When it comes to reliability, innovation and diverse vehicle line-up, Honda has maintained its position among the top auto manufacturers across the globe. Among its lineup of sedans and SUVs, Honda City is a subcompact sedan that debuted in 1981 as a hatchback.
Since its inception, Honda City’s history spans seven generations. Honda launched City for the Japanese market, but later it was introduced in different countries. Let’s go through the journey of Honda City for over 4 decades.
Honda City Generations and Models Over the Years
Came out as a three-door hatchback and two-door convertible, Honda City has come a long way as one of the most popular used Hondas in the UAE. As the name implies, Honda City was introduced as an urban vehicle.
Here is the complete history of Honda City and how it evolved over the years, providing the same utility and comfortable ride to urban drivers.
First Generation Honda City (1981-1985)
The first generation of Honda City debuted as a two-door convertible and three-door hatchback in 1981. Featuring an innovative “Tallboy” design, the Honda City hatchback provided enough seating space for four.
Under the hood, Honda City boasted a 1.2-litre engine producing 67 hp. Alongside, a turbocharged 1.2-litre engine was available as an option producing 118 hp. The engines came paired with 3-speed automatic, 4 and 5-speed manual or 4+3-speed Hypershift manual transmission.
Second Generation Honda City (1986-1994)
With a lower and wider body, the Honda City new models came with an improved design and enhanced driving performance. The second generation of Honda City only came in a 3-door hatchback car body style.
Paired with a 5-speed manual or optional 4-speed automatic transmission, Honda City featured a 1.2-litre single carburettor engine producing 76 hp. A facelifted version of City rolled out with an upgraded 1.3-litre fuel injection engine producing 100 hp.
Honda ended this generation in 1994. After a production halt of 2 years, the Japanese auto manufacturer rolled out the new era of Honda City- a four-door sedan.
Third Generation Honda City (1996-2001)
1996 marked a new beginning for Honda City. A sedan model debuted in Honda City history. The third generation of Honda City featured the chassis of the fourth generation of Honda Civic as it shared the EF Civic platform. Honda offered two trims of City: base LXi and premium EXi variants.
Alongside, it came with the D-series engine and the interior and exterior provided a refreshing appearance to the Honda City. Furthermore, all Honda City models in this generation featured a base 1.3-litre engine producing 95 hp, whereas an optional 1.5-litre fuel injection engine boasting 103 hp was available for the buyers.
In 2000, the Honda City’s third generation received a mid-cycle refresher named Type Z. The facelifted version featured new headlights and taillights design. Moreover, a new suspension system improved the handling. Also, the front fascia featured a one-piece bumper instead of the three-piece bumper.
Fourth Generation Honda City (2002-2007)
Introduced in 2002, Honda City came with an improved interior space with an easy-to-read instrument cluster. The centre console housed the car stereo, three rotary air conditioning controls and cup holders. Considering the fact that it was a subcompact sedan, the Honda City’s 4th generation still offered enough leg and headroom.
Paired with a 5-speed manual or CVT transmission, the sedan featured a standard 1.3-litre and an optional 1.5-litre engine producing 82 and 89 hp, respectively. In 2004, the VTEC technology was introduced to the Honda City’s 1.5-litre engine. That said, it then produced 109 hp.
The facelifted version came out in 2005, named City ZX. The front and rear sides received an extension of 2.6 and 0.6 inches. Alongside, redesigned front grille, headlights, taillights, fog lights, and front and rear bumpers added to the exterior appearance. Besides, the facelifted City model came with automatic side mirrors.
Fifth Generation Honda City (2008-2013)
The fifth generation of Honda City debuted in 2008. Similar to its predecessor, it was built on the Honda Fit hatchback platform. However, it had a longer wheelbase, sweeping lines on the sides, and a lower roof since it was a sedan.
On the interior, it featured more head and legroom alongside a whopping 400-litre cargo space. Moreover, Honda City boasted modern car safety features, including vehicle stability assist, and front and side airbags.
Mated with a 5-speed manual or automatic transmission, the 2008 Honda City model housed the following engine options:
- A 4-cylinder 1.3-litre engine producing 98 hp
- 1.5-litre engine boasting 120 hp
- 1.8-litre engine generating 140 hp
- The 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine was available in the later models of this generation and produced 116 hp
Sixth Generation Honda City (2014-2018)
The sixth generation of Honda City was rolled out in 2014 with enhanced technology and design. It introduced the Solid Wing Face. The front fascia included the grille stretching from one headlight to another in an uninterrupted flow with the Honda logo perfectly placed in between.
Additionally, the wheelbase increased by two inches. That said, it increased the interior space with maximised legroom and cargo space of 537 litres.
Under the hood, the Honda City’s 6th generation featured a 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine boasting 118 hp. Later, a hybrid system was introduced in the history of Honda City. The hybrid version combined with a 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine produced 108 hp, and the Honda H1 Electric Motor Sport Hybrid produced 29 hp. That said, the combined power produced by the hybrid car version was 130 hp.
Engines came paired with the 5-speed manual, 6-speed automatic, and 7-speed dual-clutch or CVT transmission.
Honda City’s all models in this generation included infotainment features with a 7-inch touchscreen alongside Bluetooth connectivity. Four power outlets and eight speakers ensure that the passengers don’t miss out on entertainment.
In 2017, Honda City’s 6th generation received a mid-cycle refresher. Changes included a revised chrome bar grille, LED daytime running lamps and LED taillights.
Seventh Generation Honda City (2019-Present)
2019 marked the start of the Honda City’s 7th generation. The edgy and sharper design gave a splendid appearance to the front fascia. Besides, the LED reflector headlight types with daytime running lamps (DRL) complemented the redesigned front fascia.
The interior of the latest generation in the Honda City history is more comfortable and premium than the previous generations. The dashboard is a simple one with wood inserts and chrome outlines. Alongside, the height-adjustable seat and multi-functioning steering wheel enhance driver accessibility.
Infotainment features included a touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility. Besides, safety features included cruise control, an anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC) and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).
It featured the same 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine with certain improvements, such as improved airflow and reduced friction. Additionally, the engine came paired with a 6-speed manual or CVT transmission.
That wraps the complete Honda City history which started as a hatchback model. Later, it went on to become a refined and good-quality sedan model. You can check listings of used Honda City in the UAE and find this iconic sedan.
Although not many cars have achieved the milestone of the longest car production runs of all time, Honda City is among those iconic models. Also, you can check out other feature-rich and technologically advanced vehicles in the plethora of used cars for sale in the UAE.
Stay connected with the UAE’s leading cars blog to know the inside out of the popular auto brands and their popular car models.
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