Honda City facelift could come to India sooner than expected

Japanese auto-maker Honda seems to be looking to bring the new avatar of its popular sedan, City, to India earlier than expected. If the emerging reports are to be believed, the work on the facelifted avatar of City is progressing rapidly.

A report of Gaadiwaadi says that the new City facelift has already been patented in India and the sedan could make its way to the Indian market sooner than expected. The City facelift is expected to be launched in early 2017.

The City facelift, which is codenamed as 2GC is expected to get changes in line with the Crider sedan and Greiz, which are sold in the Chinese market. Honda has already sent the prototypes of the City facelift to Japan for testing and the new model of the City is expected to accommodate features such as 5.7cm touchscreen, an automatic climate control system, audio and hands-free telephone controls, paddle shift, cruise control, automotive sunroof and satellite-navigation system.

The word around the internet says that the overall styling of City will more or less be the same and could get new front grille and headlamps with re-worked rear bumper.

The facelifted City is likely to get the same engine of the current model. Currently, City is powered by 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine that develops 117bhp and 145Nm of torque mated to five-speed manual and CVT gearboxes, and a 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine that can churn out 99bhp and 200Nm of torque mated to six-speed manual transmission.

City, in its faclifted avatar, is expected to get a price tag starting at about Rs 8.5 lakh.