Next-gen Honda City and Jazz to have hybrid powertrains
The present generation of the Honda City has been on sale since 2014. Given that most cars have a life-cycle of 5 to 6 years, and also the fact that Honda has always been quick to update the Honda City in India, it can be assumed that the next generation Honda City will debut either by late 2019 or 2020 with hybrid powertrain options. This also comes at a time when the government has set aggressive targets for the car industry to adopt alternative fuels.
In recent interactions with the media, Takahiro Hachigo, CEO at Honda Motor had said the company was planning to launch six models in India over the next three years. He also said that the company would focus on diesel and hybrid powertrains, given that the infrastructure in the country was still not conducive enough to justify a full EV. This is quite a contrarian strategy to that of other manufacturers who have shown increased focus on full EVs as well.
The Honda Jazz, due for a facelift this year, is also expected to be a part of the six models mentioned in this strategy. The all-new version should be launched soon after the new City and will continue to share powertrain options like the present generation cars.
The next generation City and Jazz will be equipped with Honda's new hybrid i-MMD technology for small and midsize cars. This is more efficient than the current i-DCD technology it uses in the Honda Accord Hybrid sold in the country. Honda claims this system should return a fuel economy of 25 kmpl. Sources say the six models to be launched by Honda will be the next-gen Amaze, the new Civic, CR-V, Jazz, City and a compact crossover to compete with the Hyundai Creta and Jeep Compass.
These developments are also in line with Honda's strategy to have two-thirds of its global fleet will be electrified by 2030.
Source: ET Auto