[TusharK]

EDIT - Here's a link to GTO's Review Post

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Thanks to Manu Gupta for sending these images in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing them with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP page!



The fifth-generation Honda City has been caught testing in India. The test mule of the car was spotted around Ghaziabad.



The heavily camouflaged test mule appears to have dummy tail lights and a shark fin antenna on the roof. It has blacked-out B-pillars and multi-spoke alloy wheels.



The car is likely to be powered by BS-VI compliant engines and gearbox options might include a 6-speed manual and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Honda is also likely to offer a compact hybrid system, which is said to be based on the Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (iMMD) hybrid powertrain.





Link to Team-BHP News

[Reinhard]

Originally Posted by TusharK

The fifth-generation Honda City has been caught testing in India. The test mule of the car was spotted around Ghaziabad.

Ah the only car that Honda is interested in selling! I'm guessing when it is published, the official TBHP review will open with the "Wider than usual panel gaps".

The car seems wider & longer by a bit right? I hope that translates to better cabin ergonomics especially in the rear. And hopefully better suspension (read less pitch in the back). Looks like one more being added to our list of "under-tyred cars" list.

[sirilu1318]

First looks of the test mule - City looks wider than the previous versions. I hope this time they really concentrate on dashboard rattles and loose plastics

[ram87pune]

Good thing that we have caught the next gen City in India. If I remember correctly the current gen City was never caught on Indian roads and was directly unveiled which led to many of us bhpians speculating whether the City was thoroughly tested on our soil or not. At least now we can be assured that Honda is doing its homework properly this time around.

[simeonovitch]

That's not a very good camo, TBH.
I can pretty much make out the cuts and creases.
Oh, and same old boring alloys.

[Durango Dude]

Originally Posted by ram87pune

Good thing that we have caught the next gen City in India. If I remember correctly the current gen City was never caught on Indian roads and was directly unveiled which led to many of us bhpians speculating whether the City was thoroughly tested on our soil or not. At least now we can be assured that Honda is doing its homework properly this time around.

I think beyond the LED head/tail lights and alloy wheel design there wasn't any significant change in sheet metal to differentiate the two. Whereas this is an all new model and needs testing.

[ram87pune]

Originally Posted by Durango Dude

I think beyond the LED head/tail lights and alloy wheel design there wasn't any significant change in sheet metal to differentiate the two. Whereas this is an all new model and needs testing.

Sorry Durango Dude but I beg to differ here. The current generation City is a completely new car compared to the 3rd gen. Its wheelbase is longer and also it is taller than the 3rd gen City. Honda may have taken an evolutionary approach with the design but that doesn't mean they can launch it in India without testing it on our roads. And also LED headlights and taillights were added later with the facelift.

[Nazaar25]

I hope Honda brings the new City with the fantastic Diesel CVT combo. Also, I want Honda to improve the sheet metal quality, interior plastic quality, rear suspension (major problem with almost all Hondas), NVH (diesel), performance (diesel) and overall fit and finish. Phew!
Honda really needs to work hard this time!

(All the suggestions are based on first hand experience)

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Possibly a make-or-break car for the C-sedan segment in India!

The segment is slowly starting to disappear like the erstwhile D-segment, and the pressure has been huge recently with new crossover entrants like Seltos and Hector.

If the City can't bring back some jazz, then probably none can! Hyundai design language has taken a full U-turn and VW / Skoda will focus more on SUVs in their new strategy.

[sumeethaldankar]

Rendered image.

Source

[nikipedia87]

Originally Posted by Durango Dude

I think beyond the LED head/tail lights and alloy wheel design there wasn't any significant change in sheet metal to differentiate the two.

Originally Posted by ram87pune

Sorry Durango Dude but I beg to differ here. The current generation City is a completely new car compared to the 3rd gen.

I think Durango Dude was referring to the 2014 model (4th gen) and the 2017 model (4th gen facelift). There were only a few changes between those two (alloys, LED lights, rear bumper and front chrome grill etc).

And as ram87pune has rightly pointed out, the 3rd gen City (2009) and the 4th gen City were completely different cars altogether.

[rajshenoy]

Finally !!

The car looks production ready so we might be few months away before we see it launch. This should add some zing to otherwise dying sedan segment. Ciaz is beginning to look dated along with Verna and let me not even discuss the decade old german designs.

[chittybang]

Is it really just a few months away? Honda doesn't seem in any real rush to clear city stock. Discounts have been the same since months. Maybe they have been working on stock rationalisation since a while but still if it was just around the corner there would be some effort by the sales team. All I get is a call to inform that the offer is still the same as last month.

[Nithesh_M]

Will be out most likely with bs6 engine so will also launch with a premium pricing factoring in the bs6 engine and extra dimensions. Wouldn't be surprised if the top end City gets into non base Civic territory

[Redline6800]

This is a crucial car for Honda and I hope they have the good sense to throw everything they have at it.

Performance needs to be segment best, Honda is an interior packaging ace, so that should not be a problem but interior quality certainly is.

So better quality interiors are a must and the lane watch camera will be a good addition too. External fit and finish must match the Civic.

Honda needs to scale the quality ladder and make the new City as a Civic - and not a Jazz +.

It needs a turbo petrol and if Honda decides to use the same 1.5L with some kind of Hybrid, it may still cut it for the bulk of Indian consumers but drive performance seeking buyers the VW/Skoda path.

However, if Honda still wants to cheapen the City, then customers will no longer pay the price premium demanded for it.

This brand is now so far away from its performance and quality oriented origins in the Indian market, that it is in danger of driving die-hard Honda fans like my wife and me, away from the brand forever.