Amazing Honda City Hatchback

Honda has brought the new City Hatchback, so what are the highlights

The City Hatchback is largely similar to the new-generation City in terms of front-end design. The hatchback styling shortens the size of the rear. The sporty black elements are used extensively, including the black honeycomb center grille, sporty wheels and mirrors, further enhancing the sporty feel of the car.

In terms of appearance, the two-compartment sliding back shape is the biggest difference between the Honda City Hatchback and the three-compartment version, especially the top RS version, the exclusive black RS sports package added to make the whole car still looks more sporty than the four generations of Fit, RS version of the City Hatchback version is also equipped with black shark fin antenna, together with smoked wheels and lower spoiler, making the whole car looks more sporty.

On the side of the car, two well-defined waistlines give it a more integral side design.

At the rear, there is only a single-sided exhaust layout; but also under the role of the sports package, it has a two-stage faux carbon fiber trim in the rear surround. Together with the high spoiler with brake lights and shark fins, the sporting effect is still relatively well shaped. In addition, the semi-ring-shaped taillights, when lit, reflect a sense of sharpness.

The interior of the City Hatchback is a replacement for the fourth generation Fit in the Southeast Asian market, but the overall design of the interior is very different. The Hatchback version has an all-black interior design with a moderate overall layout and silver trim pieces as accents. The red stitching everywhere, plus the large three-spoke flat steering wheel and red ignition, reveal some fighting spirit. The interior design is somewhat the same as the Sedan, with a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel and a dual-circle instrument panel with a central display, and an 8-inch touchscreen console in the center of the console that supports Apple CarPlay cell phone connectivity. In addition, the CityHatchback also has the convenience of flexible space changes, and the back seat still has the Ultra Seat that can be folded independently, and through the 4/6 split rear seat design, four storage space modes can be planned for use. But unfortunately, the CityHatchback does not have Honda Sensing active safety technology, which is only available in the fuel-electric version of the CityeHEVSedan.

In terms of configuration, the top-of-the-line CITY Hatchback RS version is quite good, providing support for Apple CarPlay in-car connectivity system, 6 airbags, and equipped with an 8-inch center screen and the use of the domestic version of the Accord almost identical three-spoke steering wheel, and in the higher models there are shift paddles to further increase the driving pleasure of the car. In addition, the new car is also equipped with fixed-speed cruise control and 8-speaker audio.

As for power, the new car will provide 1.0T three-cylinder turbocharged engine and 1.5L four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine options; the maximum output of the two are 120 hp and 119 hp respectively, and the peak torque is 173 Nm and 145 Nm respectively. The transmission system is matched with 6-speed manual and CVT gearboxes. Chassis, the new car will use the combination of front MacPherson independent suspension + rear torsion beam non-independent suspension.

The reason the City is never coming to America is because it was specifically developed for emerging markets—such as Mexico and Thailand. It doesn't drive as well as the Civic, it has cheaper interior materials and low-spec technology, and it lacks the safety features and standards for a country like the U.S., where safety is a priority for the customer and the government alike.

But when the new City broke cover last year, we were surprised to see how much it had changed compared to the outgoing generation, which we drove in Mexico City at the end of 2019. The new 2021 Honda City is finally making its way into the Mexican market, as Honda announced it will be positioned between the subcompact Fit hatchback (which is still on sale there) and the larger Civic compact.