol versions of next generation Honda City would be quite unfair. This is because; first, diesel is far cheaper than petrol and second, the former gives a much higher fuel-economy than latter. However, there is another aspect to this that cannot be undermined. While petrol City has been in the market for long, diesel version is going to be a new entrant. Petrol variant of this sedan already renders excellent fuel-economy and it is widely expected that diesel version will do the same. Due to these reasons, it can be safely concluded that the next generation Honda City is going to be a huge success. In order to analyse and figure out fuel economies of both versions of this upcoming sedans, there engines need to be talked about in detail.
The current generation petrol version of Honda City is powered by an i-VTEC engine, which has earned acclaim across the globe. I-VTEC (intelligent-Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) is a trademark technology that has been developed by Honda to improve efficiency of its vehicles. According to experts, the use of this technology has directly impacted the performance of vehicles. It is being said that petrol version of new City is going to be powered by a 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine, which is used in the current generation variant as well.
This powertrain has the capability to produce an output of around 116 bhp along with peak torque of 146 Nm. The USP of this engine is the switching between valve lift settings and intake valve timing, which ensures optimum efficiency at high and low speeds. In addition, efficiency of intake and exhaust levels is facilitated by optimised valve overlap. Due to this technology, Honda City delivers a mileage of around 17 kmpl.
Sources claim that diesel version of Honda City is going to be equipped with an i-DTEC engine. Earth Dreams diesel technology has been the biggest development of the Japanese car maker in the last couple of years. The reviews and sales figures of Amaze are quite telling and they depict the ability of the i-DTEC engine. It is being said that diesel version of Honda City is going to be powered by the same 1.5-litre engine that is fitted in the Amaze. However, in order to increase its output levels, the Japanese car maker is likely to tweak the engine a bit. Of the many good points about the i-DTEC engine, most notable is its lightweight, making this powertrain lightest in category. Low weight of this drivetrain helps in minimising loss of energy. Also, the mileage level of the car is increased due to reduction in friction. Although nothing has been said as of now but reports claim that City diesel could deliver a mileage of around 23 kmpl.
