Should You Wait For The New Fifth-gen Honda City?

The outgoing fourth-gen compact sedan is available on discount right now

Update: Honda has launched the fifth-gen City in India with prices beginning from Rs 10.90 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). You can read more about it here.

The fifth-gen Honda City is due to arrive in India by April 2020. However, if you’re a fan of the current-gen City, it is readily available with a BS6 petrol engine. Moreover, depending on where you live, you can also avail certain discounts from ongoing offers, particularly if you don’t mind a BS4 diesel variant.

The current-gen City is offered with a 1.5-litre BS6 petrol engine making 119PS/145Nm mated to a 5-speed manual with the option of a CVT automatic. The new-gen City will feature the same petrol engine while getting a BS6 version of the 1.5-litre diesel engine making 100PS/200Nm, same as the BS6 Amaze.

Let's take a look at the benefits of buying the outgoing fourth-gen Honda City as compared to waiting for the new fifth-gen City.

Fourth-gen Honda City: BUY for proven reliability, ongoing discounts, long-term use

The Honda City is said to have set the benchmark in the compact sedan segment in terms of comfort, space and durability. If you’ve been looking to upgrade to this segment, this would be an opportune moment as the outgoing BS6 Honda City petrol is being offered with discounts worth up to Rs 72,000. Similar offers are available with older BS4 diesel and petrol variants of the City as well.

If you intend to keep the car for more than 5 years or do an extensive number of kilometres or use it as a chauffeur-driven vehicle for city errands, getting your hands on a fourth-gen Honda City at discounted prices makes sense. It features auto AC, cruise control, steering-mounted audio controls, and rear AC vents as standard. The better-equipped variants also get 6 airbags, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a sunroof, and LED headlamps.

Honda City 2020: HOLD for latest tech, sportier looks, fuel-efficient petrol and first-ever diesel automatic

Honda has given the City a redesign for its fifth-generation. It looks sportier than before with its new shape similar to that of the second-gen Amaze. The new City, in its Thailand-spec, is longer and wider than the current model even though it has a slightly shorter wheelbase. It gets new, improved LED headlamps and tail lamps. The new City will likely feature a larger 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with connected car technology so that you would be able to remotely pre-cool the cabin and lock-unlock it among other things. Honda has given the new cabin a more premium look. It is also expected to have a digital instrument cluster, if you fancy that. 

In terms of engines, the 2020 Honda City will feature the same petrol powertrain as the current model. However, the existing BS6 petrol engine is expected to have a new 6-speed manual (offered with a 5-speed manual right now) and a mild-hybrid tech as well so the fuel efficiency should noticeably go up from the current 17kmpl mark.

The BS6 diesel engine is expected to see the introduction of a CVT automatic option. So, if you’ve been waiting for a diesel-AT Honda City, the wait is nearly over with the fifth-generation of the compact sedan expected to launch by April 2020.

Related: Honda City 2020 To Make India Debut on March 16

The new City will likely be priced at a premium over the current-gen model, especially in the higher trims. Honda has priced the outgoing fourth-gen model between Rs 9.91 lakh and Rs 14.31 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). However, if you’d like the latest that Honda has to offer in this segment and probably get a good return by selling it in the next 3 to 4 years, the 2020 City is worth the wait and the extra cost.

Read More on : City diesel