Honda City milestone: 4M units sold and counting

MANILA: Honda City is one of those enduring car nameplates that has stood the test of time. The iconic nameplate started production back in 1981 as a 3-door hatchback for the Japanese, European and Australasian markets, Honda City was retired in 1994. The company decided to resurrect the brand come 1996 as a subcompact four-door sedan marketed mainly on developing countries. Since then, Honda City has sold four million units.

There is no doubt that Honda City is one of the brand’s best-selling subcompact sedan not just here in the Southeast Asian market but globally. In the Philippines, it is one of the more favored brands among Filipinos because of the popularity, reliability, and ‘snub’ effect as Honda sedans have a not-for-taxi-use clause, which also gives them a higher resale value.

During the City’s almost four-decade history, Honda has produced seven generations of the iconic car if we’re going to include the two hatchback versions. The first Honda City that reached the Philippine shores was the third generation built between 1996-2002. It was slotted just below Honda Civic and was based on the EF Civic platform. Launch with the marketing slogan,

“Smart for the new generation,” it features two engines: a 1.3-Liter and 1.5-Liter engine. By the early 2000s, the third generation City received a facelift and new engine—a .5 L VTEC engines (VTI) with rear stabilizer. It also saw exterior cosmetic changes such as new end taillights and front façade.

Come 2002, the fourth generation of the City was unveiled at the Bangkok International Motor Show and offered in a four-wheel-drive version. It was powered by an i-DSI engine known for fuel economy before shifting to the VTEC version, mated to a 7-speed CVT gearbox.

The fifth-generation Honda City was launched in November 2008 and reached the Philippines a few months later and came in several variants. Locally, it came in 1.3 S and 1.5 E model with the 1.3 engine mated to either a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission while the E trim was mated to a 5-speed automatic with paddle shifters. And by 2012, received a facelift with a redesigned front grille, new hood, and rear bumper, and redesigned alloy wheels.

By 2014, the sixth generation City was launched in the Philippines and offered in three variants with the base model 1.5 E available in either manual transmission or CVT. The top-of-the-line 1.5 VX and VX+ trims are only available in CVT and come with bespoke alloy wheels, front fog lights, push start/stop engine, and 7-inch touchscreen panel.

The seventh and current generation Honda City (fifth generation for those who do not count the two hatchback versions) which just had a global launch in Thailand, marks another milestone for the iconic name brand.

Not only does it come with a turbo-powered engine, but it also comes with an RS trim level to those who want a more sporty looking City. And with the new model officially hitting the market this coming December, it will be no surprise if the Honda City will hit the 5 million mark soon.

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