There are a lot of things that we’re jealous of Thailand. First, is that according to the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration, the South East Asian country has had no cases of COVID-19 locally for a month now. All of its 3,202 active cases were released, and many businesses and events that were once postponed are now in full swing.
One of those events is of course the Bangkok International Auto Show 2020, which like BIMS of previous years, remains one of the largest and most attended car events in the region, and despite Thailand being COVID-19-free, everyone at the event was wearing masks.
The Honda City RS Turbo at the 2020 BIMS
Why are we talking about BIMS 2020? Well, that’s because it reminded us of another big thing that Thailand has that we’re covetous of – the really awesome Honda City RS Turbo.
Introduced in December 2019, this Honda City is powered by a 1.0-liter turbocharged inline-3 engine that can churn out 119 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 173 Nm of torque at 4,800 rpm. Sure, the locally available 1.5 Honda City engine makes just one horsepower less, but the City RS Turbo just makes more maximum torque at a slightly lower rpm range.
Note the subtle, but cool looking two-tone alloy wheels
Like the locally available Honda City, the City RS Turbo sends its power to the front wheels, and like the high-spec Philippine variants, it makes use of a continuously variable gearbox, although it has a semi-automatic shift mode with seven virtual speeds.
Apart from that, just look at the City RS Turbo’s exterior. Its rear is adorned by a beefy looking air dam, the different looking black set of alloy wheels, the segmented looking LED headlamps, and the blacked-out RS grille and lower bumper. It’s definitely sporty, and shall we dare say that in the Thai market, it’s definitely one of the sportiest looking cars in its segment.
>>> Related: List of new & used Honda City for sale on Philkotse.com
The City RS Turbo is particularly rakish looking when viewed from the rear
And yes, to rub more salt in the proverbial wound, the Honda City RS Turbo that’s available in Thailand is also a variant of the seventh-gen GN City. The next-generation City that was launched last year, a.k.a. the one we still don’t have. In the Thai market, the City RS Turbo is priced at ฿739,000, or Php 1,153,854 at the current Thai Baht to Philippine Peso exchange rate.
The interior of the City RS is adorned with red stitching
Don’t worry though, because most models launched in Thailand have been proved to eventually make their way to the Philippines. So yes, it’s only a matter of time until Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. will introduce the new City, as well as the Honda City RS Turbo. The latter’s more of a wish, but who knows.
For more automotive news, keep reading here on Philkotse.com.
Know more about Honda City 2024
The 2024 Honda City is a subcompact sedan. In the Philippine market, its four variants are City E, City S, City V, and City RS—the prices for these range from Php 973,000 to Php 1,148,000.
Size-wise, the refreshed City for 2024 is 4,580mm long, 1,748mm wide, and 1,467mm in height. The RS trim is a bit longer at 4,589mm. All trims then get a wheelbase length of 2,600mm and a ground clearance of 134mm.
Under its hood is a 1.5-liter inline-4 gasoline engine capable of making up to 119 horsepower and 145 Nm of torque. Power is then sent to its front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
Locally, the Honda City competes against the Toyota Vios, Mitsubishi Mirage G4, Mazda3, Nissan Almera, Hyundai Accent, MG 5, etc.
Honda City Launch
The refreshed 2024 Honda City was introduced to the Philippine market on June 13, 2023. It was launched locally with four available variants: the E, S, V, and RS.
Of note, the 2024 model updates the seventh-generation GN model which was initially introduced back in 2019.
Honda City Exterior
On the outside, the Honda City’s top-spec trim gets LED headlamps and the stylish RS kit which provides a high gloss black finish for many of its parts. All come standard with LED daytime running lamps, and LED taillights.
The City then sits on a set of 16-inch alloys for the RS. The V and S meanwhile, gets 16-inch or 15-inch alloy wheels respectively. The S uses a set of 15-inch steel wheels.
Other equipment available to the City includes power-folding side mirrors, side mirror integrated signal lamps, a trunk lid switch, a trunk spoiler, and an automatic on/off for the headlamps.
Honda City Interior
The City can comfortably seat up to five occupants which are then kept cool by an automatic or manual climate control system depending on the trim. The RS gets more convenience features in the form of a rear seat armrest, and rear seat accessory ports. It also has more cupholders numbering 4.
The model’s top-spec trim likewise has the fanciest-looking interior. This is because it gets leather-clad seats, and RS trim finishes. Plenty of bits of the City RS cabin also get a red contrasting color.
For the driver, this Honda sedan gets a 4.2-inch TFT color meter, an analog gauge cluster, a urethane steering wheel, and a tilt and telescopic steering column.
Technology & Safety Features
Providing entertainment aboard the Honda City is an eight-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. For the RS, this display is linked to a total of eight speakers.
Safety for all City variants is handled by the Honda Sensing suite. This includes adaptive cruise control, emergency braking, lane keep assist, road departure warning, lane departure warning, auto high beams, and a lead car departure notification warning.
Standard safety equipment for this Honda model includes ISOFIX child seat anchors, anti-lock braking, stability control, speed-sensing door locks, and dual front airbags. Only the RS and V trims get a reverse camera. All variants get side airbags, but only the RS gets side curtain airbags.
Platform & Chassis
The Honda City uses a front-engine, front-wheel-drive chassis under the Honda Global Small Car Platform. Ride comfort is provided by McPherson struts for the front and a torsion beam suspension for the rear.
Braking for this model is provided by front discs and rear drums. It also uses a hand-operated manual parking brake.
Honda City Engine & Drivetrain
The 2024 City carries over the 1.5-liter found on the pre-facelift model. At maximum, this engine can churn out 119 horsepower and 145 Nm of torque. Power is sent to its wheels via a CVT.
Honda City Q&A
1. Does the Honda City come offered with a front-wheel drive option?
Yes, it does.
2. Which Honda City variant has a sunroof?
The sunroof is not available on any variants of the Honda City, even the top-spec model.
3. Is the Honda City a fuel-efficient sedan?
Yes. According to the fuel efficiency test result by the Department of Energy, the Honda City consumes roughly 26.02 km/l.
4. Is the Honda City Philippines a good car?
Definitely. The Honda City is considered one of the most exquisite handling cars in its segment. Moreover, it is backed with a comfortable ride quality thanks to its sorted suspension setup of independent MacPherson struts with a stabilizer up-front and an H-shaped torsion beam with a stabilizer at the back.
5. Is the Honda City classified as a sedan?
Yes. The Honda City is the entry of Honda Cars Philippines Inc. to the subcompact sedan segment in the Philippine market.
₱ 973,000 - ₱ 1,128,000
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