EXCLUSIVE: The Honda City Will Get These BS6 Variants Even Before Its 2020 Update Reaches India

• The BS6-compliant 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine as much power as the existing variant.
• The 1.5-litre i-DTEC and petrol-CVT variants are yet to be upgraded to meet BS6 emission norms.
• Honda has started work on the 2020 City that is expected to bring some new premium features.
• The 2020 Honda City is expected to launch in India later next year.

The 2020 Honda City has been spied multiple times in India and we know that it will come with BS6-compliant engines. But before the upcoming model hits showrooms, here’s some good news for fans of the Honda i-VTEC engine. The existing City could get a BS6 update as early as the end of 2019. Thanks to a leaked RTO document, ZigWheels now knows that Honda has registered the current City with a BS6-compliant 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine. The document states the dimensions of the existing City, which indicate that the current model could get the BS6 update before the new model hits roads. This also gives us enough reason to speculate that the existing 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine could be retained in the 2020 Honda City.  

The BS6-compliant 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine develops 119PS at 6600RPM, similar to the existing model. Torque figures are expected to remain the same between both models at 145Nm. That said, the leaked document states that only the petrol manual variant is BS6-compliant as of now. The petrol-CVT variant and the 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine are yet to be upgraded to meet BS6 emission norms. However, Honda will upgrade the diesel engine to meet the upcoming norms soon after the BS6 petrol is launched.

This document also indicates that the next-gen Honda City might retain the tried-and-tested 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine. The next-gen City is expected to come with three powertrain options. This includes the dual-motor (petrol-electric) hybrid powertrain from the upcoming Jazz as well as a 125PS 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine. It is also expected to come with the 1.5-litre i-DTEC engine that’s found in the existing car. Closer home, the 2020 City is expected to retain its 1.5-litre engines in its BS6 avatar. Just like the Amaze, we expect the diesel to get the CVT transmission. 

Thanks to spy shots, we know the 2020 Honda City packs in evolutionary looks. While the silhouette and glass area look identical to the existing City, the next-gen model comes with sleeker LED tail lamps, new alloy wheels and a revised character line. It is expected to get a premium interior with plenty of bits from the upcoming Honda Jazz. Expected features include digital dials, a bigger touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, sunroof, climate control, cruise control, steering-mounted audio controls, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers as well as keyless entry with push-button start.

The existing Honda City with the BS6-compliant engine is expected to hit showrooms by the end of 2019. Meanwhile, the 2020 Honda City is likely to launch after the 2020 Auto Expo in India. Naturally, expect it to be priced over the current model, which is priced at Rs 9.81 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). When launched, the 2020 Honda City will rival the upcoming facelifted Verna, Maruti Ciaz, Volkswagen Vento and Skoda Rapid.