Honda launched the fifth generation City sedan in the Indian market earlier this year. It competes with popular cars like Hyundai Verna, Maruti Ciaz, Skoda Rapid and Volkswagen Vento in the segment. The all-new City is a completely new vehicle with more space and features on the inside. Recently Honda had revealed a new version of City sedan in International market. It is different from the version sold here in India and we have already covered an article in the past that shows how different it is from the Indian version and how does it work. Honda calls it i-MMD hybrid technology and here we have a video that describes the driving experience.
The video has been uploaded by WapCar on their youtube channel. The video briefly describes ow this new technology works and then talks about what difference has this new addition done to the all-new City. It is a proper Hybrid system and not a mild hybrid system that we see on other cars in India. i-MMD uses two electric motors apart from the engine. One of them acts as Integrated Starter Generator whereas the second electric motor sends power to the wheels.
Also read: Explained: Differences between the New Honda City and Old City.
According to the video presenters, Honda City i-MMD is quite good when it comes to the drive. He also adds that it is now a matured sedan and the power delivery is quite linear. It does not feel like that the electric motor under the hood is generating 109 Ps and 253 Nm of torque. Another reason why it does not feel fast is because, Honda has done a great job with the cabin insulation part. The petrol engine that is available with this sedan is a 1.5 litre naturally aspirated unit that generates 121 Ps and 145 Nm of torque. That is same power and torque figures that the City in India produces.
In i-MMD hybrid version, Honda City can be driven in three modes. First is fully electric mode where only the electric motors will work. second is the mode where only the petrol engine will work. Third mode is a combination of both first and second mode where the petrol engine and the electric motors will be working together. The presenter then says that the City has become a lot more matured in terms of driving and refinement. The steering feedback has improved and so has the handling.
In terms of design nothing has changed in the i-MMD version of the City. Honda has not officially announced the prices for this RS i-MMD hybrid version. The same hybrid version is expected to be launched in the Indian market sometime later next year. We are not sure whether we would be getting the RS variant or the Hybrid version will be a more expensive version of the regular City that is currently on sale. Honda City in India is available with a 1.5 litre petrol and a 1.5 litre diesel engine options. Both petrol and diesel engine option come with manual gearbox whereas the CVT automatic is available with petrol version only.
Also read: DC Design”s next BIG launch for India is the Ambassador Electric car
The post India-bound Honda City Hybrid: What it drives like first appeared on Cartoq.